Vic Mensa Says Rap Used to Consider Trump an Honorary Rapper

Vic Mensa recently raised a few eyebrows with his provocative new video for “Camp America,” a song with his band 93Punx. The visual criticizes the Trump Administration's harsh treatment of migrant children in detention centers near the U.S. border.

On Monday (June 17), Mensa appeared on MSNBC's The Beat with Ari Melber to discuss his controversial video and his views on Donald Trump’s handling of immigrants seeking asylum in the U.S. At one point during the conversation, the Chicago rapper was asked how he feels about 45 being so fixated on hip-hop and pop culture.

"Well you remember, rap used to love Trump. Trump was practically a rapper at a point in time. Trump was partying with all the rappers," he said. "There were still songs being made about Donald Trump up until like 2012-13, right before he was like, [then-President Barack Obama]'s not an American [and questioning his religion]. That's when all of us were like, 'Uh...' We started to tip-toe away."

Mensa is referring to the "birther" conspiracy theory Trump seemingly perpetuated when Barack Obama was president of the U.S. At the time, the polarizing president questioned Obama's U.S. citizenship and even demanded that Obama show his birth certificate.

Elsewhere in the interview, Mensa questions Trump's presidential capabilities.

"Obviously, Donald Trump is a reality TV star,” Mensa said. “That's what he's doing now on the highest level possible, and it shows in the job that he's doing as far as policy and legislation. This is not what he's built for."

Watch Vic Mensa’s full interview on The Beat with Ari Melber below.

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