Later in “Orange Soda,” Vic plays around with his delivery, slowing down to talk in between his lines as the beat cuts out from under him. “They made list about Chicago rappers and they skipped me” he talk-raps, briefly ranting before following up with the bar’s second half: “Maybe because I’m so much more.” Vic delivers the message loud and clear. Stefan and the MC were clearly well rehearsed–all of the DJ’s cuts were in perfect sync with Vic‘s elastic play on the initial rhythms.

To switch things up a bit, Vic performs two new tracks and turns the moment into something of a variety show. See for yourself:

Vic tells the crowd that the world is hearing “Feel That” for the first time tonight at Terminal 5. “I think I’m legend in the making, I feel that…She’s on the phone, she wants to fuck me and I feel that,” Vic spits. His delivery is a bit off; he’s almost drooling his words. “Feel That” does not have the complex bars that we are accustomed to hearing with Vic, but the knocking beat is able to carry the track. The audience is then graced with a second new song–this one’s far more frantic. Everyone gets hyped up. After bringing the pit of bodies in front of him to a ferocious, frenetic peak, Vic leaves the stage. The crowd wants more, but that’s all the time he has for the night.

Vic Mensa was somehow able to inject a 30minute opening gig with the theatrics and variety of a full headline show. He was an incredible live-performer. It was easy to feel years of training he received while touring with Kids These Days fueling his naturally captivating presence. Vic was a spectacle, and he still managed to connect with the audience on a personal level even jumping down into the mosh pit that concluded the show and rocking out with fans face to face, shoulder to sweaty shoulder. The Chicago rapper’s love for music and for putting on a good show was palpable: if you have money for one concert, you won’t be disappointed choosing Vic.

Peep his tour dates: here

The post Concert Review: Vic Mensa, The Chicago Rapper To See Live appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The hip-hop media’s darling of the moment strikes with the first video since Acid Rap‘s release, “Everybody’s Somebody.” Though the track features one of the sweetest and most inescapably memorable hooks of the entire tape, it’s far from being an obvious pick for the next video single. Whereas the higher energy and notable features of “Cocoa Butter Kisses” would have been the more expected track, “Everybody’s Something” carries perhaps the more nuanced message. It makes for a captivating and visually rich video that is just below the mark of Chance‘s typically electrifying affairs. Enjoy the video below, directed by Austin Vesely.

The post New Video: Chance The Rapper – “Everybody’s Somebody” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Chicago’s next to blow, Vic Mensa, has dropped the crisp, ’90s-but-lonlier video for the upcoming INNANETAPE‘s third single, “Hollywood LA“. You might know him from Chance The Rapper’s “Cocoa Butter Kisses”, or from defunct full-band outfit Kids These Days, or from his two other most recent singles, “Did It B4” and “Orange Soda“, or even from our exclusive, thoughtful, funny interview with the man himself. But in 4:08, you’re going to know him for “Hollywood LA”. This video, which contains Vic smoking, driving, and singing to his girlfriend, as well as a few gorgeous crane and plane shots of Hollywood and a mansion befitting a rising star, is greater than the sum of its parts. The SAVEMONEY rhymer flies us out to his world of pain, meditation, celebration and freedom as the ultra-smooth hooks, bridges, and twisting verses coincide with the bright, open air shots of sunny CA. Vic‘s PR man expressed extreme gratitude towards Trevor Kane, the video’s director, for making their ’90s-big-budget-esque vision come to life–he’s the reason for this video’s leap in quality, professionalism and scope over Vic‘s past pair of videos. That’s not to say the past efforts were weak. It’s to say watch this video.

The post New Video: Vic Mensa – “Hollywood LA” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

To get some deserved hype going for INNANETAPE, set to drop this summer, Chicago’s Vic Mensa has dropped the deranged new video for “Did It B4”. In the clip, Vic get’s casual brain surgery, takes a whack rapper hostage, and wilds out in front of some glowing TVs. You may know Vic from “Cocoa Butter Kisses” on Chance The Rapper’s recent tape, and if you pay attention, you’ll find appearances by Chance at the 1:30 mark and the SAVEMONEY crew throughout.

The post New Video: Vic Mensa – “Did It B4” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.