Vic Mensa Biography

Victor Kwesi Mensah, better known by his stage name Vic Mensa, is an American hip hop recording artist from Chicago, Illinois. He is currently signed to Roc Nation and was a member of the group Kids These Days, which broke up in May 2013. Following their breakup he released his first major mixtape INNANETAPE. Vic Mensa is also founder of the hip-hop collective SAVEMONEY with frequent collaborator Chance The Rapper. His debut single "Down On My Luck" was released in June 2014 by Virgin EMI and it achieved international success.
Vic Mensah was born in Chicago, Illinois to a father from Ghana and a White mother. His mother, Betsy Mensah, works in the Chicago Public Schools system, and father, Edward Mensah, an economics professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. As a child, he recalls rock and roll as some of his earliest music memories that included The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Miles Davis. It was not until fifth grade that Mensa started to take a liking to rap and hip-hop music. Mensa was a good student who attended the Whitney Young Magnet High School, but got caught up in shoplifting and dealing marijuana. However, his musical aspirations cut short his days as a hustler.

In July 2010, Mensa released his debut solo project titled Straight Up as a Ruby Hornet exclusive.

n February 12, 2015, Kanye West debuted his second song from his upcoming album, called "Wolves", featuring Vic Mensa and Sia, during his first adidas Originals x Kanye West fashion show, titled YEEZY SEASON 1. The song is the first track of West's next album. Mensa performed "Wolves" alongside West and Sia on Saturday Night Live's 40th Anniversary Celebration on February 15, 2015.

On April 10, 2015, Vic Mensa released his single "U Mad", featuring Kanye West, on Soundcloud.

On April 21, 2015, Roc Nation announced that it had signed Vic Mensa to its label, via a video announcement that shows the rapper signing contracts alongside Jay Z. Jay Z also tweeted an iTunes link to Mensa's single featuring Kanye in the process. He also announced new album Traffic in an interview, and stated it will have "Down On My Luck" and "U mad" on the album.