Watching and listening to Vic Mensa contradicts the idea of youth being wasted on the young. It’s hard imagining being the young fella sitting in high school classrooms, watching the minutes creep by while knowing a large part of his future should be vested into time spent in a studio and maybe not science class. If he’s anything above a C student, I have to salute his efforts because he’s a definite A-earner on the mic. And while most spend their prime teen years consuming weed, McDonald’s and video games, Vic pulled together a few of his talented peers to form the ironically-titled band Kids These Days and release “My Days,” the first tune off their Hard Times EP.

Sharing an uncanny resemblance to Blu in both physical features and vocals, the Chicago kid doesn’t subscribe to the slapstick shenanigans we’re accustomed to hearing out of artists his age. Instead, the young MC pens pensive rhymes showcasing skills and acumen that probably can’t be measured by standardized tests. And while the song’s verses and chorus reflect wasted days and dreams, I find it highly unlikely These Kids are using their time unwisely.

Download — Kids These Days – “My Days”

Shouts: Contraband