Vic Mensa just released his debut album The Autobiography on Jay-Z's Roc Nation label, and he's heading out on Hov's 4:44 tour next month. At 24 years old, these are some serious credentials, and according to the Chicago rapper, it's exactly where he always envisioned himself. In an episode of VICELAND's The Therapist series that airs Tuesday at 10 PM EST, Vic explains his mindset behind inking a deal with Jay-Z.
"I went with Jay-Z and his record label, because I felt that that calibre of artist was me,' he said."I felt that mentality—that self-aware and poignant perspective—embodied why I started to do that in the first place. It's ultimately inspiring to be around my idols. But the reason I even decided to align myself with that company and those people is because I felt like that's where I'm going."
Vic knew what he wanted and what he was capable of very early on. "That's how I felt from the first time I picked up a pen to make rap music and to write. That's what I was listening to," he said, referring to the idols he now calls labelmates. "That's what was in my headphones. Then I turned that one off and I turned on my beat and I start writing, like 'okay, I'm doing this.' I never had any doubt of the calibre of pen I was writing with. That's always been how I saw myself and how I wanted to be. It's inspiring and it's reaffirming. It's all love over there."
The respect between Vic and the Roc Nation roster is mutual. Jay-Z spoke very highly of the rapper at his listening party in July. "Vic is a very special talent," he said. "He can do everything – sing well, rap well. He even engineers himself sometimes. He’s an incredible artist, like a once in a lifetime artist."
Vic will join Jay-Z on tour beginning October 27th. View the full list of tour dates below.
10/27 - Anaheim, CA @ Honda Center
10/28 - Las Vegas, NV @ T-Mobile Arena
11/01 - Fresno, CA @ Save Mart Center at Fresno State
11/03 - Phoenix, AZ @ Talking Stick Resort Arena
11/05 -Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center Arena
11/07 - Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
11/08 - Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
11/09 - New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center
11/11 - Orlando, FL @ Amway Center
11/12 - Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena
11/14 - Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena
11/15 - Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
11/16 - Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center
11/18 - Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
11/19 - Cleveland, OH @ Quicken Loans Arena
11/21 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
11/22 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
11/25 - Boston, MA @ TD Garden
11/26 - Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
11/29 - Washington, DC @ Verizon Center
12/02 - Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
12/05 - Chicago, IL @ United Center
12/06 - Lincoln, NE @ Pinnacle Bank Arena
12/09 - Edmonton, AB @ Rogers Place
12/11 - Vancouver, BC @ Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena
12/13 - Seattle, WA @ KeyArena
12/14 - Portland, OR @ Moda Center
12/16 - Oakland, CA @ Oracle Arena
12/17 - Sacramento, CA @ Golden 1 Center
12/19 - San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena
12/21 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum
