There’s Alot Going on is by far Vic Mensa’s most important project he’s released in his young life. On the EP, the 23-year-old shifted from being the talented lyricist from Kids These Days to become more outspoken against police brutality, homophobia and more. On Monday night, Mensa brought that outspokenness to the stage with a performance of one of the EP’s biggest songs, “16 Shots,” on Jimmy Kimmel Live in which he reminded his fellow Americans the reasons why it’s absolutely make it to the polls today.
Mensa’s emotional track was enhanced with a performance that included pseudo police trying to tackle and restrain him before he’s able to break free. It creates a nice visual but it wasn’t just that which made it memorable. Near the end of his set, he stopped the band in order to address the studio crowd and those at home watching about the importance of Tuesday’s march to the polls.
“I’m a young, black man from Chicago, and I’m tired of not being able to trust the police,” Mensa said. “I want to have faith in the men and women sworn to protect me. I don’t want to see another 17-year-old kid like Laquan McDonald murdered in the street,” a reference to the highly publicized police shooting that brought Chicago’s police department, the mayor and other city officials under fire.
Mensa continued, “So when I hear a candidate talking about ‘law and order’ and ‘stop and frisk’ as the answer to our problems, you don’t know our problems in Chicago and you damn sure don’t speak for us.” The “law and order” and “stop and frisk” remarks stem Donald Trump’s comments during the first presidential debate that ruffled many feathers from those in communities where the terms are code speak for targeting minorities.
“You got to get out and vote against hate because Donald Trump is a racist,” added Mensa as he closed out his performance. “If you don’t vote, racism wins.”
