Saalik Jackson
Vic Mensa rage
Rage,a song titled by Vic Mensa, greatly represents what it means to ascend from a darker place. The visual for this song perfectly conveys this theme that Vic Mensa attempts to present. The video begins with Vic casually riding in an airplane. As he stares out the window everything seems fine. While looking out the window he sings the opening lines of the song. These first few lines are actually contradicting to this thought. “Command we’ve lost control, the engine’s bound to crash, the lightning strikes went bright, do not go gently”. This serves as a warning to what’s about to happen in the video . As Vic is singing he then sees lightning flash from outside the plane. Shortly after that the plane then experiences a strong turbulence. He then frantically rushes over to what looks like drugs and alcohol. He starts to indulge in them as if they are giving him comfort during this stress inducing situation. He then sees a great flash that leave a puzzled look on his face.
Then suddenly the plane starts to bust open and break apart. The entire inside of the plain is left in in shambles. Metal can be seen flying off of the plane. The turbulence is so strong that Vic is seen being yanked around in the plane. The turbulence only proves to worsen showing sparks,metal, and various objects flying around. As the plane spirals out of control Vic raps about external struggles. “They say home is where the hate is I’m from where they kill they own”said Vic during the first verse.“Tired of chasing pills that I’m tired of taking,” he proclaims over booming drums and synth strings. “Tired of court cases, tired of judges. Tired of saying Fuck it.”he continued. He falls to the floor and what seems like little pieces of metal are seen being blown around him. As the first verse finishes and the hook comes back the plane has crashed. Vic is seen starting to drown in the ocean that the plane crashed in. Vic fights to stay alive but is inevitably overwhelmed by the water. His body then seems to become lifeless as he starts to sink. We then see a new Vic wearing a white shirt and all his tattoos removed. As Vic appears we see flames as he is rapping. This seems to serve as an entity telling him to get up. It is a more pure version of himself that acknowledges his flaws. As he is rapping he starts to reference his internal conflict that he has with himself. He makes reference of his addictions that he has. This signifies the him being reborn into something different. The scene then switches back to Vic under the water as he now resiliently begins to swim to air. It is as if the old Vic died in the plane crash and a new one has now emerged. He now has the hope and strength that he did not have previously. As he reaches the top he passes a few objects from the plane. He then makes it to above sea level where fire can be seen. With all his remaining strength, Vic swims to what looks like an uninhabited island. With some of his clothes missing, he finally gets up and stands. After everything that he has survived and been through he manages to stand. Tired and out of breath, He starts to stare, looking at the wreckage that once was a plane. The camera zooms in on his face so that viewers can see the exhausted but yet determined look on his face. This is the look of a survivor. This video brilliantly conveys the idea of sacrificing what you are for what you will become . Vic Mensa shows what it means to improve and leave the past behind. It shows that Mensa is not so easily defeated. He raps about the trials and tribulations he has been through in his life, in addiction to drugs. Vic has also had suicidal thoughts amongst other dark issues. He has also frequently dealt with legal problems. All of these are things that he addresses towards the end of the video during his final verse. He eventually channels all of his inner turmoil and manages to come out stronger from it. This is shown as he stands triumphantly at the end of the video. This song rage epitomizes what it means to endure. It means to rage against the tribulations and problems that are thrown in one’s way. It means to refuse to let your problems overwhelm you. Some of the lines are coming from a famous poem by Dylan Thomas called “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night”. Vic references this poem in the beginning of the video while he is sitting.” “Command, we’ve lost control
The engine’s bound to crash
The lightning strikes went bright
Do not go gently” says Vic in the beginning. The hook also references the poem. “Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light”wrote Dylan Thomas in the poem. The hook of this song uses this poem as Vic says “ I want you to rage into the night, I want you to blaze into the light”. This video and song is the epitome of what it means to endure one’s trials and tribulations.
