Vic Mensa has never been afraid to speak his mind when it comes to the issues plaguing America.

To kick off Vevo’s “Why I Vote” campaign, which premiered Monday, the Chicago rapper is the first artist to share his personal story for the series. He spoke of his hometown, saying, “Effecting change in the ‘hood is why I vote. All of my earliest memories with police officers were like, ‘Hey, get your f—ing hands out that hoodie before I punch you in the f—ing face. You live with that enough and there’s not really any turning back.”

The “Why I Vote” series gives artists the opportunity to share their personal stories and raise awareness about the upcoming election with topics ranging from police brutality to immigration, LBGTQ rights, and many more. Just last month, Mensa was a victim of racial profiling when he and his friends spent $4,000 in Barneys and were stopped by policemen who accused the group of stealing.

In the video, Vic continued, “I definitely encourage people to vote so that you can be a part of the society you live in so you could have some type of voice. Whenever I have the opportunity to make my opinion matter, I take that opportunity.”

Check out the full video above.

SOURCE: Billboard | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty, Youtube

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