In a current pop culture climate where celebrities and especially musicians are making their political opinions heard regardless of the consequences after the fact, few figures from the hip-hop community have been as vocal about the state of America than Vic Mensa. The young Chicago rapper, who released his debut album The Autobiography on Jay-Z's Roc Nation label earlier this year, has been critical of the Trump administration before, but only in the context of the White House's ineptitude to solve recurring problems that have plagued multiple Presidents. "I had to come to terms with the fact that nobody getting into office, as the President of the United States, is really, like, 'my' candidate," he explained to Larry King. "Nobody's really representing me or my people." Now, Mensa is taking aim at the American public and their porous attitude towards gun control.
As per a report from TMZ, Mensa didn't hold back with his opinions, stating that Americans need to stop being "stupid as f**k" when it comes to the issue of gun control. "You're not going to fight off a tyrannical government with an AR-15 or an M16, so give it up. It's not a constitutional right." The rapper goes on to explain that last point, adding that America's forefathers didn't have assault weapons at their disposal when the constitution was written and that those second amendment rights have been grossly misinterpreted over time. In Mensa's mind, it's a simple choice between two very different options: get the AR-15's and other such weapons off the streets and out of the hands of civilians or "sacrifice your family and friends to mass murder."
He also touched on the political response, which so often falls back on the "thoughts and prayers" strategy, which he says is basically meaningless at this point. He dragged House Republicans and those in Congress who take money from the NRA, vote against any sort of legislation that will curb America's enthusiasm for arming themselves and using such weaponry at will, and then resort to the "thoughts and prayers" response in the face of tragedy. For Mensa, and surely many of other Americans, real change is the only answer.
Did you think the rapper's response was too harsh or right on the money? Let us know in the comments.