There's A lot Going On.
With the upcoming BET hip hop awards nearing, most look forward to the notable main event. Past cypher controversy a consistent norm, this years chaos began days before its airing sparking social media uproar. Learning of the disaster involving Roc Nations signee Vic Mensa and deceased rapper XXXTentacion. It was revealed by XXXTentacion’s DJ (DJ Scheme) that Vic directed his unprovoked cypher lyrics in the direction of the late rapper; condemning X’s glorification as a result of his reported history of domestic abuse allegations. With no evidence of said lyrics available. Vic soon took to Instagram addressing and confirming his condemnation of the late rapper while delivering his form of an apology for doing so in front of the rappers’ grieving mother. Refusing to back down from his premise; Mensa caught immediate fire with a plethora of tweets and posts of criticism producing claims of the ever so ugly “clout chase”.
“I vehemently reject the trend in hip hop of championing abusers, and I will not hold my tongue about it”
Recapping on the past, Vic has been no stranger to hip hop controversy. From his confrontation with Everyday Struggle co-host DJ Akademiks in 2017, to his public discord with rapper Tekashi69. The chicago native seems to make news for all things negative despite his documented positive plays. After dropping his commercially underwhelming debut album The Autobiography last year, it has been a running narrative (check the 6ix9ine interview asking power 105’s Angie Martinez and others to name a Vic song) to question his musical contribution to the culture. Forced claims of clout chasing being his suggested form of relevance now shadow him amid the backlash.
Most outrage behind his recent cypher lyrics (which we have yet to find out exact verbiage) involve objection of Mensa’s suspected opportunistic attack on the deceased young rapper; citing X’s progressive private and public amends for youthful indiscretions before his death. Adding fuel to the fire, 2016’s There’s A lot Going On resurfaced where Vic himself describes dealings of domestic abuse involving his girlfriend stating: “I ended up in the closet with my hands around her neck, I was trippin’ dog ...”. Accusations of blatant hypocrisy followed soon after with the reemergence of his Breakfast Club interview confirming his acts of abuse and amends. Ultimately leading to a botched internet wide cancellation of Vic.
While those on the side of right condemning acts of domestic abuse shouldn’t be written off. Vic’s suspicious controversial stance for attacking a deceased X when guilty of similar past transgressions bring forth understandable confusion. Accountability at an all time low, championing any form of violence should be rejected as a whole. Hip hop specifically prevalent for playing both sides. Targeting those who’ve acknowledged their wrongdoings with action put forth to correct it shouldn’t be discredited (as afforded to Vic); especially when cut short of said mission. Unafforded the same advantage, comparisons of any and every destructive being throughout history come as a more than reasonable retort to those on the defense of X’s questionable past.
As the 2018 BET Hip Hop awards airing approaches and the full story unfolds. The sensitive yet necessary topic of denouncing violence in the genre must continue. Whether on or off record, rappers held in the form of (false) prophets have been appointed gatekeeper. To be canceled for speaking a truth should no longer be acceptable. And to not afford everyone the same right to change, or the right to be shunned, should never be contingent on gaining “clout” or selective feelings for particular abusers. Although sentiments of Vic and his musical reach on the culture are now a joking matter when left into the hands of the fictitious world of social media. He bravely takes a courageous yet misunderstood step in the direction of progressive thought, even if it means his seemingly misdirected martyrdom.
Darnell Schoolfield