Best Day Ever: Vic Mensa
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Vic Mensa. Photo courtesy of 93 Boyz
Vic Mensa, one of Chicago's leading hip-hop artists, came out of the famed Save Money Army and signed with Jay-Z's Roc Nation Records.
- But it's not his music making that's waves this week — it's his weed.
Driving the news: Mensa just launched a recreational marijuana line called 93 Boyz.
- Mensa, who co-owns the brand with fellow local hip-hop artist Towkio, says it's the first Chicago-based, Black-owned brand in the local cannabis space.
State of play: For now, the company is selling just pre-rolled joints, but they aim to expand the product line and availability.
What they're saying: "I actually started selling weed when I was around 14 years old, so this is really a natural progression for me," Mensa tells Axios.
- "As soon as the recreational legislation showed signs of shifting, I've been focused on entering the industry."
Between the lines: Mensa has been a leader in education about the state's cannabis industry, which was touted as the nation's most socially equitable at its launch but has not lived up to the billing.
- "Unfortunately the social equity program has largely been a farce thus far and fallen far short of what it was championed as being," says Mensa.
We were supposed to interview Mensa tonight at The Hideout, but he ran into a scheduling issue. So we asked him to give us his perfect day in Chicago:
🧇 Breakfast: "I get 'Monique's Love' at Chicago's Home of Chicken and Waffles."
🥋 Morning activity: "I do mixed martial arts training at iBattle Training on 47th street."
🍚 Lunch: "The Jamaican beef patty with rice and peas at 14 Parrish."
🎧 Afternoon activity: "Recording studio."
🐟 Dinner: "Have to go with the catfish at Virtue in Hyde Park."
🏍️ Evening activity: "I ride my motorcycle down Lake Shore Drive."