Chicago rapper Vic Mensa has just shared a new song “What You Taught Us,” a posthumous letter to the late trailblazer Virgil Abloh. As Chicago natives, Vic reflects on their relationship and Abloh’s legacy, taking a moment to give him his flowers for his impact on culture and Black creatives.

Mensa says: “Virgil Abloh is synonymous with visionary. To see him go from DJing Superfun parties in Chicago that Hollywood Holt would sneak me in when I was 16 to revolutionizing the way we think about design and its applications is a true inspiration to a generation that was blessed to be raised under his tutelage. Legends never die”.

The single caps another big year for Mensa, including the release of his acclaimed I TAPE, whose tentpole single “Shelter” (feat Wyclef and Chance The Rapper) yielded appearances on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert and The Beat With Ari Melber, and helped push for clemency in the case of Oklahoma inmate Julius Jones. Mensa also had a coveted Riot Fest performance celebrating the 8th anniversary of Innanetape, made his acting debut as a recurring character on Lena Waithe’s The Chi, and hosted important initiatives from his SAVEMONEYSAVELIFE nonprofit.