NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 24: Vic Mensa visits the SiriusXM Studios on August 24, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
<p><strong>Vic Mensa</strong> says he&#8217;s been &#8220;rawdogging life&#8221; for two years &#8212; and he&#8217;s proud of it! The &#8220;Reverse&#8221; rapper announced his <a href="https://dev.theshaderoom.com/joseline-hernandez-emotional-first-time-performance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">two-year sobriety</a> on Monday (Sept. 4) in an Instagram feed post.</p>
<p>Mensa said he&#8217;s been facing obstacles head-on without the need for buffers. He didn&#8217;t specify what kind of addiction he&#8217;s given up between alcohol, drugs, or otherwise. However, he slightly detailed the impact of being sober.</p>
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<blockquote><p>&#8220;2 Years Sober. In many ways I would liken it to running up hill &#8211; at first, it is difficult, but after time your strength increases, your endurance increases,&#8221; Mensa wrote. &#8220;Two years I&#8217;ve been raw dogging life. I&#8217;ve had to learn how to face my emotions head-on, nowhere to run to, nothing to hide behind.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
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<p>Vic Mensa&#8217;s health update predates his latest album, <em>VICTOR</em>, expected on Sept. 15. His recently released single &#8220;Blue Eyes&#8221; aligns with the reflective announcement. In the track&#8217;s lyrics, he highlights being secure in who he is when he looks in the mirror.</p>
<p>The song&#8217;s intro goes like this:</p>
<blockquote><p>Imagine me/ Lovin&#8217; what I see when the mirror look at me, &#8217;cause I/ I imagine me / In a place/ No insecurities and I&#8217;m finally happy &#8217;cause / I imagine me&#8221;</p></blockquote>
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<p>Monday&#8217;s <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cwx8-q5R2Dt/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&;igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sobriety post</a> also touched on Mensa&#8217;s journey of finding himself, what sparks his joy, and setting boundaries.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;I have thought a lot about the difference between fun and joy. Many of the things I&#8217;ve always done in the pursuit of fun didn&#8217;t actually bring me joy, were actually antithetical to the pursuit of joy. I&#8217;m at a point where if an action is not actively furthering my goals, professionally, mentally, spiritually, physically&#8230; it doesn&#8217;t have a place in my life right now,&#8221; Mensa wrote. I&#8217;ve gotten used to saying no. N****s know i might show up to the club for 6.3 minutes, but more likely not at all.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>Vic Mensa also clarified that the journey is his own, despite any naysayers.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m building the best version of myself brick by brick, day by day, moment by moment. Everyone doesn&#8217;t have to see it, they don&#8217;t have to honor it, but i promise you, by the time im done they will respect it.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>By Wednesday, Vic&#8217;s post had over 500 comments. The majority of the feedback involved congratulations from fellow celebs or Instagram users recounting their own battles with addiction.</p>
<p>Jidenna and Shaun King both wrote that they were &#8220;proud&#8221; of Vic Mensa. Singer Miguel wrote, <strong><em>&#8220;Let&#8217;s go, brother king.&#8221; </em></strong></p>
<p>A user named @alirreeed wrote, <strong><em>&#8220;This wave of sobriety slowly making its way thru the industry is the greatest thing to ever happen fr. So proud to see you getting ur power back one day at a time.&#8221; </em></strong></p>
<p>Another @skindevotions wrote,<strong><em> &#8220;3 years in November. I have so much respect for you. Being in music/entertainment, I know it surrounds you constantly- which makes your sobriety that much more admirable. From the last to leave the party to the first to leave.&#8221; </em></strong></p>
<p>Vic Mensa&#8217;s post included a carousel of fitness exercises with <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kofihughes/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trainer Kofi Hughes</a>.</p>
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