93PUNX

Chicago rapper Vic Mensa took a sharp left turn toward raucous rock music with the formation of his 93PUNX project. Introducing the band with a series of blink-182 drummer Travis Barker on the raging track "3 Years Sober." In late 2018, Mensa stated in interviews that he had been working on new music with legendary Bad Brains frontman H.R. that fused trap drums and energetic punk instrumentation. Early the next year, he shared a faithful cover of the Cranberries '90s anti-war anthem "Zombie"; it was the first music from his unexpectedly rocking new project entitled 93PUNX. He worked toward a full album, which was slated to include contributions from Good Charlotte's Joel Madden, H.R., and Travis Barker. The project's next single was the deceptively light "Camp America," a song that addressed the internment camps set up for immigrants along the U.S. border. Barker showed up on next single, the blazing "3 Years Sober," in July of 2019. ~ Fred Thomas