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Vic Mensa - U Mad (ft. Kanye West)

So much more than just a Yeezy co-sign, Mensa is at the top of his game here, and he wants you to know it.

14th April 2015

A Kanye West co-sign is by no means a rarity. Kanye’s belief in collaboration as the future of music means that, as a part of his ever expanding community of talented up-and-coming artists, his backing of Vic Mensa is just a drop in the Armenian lake. This isn’t to discredit those blessed by Yeezus’ touch, either, because each is carefully hand-picked. They’re all brimming with talent and promise, and Vic Mansa is no exception. Following his appearance on Kanye’s ‘Wolves’ Mensa has returned the favour, taking the lead with Kanye as a guest in ‘U Mad’.

With ‘U Mad’ Mensa has a point to prove; ‘I don’t need y’all neither’. So much more than just a co-sign, Mensa doesn’t hold back; diving confidently straight onto the trumpet-laden, glitchy beat with the venom and ferocity of an artist not content to side-line. Everything about ‘U Mad’ is as big as it can be; from the crisp, trappy production overlaid by clanging church bells and muscular, dirty synths to the sneering bravado of the hook - ‘oh u mad huh?’ Mensa is at the top of his game and he wants you to know it. West himself, though still impressive, is a little more subdued; content to lay back delivering a pace of one syllable to Mensa’s every two, doing just enough to assert his dominance without overshadowing - a bit like when your dad lets you put a few goals past him in the garden. Though Kanye may for be the main draw for many, this track very much belongs to Vic Mensa and he isn’t about to let you forget it.

Tags: Kanye West, Vic Mensa, Reviews, Listen