Review: Vic Mensa's "The Autobiography" Album
/
Vic Mensa’s debut album, “The Autobiography”, is a long-anticipated release. With a few EP’s and mixtapes showcasing his talent, his first studio album showcases his skills on the mic and ability to put together a full project. Although the album doesn’t officially release until July 28, the album is available to stream on NPR. Let’s see how well the artist’s debut album stacks up against his summer competition.
The first thing you’ll notice when listening to the album is the lyricism and storytelling ability of Vic Mensa. The album is titled “The Autobiography” for a good reason. The first track sets the tone for the album with Vic Mensa telling his life story, tales of lost ones, addiction, and success. His wordplay, metaphors and ability to bend syllables compliments the tone he chooses to take on certain tracks, emphasizing the emotions he feels while telling his story.
The production on the album compliments Vic Mensa’s style perfectly. From classic hip hop style samples to genre bending instrumentals that take inspiration from Rock N Roll and Pop, the album takes risks and experiments with different styles. When it comes to the instrumentals, Mensa is able to make experimental concepts work for a sound that’s probably very different than what you’re probably used to hearing. Features from artists including Pharrell Williams, Rock band Weezer, Ty Dolla Sign, and fellow Chicago rapper Chief Keef make nice additions to Mensa’s flow.
While Vic’s ability to try new things and diverse from typical hip hop and rap style works for most of the album, there are a few songs that sort of miss the mark. The album starts off really strong, but tends to lose a little steam towards the middle. While those songs aren’t bad, they lack the flare that was established in the first few tracks. However, the album comes back strong with the last few tracks.
With this being his debut album, Vic Mensa has definitely established himself as one of the leaders of the new school. His ability to purely spit while also leaving the current “hip hop comfort zone” brings a fresh perspective. While there are a couple misses, the album has far more high moments. Whether you’re a fan who has been waiting on this album, or someone who is curious to see how what Vic Mensa brings to the Hip Hop roundtable, “The Autobiography” is a must cop for the summer and definitely an album that you need to check out while it’s available for streaming.