May 16th: Vic Mensa’s newest single ,“Down on my Luck,” is a huge change of pace for the the Chicago rapper. Throwing up what seemed to be a one-off freestyle over Disclosure’s “When a Fire Starts to Burn” a couple months ago, Mensa’s incorporation of UK House aesthetics into his songwriting have given him a pretty substantial second wind. It’s a definite break with the Jazz and Soul influenced Innanetape, one that greatly improves the prospects of him breaking out of Chance the Rapper’s huge shadow. Though it was pretty much inevitable that his relationship with Chance would invite comparisons between the two, it’s a shame that Acid Rap’s success basically buried Innanetape. 2013 was certainly Chance’s year; is 2014 shaping up to be Vic Mensa’s launchpad? Though we’re almost halfway through the year, “Down on my Luck’s” new video garnered a quarter of a million views in a span of a couple days, and a new mixtape released behind a single as catchy as this one would have a great chance of making an impact.

August 8th: The year’s not even close to being finished, but as far as Chicago’s new hot commodity, it’s definitely Mensa. With a steady stream of tracks coming out this summer, his buzz has grown considerably and despite the constantly changing vibe it’s all Vic. He’s emerged as an amazingly versatile vocalist and rapper and his newest joint with Kaytranada might be the best thing he’s ever released. A victory lap on his already triumphant summer, “Wimme Nah” is an anthem for the underdog made good on his promise. If you need proof: