In between a show in Cleveland and heading onto Quebec as the sole opening act on JAY-Z’s 4:44 Tour, Vic Mensa stopped by the Ed Sullivan Theater in Manhattan for an impassioned performance of “We Could be Free” on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

Toting a string quartet, pianist, guitarist, and a four-person choir behind him, the 2015 Roc Nation signee executed an emotionally soaked rendition of the worldly-conscious track from his July 2017 release, The Autobiography.

Never one to shy away from vocalizing his sentiments on larger surfacing issues grander than the music itself, the Chicago-raised MC utilized this specific presentation as a vehicle to bring attention to a myriad of adverse global happenings. Along with the social potency of the song’s lyrics, both the stage set and Vic’s musical counterparts for the evening were draped in a handful of topically-focused keywords and geographically-relevant regions of the world, all which are currently at the forefront of recent discussion.

Shedding both a literal and metaphorical light on these lamentable yet imperative situations, Vic and his on-stage crew directed the spotlight at recent issues. These include sexual misconduct, mass incarceration, and racial injustice, along with the recent and ongoing tragedies and conflicts in Las Vegas, Standing Rock, Venezuela, Congo, Charlottesville, and Sutherland Springs among a handful of others.

While the topics at hand are endlessly troubling, Vic’s touching four-minute offering sees him seamlessly transition from serenading a soulful and sincere chorus, into discharging his globally cognizant lyrics. A refreshingly authentic performance, Vic paints a troublesome canvas with colors of grace and compassion, ultimately provoking a standing ovation from the charmed Late Show-goers in attendance.