When Vic Mensa entered the scene, he seemed destined for cross-genre success. But fast-forward a few years later and he’s more known for his strong opinions and feuds than his music.
On his new EP Hooligans, a follow-up to his 2017 debut album The Autobiography, the Roc Nation artist dabbles in multiple genres and invites numerous guests to assist in crafting a banger.
In spite of its ambitions, Hooligans meanders and repeatedly comes off as forced.
For all its flaws, Hooligans kicks off strong. “Dancing in the Streetz” feels epic with Vic Mensa painting a picture of his self-destructive Hollywood lifestyle over a riveting beat. However, the EP’s intro also foreshadows the project’s overall flaws. The track collapses into a sluggish rock outro sung by Jesse Rutherford, the lead singer of alternative rock band the Neighborhood. Though this type of mash-up is an intriguing idea, the execution is a bit lazy.
Mensa repeatedly illustrates his nihilist debauchery through Rap rock. On “Dark Things,” he flirts with self-destruction in the lines, “Feel like Amy Wine again/ this is Absinthe, not, Heineken, 25, running out of time again/ 27 Club, how can I get in?” Substance abuse and mental health have been at the forefront of the Hip Hop discourse in 2018 so it’s a bit jarring for a rapper to throw subtlety out the window and be honest about how drug addiction can spiral.
But at times, Vic Mensa’s candidness leads to corniness. Unlike “Dark Things,” “Klonopin” aims to be more lighthearted. Instead of being irreverent or clever, however, the track is spoiled by cringe-worthy lyrics: “Never been to college, giving lectures at Harvard/ She magna cum laude/ I made her cum louder.” Coupled with the pop-rap vibe, “Klonopin” comes off as childish.
Throughout his career, Vic Mensa has worked with some of Hip Hop’s most intriguing artists. On this EP, he continues that streak. Despite not always being successes, Mensa holds his own and rarely gets overshadowed. Ty Dolla $ign finishes off his marathon of a year by popping up on the sensual track “In Some Trouble.” Later on, fellow Chicago rapper G Herbo helps turn “Rowdy” an energetic banger. But once again, Mensa misfires when he’s trying too hard to be earnest. While “The 1 That Got Away/No Shoes” has a heavy-handed chorus from Charlie Wilson, “Deserve It” can’t overcome its cliche production. Though it features some of Mensa’s most introspective lyrics, any semblance of individuality fades as he channels Drake on the chorus.
A messy project like Hooligans suggests that Vic Mensa is at some sort of crossroads. This EP shows that his main issue isn’t laziness but rather an inability to focus and hone in on one of his strengths.
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Can’t stand this dude
Laughable
Herbos verse is the best on the album
That cover looks like it’s a flyer for a gay strip club.
Dude wants to be Marilyn Manson and GG Allin
If it was said by anybody else it would be good, but everyone has decided to cancel vic mensah so it’s terrible. Lil Wayne built his following with average lines like that and is seen as a legend (for some unknown reason).
Great album. Every critique saying contrary I’ve seen seemed unsophisticated. Vic Mensa has a versatility most emcees don’t. Unfortunately this generation cares more about the drama and hype surrounding an artist rather than lyrical/creative prowess.
Mensa is a try hard who cant find his own lane hence all of the inconsistency. “Hmm Im a gay nerd bitch and the reviews of this gay nerd bitch album I like seem Unsophisticated Hmmm”
dickhead your name is vicmensasux.
Wow, such a passionate defense of a weak album from a weak artist. please humor me. What is it that you’re hearing that all of us are missing? Where do you hear the lyrical/creative prowess?
I didn’t actually listen, I like Disco…..but fuck Vic Mensa.
It’s clear this site/generation is completely warped. Not that this was a classic, but reading the review will make you think it was trash. Reading the 21 Savage review will make you think he has turned him self from talentless to michael jordan. The social aspect of these reviews makes no sense. Why mention Vic’s lines about how drug addiction can spiral as a negative? Why even mention 21 Savage and his philanthropy? One had music that varies from below avg to good, the other had trash to super trash, yet the first guy gets a 3.1, the other gets a 4.2. I know it’s not cool to defend vic mensah because it’s 2018 and he offended some people (who are way too easily offended nowadays), but this is getting ridiculous. The comment below giving it a 1 star despite saying he didn’t listen to the album is the perfect example of society today. 3.5 but giving it a 4 because there are no half stars here.
