Victor Kwesi Mensah, known by his stage name VIC MENSA, was born and raised in Chicago but values his Ghanaian heritage through his activism and rapping. Vic Mensa is known for his social activism, advocating for issues affecting marginalized communities, including those within the African diaspora. He has spoken out against police brutality, racial injustice, and inequality, using his platform to raise awareness and support causes related to the African diaspora.

Vic Mensa is on a mission to connect Black Americans to Africa, recognizing the privilege he has in knowing his ancestry and wanting to bridge the gap between different worlds. He feels a responsibility to connect the diasporas and organized the Black Star Line Festival in Ghana as a celebration of Pan-Africanism and a way to bring artists of the diaspora back to the continent. He was inspired to create the festival after realizing the disconnect between African fans of hip-hop and the lack of performances by American artists on the continent. Collaborating with Chance the Rapper, they brought together a lineup of artists for the festival and aimed to offer an immersive cultural experience while performing in Africa. This initiative highlights the importance of recognizing and embracing African roots and fostering connections between Black communities worldwide.

In his track “Blue Eyes” off of his album Victor, the lyrics delve into the deeply personal struggles of self-identity and societal pressures faced within the African diaspora. Beginning with a yearning for self-acceptance and inner peace, Mensa reflects on his past battles with self-image, expressing a longing to have blue eyes and grappling with feelings of inadequacy rooted in internalized racism and societal expectations. The verses vividly depict the psychological toll of discrimination, recounting experiences of being marginalized and traumatized from a young age. Even mentioning an attempt on his own life at just five years old. The narrative shifts to a female perspective, highlighting the additional challenges faced by women of color in conforming to Eurocentric beauty standards, symbolized by the destructive use of lightening cream. The music video for the song is a breathtaking short film visualizing this grappling with identity, dedicated to his Auntie Elizabeth who unfortunately lost her life to skin cancer as a result of skin bleaching. However, amidst these struggles, there is a message of empowerment and cultural pride, as the lyrics emphasize the resilience of the African diaspora and the importance of embracing one’s heritage and identity. Overall, the song provides a poignant commentary on the complexities of self-identity and the enduring impact of systemic racism, while advocating for self-acceptance and cultural solidarity.