Vic Mensa & Chance The Rapper: "Suitcase"
Photo by Bryan Lamb
It's been one hell of a year for Save Money artists Vic Mensa & Chance The Rapper. Both dropped projects that vaulted each to the forefront of the hip-hop world with individually unique approaches to the art form that have captivated listeners across the country. Last night, the pair dropped a loosie single titled "Suitcase", appropriate given the amount of time each has spent one the road and traveling throughout 2013. The funky beat from Cam Osteen paces the backdrop for Chance's deliberate word play and Vic's silky smooth bars that are reminiscent of the off-kilter futuristic projection theme from his September 30 release Innanetape. On "Suitcase", he rhymes: "What if I was a newlywed, with a newborn of two weeks, and my flight to the UK crashed in the Yukon, and I woke up on a distant beach, with a peach in my mouth, sand in my hair and no shoes on-where am I?" Chance picks things up, singing the chorus of "Hit The Road Jack" in his nasally, whispering voice. As the most recent track since the longtime friends got together on "Tweakin'" off Innanaetape, it provides a solid platform from which each shows what they do best. Chance has gotten well-acquainted with his suitcase over the past two months while out on his headlining "Social Experiment" tour, and Vic will pack his bags soon for a tour with Disclosure, "Suitcase" may be a very fitting theme song. Check it out below.
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[Video] Vic Mensa: "Egyptian Cotton" (Prod. Clams Casino)
Vic Mensa is quickly positioning himself as the future of hip-hop. The 19-year-ol Chicago MC has been all over the country on seemingly every major publication, TV show and website promoting his latest release, Innanetape, which dropped on September 30 to rave reviews . Playing on his technologic-inspired "Innanet" aesthetic, Mensa teamed up with Clams Casino and HP to record a track and accompanying video as part of HP's 2 Day Beat Project where they teamed up the pair to create the song with ideas for lyrics pulled from Youtube comments. The production value behind the video is out of this world, as Vic seems to physically interact with the verses he's spitting. Vic's pointed, sharp-edged lyricism coaxes over the finer things in life, like Egyptian Cotton, in this latest offering.
Check out the video below and enter to win a pair of tickets to Vic's SOLD OUT show at Reggie's in Chicago on 12/7 courtesy of RH! Tweet, Instagram or Facebook a picture of you with the "Innanet" in some way and hashtag #RHMENSA so we can find you! Read more about the contest and show here.
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[Video] Stream Clams Casino making 2Days Beat LIVE with Vic Mensa
Technology and music go hand in hand. With the advancement and convenience of laptops and tablets, musicians of all types have found exciting and innovative ways to create music simply through their tablets. Hewlett-Packard's (HP) new HP Split X2 is a convertible netbook that doubles as both a laptop and a tablet. To promote the new product, HP has teamed up with famed producer Clams Casino (Mac Miller, A$AP Rocky, et al) to illustrate how versatile the HP Split X2 is.
In a two-day event, 2Days Beat, a live stream will be aired on YouTube showcasing the producer making beats inspired by real-time YouTube comments right now and tomorrow. Accompanying him is none other than Chicago's very own, Vic Mensa. It's not really clear exactly how Vic will be involved, but considering his amazing talent at freestyling, I think it's safe to assume he'll be demonstrating exactly how good at freestyling he really is.
You can stream the entire event below.
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[Video] Brian Fresco: "Piece of Mind"
As you may have heard, Chicago's Save Money collective has been turning heads for a minute. 2013 may as well be their year after a slew of solid releases were peppered throughout Spring, Summer and Fall, with more to come through the end of the year. One of the standout mixtapes to drop was Brian Fresco's Mafioso, a stunningly adept, well put together project that featured some of the best verses by Fresco and his team including Joey Purp, Vic Mensa, Caleb James, Tokyo Shawn, Chance The Rapper and more. Today, the young MC drops his video for "Piece of Mind" off Mafioso. Personally, Fresco is one of the guys I'm most excited to see develop from this bountiful crop of artists in Chicago-check him out for yourself in the video below.
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[Video] Vic Mensa, Bun B, A$AP Rocky Freestyle on MTV's Rapfix Live
If you haven't heard yet, Chicago's own Vic Mensa is killing the game lately. Having dropped his first solo project in three years, hit the road with J. Cole and Wale and spit a verse on BET, I'd say it's been a good year so far for the 19-year-old Save Money member. Never one to slow down, Mensa, hungry as ever, showed up to MTV's Rapfix eager to prove that his verse on BET's The Backroom was no fluke. What preceded was absolutely ridiculous as ever, with Mensa spitting bars for days to the point Sway literally had to stop him to go to commercial. Vic's got bars, folks and both Bun B and A$AP Rocky, two of rap's heavyweights seemed endlessly impressed. Please, do not sleep on Save Money, they just keep upping the bar. Watch the full video below.
Wanna see Vic live? Enter RubyHornet's contest to win tix to his show in Chicago 12/7! Details here!
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[Video] Vic Mensa: "YNSP" (feat. Eliza Doolittle)
Vic Mensa keeps it coming with his latest video released today for the ever catchy "YNSP" off his recently-released Innanetape project that has had listeners across the country talking about these kids from Chicago. The most recent offering, shot by Nem Prez, has the Save Money General and company firmly entrenched in a Matrix-like 'innanet,' as they do their thing in a 2001: A Space Odyssey-esque backdrop, while Dally Auston keeps his rep up with some absolutely crazy looking dancing, aided by some clever editing (keep an eye out). Yung Net Save Peso himself heads to Chicago for his homecoming on December 17 and RubyHornet is trying to send you and a friend, hit the link for more on that and enjoy the video below.
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[RH Contest] Win Vic Mensa Tickets in Chicago on 12/7
Vic Mensa is headed back to Chicago for a homecoming show at Reggie's, and Ruby Hornet wants to send you and a friend. We have a pair of tickets that we will give away to one winner.
To enter, simply take an Instagram picture, tag a Facebook photo, tweet a picture, or send a carrier pigeon of yourself embodying the #INNANETAPE lifestyle, and we will announce winners a week before the show. Entrants will have to be following us on whichever social network they enter. Make sure to include the hashtag #RHMensa so we can find your photos. Good luck!
Remember, you can buy tickets for the show directly from 1833 Presents.
Vic Mensa "Live on the Innanet" Tickets Go On Sale
Chicago's own Vic Mensa will be returning home to the Windy City for a headlining show with Jean Deaux & The Hood Internet on Saturday, December 7 at Reggie's. The first 50 people to buy tickets will also be eligible for a meet n' greet with Yung Net Save Peso himself, as well as a limited edition poster. Mensa has been on a tear since dropping Innanetape, his re-introduction as a solo act, to the world. Since then he has gone on tour with J. Cole, rocked shows with his homie Chance and traveled the country sitting in on radio shows and spitting freestyles. Don't miss an opportunity to catch his homecoming show on December 7 - get your tickets here. Or, enter Ruby Hornet's contest to win a pair for free!
Vic Mensa - Live on the Innanet w/ The Hood Internet & Jean Deaux
Saturday 12/7 All Ages Doors at 6:30pm