March 2, 2023
Vic Mensa Sleeps Outside with Chicago Homeless to Raise Money For Shelter
Some people talk about it, some people be about it.
Without a doubt, hip-hop recording artist Vic Mensa falls in the latter category. According to TMZ, the rapper he took to the streets to help raise awareness for homelessness in Chicago.
On Tuesday night, he joined his friend Englewood Barbie in her efforts to raise $1 million to help build a shelter for the unhoused. She has been documenting the efforts on her Instagram account.
TMZ captured a video of Mensa supporting his friend in her “sleepout.”
“We outside tonight in Chicago,” he said, braving the cold. “Sleeping underneath the viaduct raising money to help my homegirl Englewood Barbie build her own shelter to provide for the unhoused of Chicago.” Barbie is seen speaking to other participants who helped to raise more money on top of the $126,000-plus she has already collected.
Mensa added: “It’s cold as f**k, but it’s wild to think that people have to live outside every night. In the wintertime, people freeze to death, so we’re taking this moment to honor that experience and do our part to work to make the city a better place.”
Two years ago, Okayplayer reported that he helped raise more than $13,000. Mensa co-hosted a “Sleep Out” that took place on 47th Street in the Bronzeville neighborhood of his hometown. A group of local activists joined Mensa as they all camped out and slept alongside members of his SaveMoneySaveLife organization. The 12-hour event was live-streamed across several social media platforms.
“Waking up on 47th street this morning was kinda surreal. So many of us go our whole lives in arm’s length distance of people living on the streets but a single night in their experience is almost unfathomable,” Mensa said at the time.