Vic Mensa Embraces Sobriety, Says Drugs Ruined Him: ‘I Was In a Creative Crutch’

Vic Mensa's journey as an artist was a struggle that was often at odds with his uphill battle with drugs. In an interview with Phoenix New Times, the Chicago native revealed that drugs impaired his ability to create music and gave him suicidal thoughts.

"Getting sober...that’s always been of paramount importance to me, social issues and all, but when I was more wrapped up in drugs it was harder to articulate," he explained.

“I was in a point of time since probably 2013 where I jumped from drug to drug as, like, a creative crutch,” he continued. “It was really like a handicap, but I got to a point where I just felt like I needed drugs to write, to be creative, and thought it was psychedelic drugs. I did too much mushrooms, to the point where I couldn’t even do it anymore, I would just have a bad trip. I was just thinking about bridges and all that suicidal s---. It scarred me for a while. I was definitely dealing with that bad trip for at least a year.”

Thankfully, once Mensa started on his road to sobriety in January, he was able to regain his creative freedom and focused on being social conscious.

Newly sober, the 23-year-old rapper's political-centric rhymes can be heard on his latest release, There’s Alot Going On EP. The collection boasts a guest appearance on Ty Dolla $ign. Standout tracks include the braggadocios "Dynasty" and his anti-police brutality anthem "16 Shots."

You can currently see Vic Mensa shinning brightly in Kanye West's glittery video for "Wolves."