(AllHipHop News) Chicago Roc Nation rapper Vic Mensa recently was featured in VEVO’s “Why I Vote,” series where he reflected on previous encounters with police brutality and explained how voting can bring change.
“Affecting change in the hood is why I vote,” declared Vic in VEVO’s campaign to encourage citizens to take their part in political change.
According to Rolling Stone, Vic believes in voting as a great catalyst for change at both the local and national level.
Although Vic was raised in a very well educated household, the rapper’s hometown has long been infamous for its high crime rates, destitution, and despair, with the midwest city being dubbed ‘Chiraq.’
“All my earliest memories with police officers are like, ‘Hey, get your fu##ing hands out that hoodie before I punch you in the fu##ing face!'” Mensa recalled. “‘What the f##k did I do? What’d I do? What law did I break?’ You live with that enough and there’s not really any turning back.”
In the five minute video the artist also reflects on being snatched up by police at a local protest of 17-year old Laquan McDonald’s death at the hands of police in 2014.
“We hadn’t broken any laws. We were just organizing on the street, as is our right as Americans,” the rapper stated.
Vic’s strong remarks follow the September 16 shooting death of unarmed Tulsa,OK black man Terrence Crutcher by law enforcement.
Give the video a look below.