Well-stated
If you dont like Vic Mensa because you think XXXtentacion is some sort of “legend” then you are a mindless weirdo. Go on youtube and listen to XXX talk candidly about beating up a pregnant woman and brag about how scared of him she is. Not to mention he was ugly and he was super trash on the mic and had the audacity to claim Drake bit his style lol.
Back to the topic at hand this album was a good listen. Rating was about right. But you bozos that trashed him without listeneing got me off schedule.
the record is inconsistent and all over the place in a bad way. seems like hes trying to follow every trendy modern rap style on this ep. taking cues from juice wrld and emo rap on “dark things” to i”n trouble” trying to have that sensual love song to that “rowdy” track trying to get hype and loud like 69 or something. the issue isn’t trying to do different styles, the issue is he failed in executing every style successfully. being all over the place stylistically and sonically can work really well as brockhampton is a great example of doing just that, but not vic here. the rating is fair. it ain’t trash but it ain’t dope either. the EP just OK at best. thats me being fair trying to give this a shot.
Don’t open your eyes when listening to Hooligans, if you see the Vic Mensa, the Vic Mensa will kill you. If you listen to Hooligans your ears could bleed or you may turn suicidal. Follow the river and listen for the birds…..
this album is better than the new 21 savage album in my opinion.
also: “Despite not always being successes, Mensa holds his own and rarely gets overshadowed”
proof read your review to be taken seriously.
I do agree that it does lack cohesiveness and is a bit all over the place — but for me the diversity of songs isn’t a problem because i think the majority of the cuts are solid. “The 1 That Got Away/No Shoes”, “Rowdy”, “Deserve It”, “Dark Things”, “In Some Trouble” are the highlights for me and the other 3 are definitely not bad songs. A little bit absurd to me that everyone is so against this album mainly because of his comments about XXX it seems? Give it a listen before claiming Vic is garbage.
From
the reviews the music is bad. No one gives a shit about his X comments except people who werent gonna listen anyway. Quit being a queer
You said “From the reviews” …have you listened personally?
Trash
The album was straight trash. Him dissing xxx was tasteless and the icing on the cake to make me never listen to him again. You pick the one deceased rapper to be your stance against Domestic abuse. How about tadoe he from your city and yo beat his girlfriend and bragged about it on Instagram. Show the world that your really for the cause and go toe to toe with someone that’s not in the grave.
This shit is so trash, I mean he’s basically stealing every popular artists style. On that dark thing song he’s doing his best Post Mqlone rendition this guy is the biggest fvck boy I’ve ever listened to don’t ever wast your time listening to this clown. #Sad #NoTalent #QuitItYouNotGoodAtIt #ShameOnMyEarsForHearingThisCrap
This review is terrible considering how y’all praise other music that isn’t consecuted well, or is just not that good. 21 Savage and now he gets a Cole feature and now y’all think he top 5 current rappers it seems. Laughable, this project wasn’t even that bad.
his biggest hit was everyday struggle lmao dj akademiks fans always gon be on his neck i dont like akadmiks he a fat fuck-boi that lives in a basement playing xbox drinking hennesy talking bout mumble rap with no cue about the culture Vic just a weirdo wannabe goth/horror/suicide rapper you get no points for talking shit to akademiks unless its funny or you beat the head off him he just bitched n sulked like a child he prolly gon kill himself over record sales thinking he will be remembered like kurt cobain …………nah you would be forgotten like J-Kwon but shit least he had a couple hits and a nice album im high thats why im writing so much i couldnt give a fuck bout this guy ….unless he busts in on akademiks twitch playstation live stream and beats the shit out of him adlibing street fighter catchphrases
Really enoyable EP, plesent surpise. I know a lot of fake XXXTentacion fans front with the hate because of their lil beef but bro is a dope artist himself, not sleeping on Vic anymore.