Vic Mensa Releases New Song “Strawberry Louis Vuitton” f/ Thundercat and Maeta
Vic Mensa
Vic Mensa And Thundercat Team Up On The Spaced-Out ‘Strawberry Louis Vuitton’
Vic Mensa teams up with jazz-soul superproducer Thundercat on his latest single, the spaced-out “Strawberry Louis Vuitton.” Thundercat offers a cotton candy backdrop for Mensa to pen a lyrical love letter to a woman who’s got a hold on him.
Singer Maeta provides backing vocals, bolstering Vic’s own sung chorus, and as the song progresses, the instrumentation grows more and more elaborate, culminating in Thundercat’s falsetto bridge and a crunchy bass breakdown. Check it out below.
Mensa is fresh off the success of his and Chance The Rapper’s Ghana-based music festival, Black Star Line Festival, which also created the opportunity for Vic to build water boreholes that will provide clean water to over 200,000 Ghanaians. Over the holidays, Vic also gave away $10,000 of gas money in his hometown, Chicago, continuing the streak of philanthropy and activism which has defined his career so far. Musically, his last collab was with Chance on The Rapper’s “Wraith (Writing Exercise #3),” the latest in a string of new collaborations they’ve created since reuniting a few years ago.
Thundercat, meanwhile, has been working on some interesting projects of his own, including a contribution to a tribute album for Japanese jazz great Ryuichi Sakamoto and an upcoming tour with the Red Hot Chili Peppers (Flea called ‘Cat his favorite modern bassist). He also popped up on the title track for Gorillaz’s upcoming project Cracker Island, kicking off his 2023 with plenty of high-profile appearances.
Chance The Rapper Faces Backlash For Dave Chappelle’s Set At Black Star Line Festival
Chance The Rapper recently hosted the Black Star Line Festival in Ghana. During the festival, he faced backlash for inviting comedian Dave Chappelle, whose jokes were labeled as homophobic. Chicago rapper Chance The Rapper recently finished hosting the first Black Star Line Festival in Ghana. According to Rolling Stone, one part of the festival was […]
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Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa’s Inaugural Black Star Line Festival Combines Music, Art + Culture In Accra, Ghana
Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa’s 2023 Black Star Line Festival in Accra, Ghana made its historic, inaugural debut with a jam-packed week of events and panels at cultural centers throughout Accra, all culminating in an explosive concert –– combining music, art, and culture. The free gatherings provided opportunities for education, enrichment and cultural diffusion. On Friday, January 6, 52,000 fans attended the monumental concert. The music & arts festival was set in the historic Black Star Square and aims to be a bridge between Black people and artists of the Diaspora and the globe with the continent.
“The Black Star Line Festival is more than just a celebration of Black culture and music, it’s a chance for the Diaspora to come together as a community and remind ourselves of the power that lies within us,” says Chance the Rapper. “It’s an opportunity to honor the legacy of those who came before us, and to inspire and uplift each other. It’s a historic event and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the Black Star Line Festival.”
The historic Black Star Square is a monument to the political freedom that was fought for and won by Ghanaians in 1957. Ghana was the first Sub-Saharan African country to free itself from colonialism, under the leadership of its first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah –– many nations on the continent soon followed. Dr. Nkrumah was inspired by Jamaican-Born revolutionary Marcus Garvey, who believed in a free Africa and a global connection between the people of the continent and Black people globally. When Dr. Nkrumah developed Ghana’s flag and principles, he insisted that these principles were key to the forward mobility of its people.
The festival title’s origins were inspired by civil rights leader Marcus Garvey’s iconic Black Star Line. Founded in 1919, and operated by Black people, the line would link America, the Caribbean, and Africa, to global shipping and tourism opportunities. The Black Star Line was a symbol of pride, not only for Africans, but also for Black people in all ports of call. After nearly 40 years, the Ghanian government launched their fleet with the same name, in homage to Garvey, and even added a black star to the country’s new flag.
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Kanye West Rumored To Be In Ghana For Vic Mensa & Chance The Rapper’s Festival
Ye’s kept a lowkey profile throughout the holidays but some might say it’s for the better. After all, 2022 was an overall tumultuous year for Ye. He lost that his billionaire status, and further aligned with right-wing pundits and their values.
However, there’s a possibility Ye might make his first public appearance of the year in Ghana. According to Ebenezer Donkoh, Ye might be a surprise guest at Chance The Rapper and Vic Mensa’s Black Star Line Festival.
“I’m gathering info that Kanye West will be the surprise act at the Black Star Line Festival in Ghana this weekend,” Donkoh tweeted on Thursday.
For the most part, fans haven’t caught Kanye in the public eye after his string of media appearances to close out 2022. However, rumors floated around that the artist was gone missing. A report that his ex-business manager struggled to get in contact with the artist spurred the rumors.
At this point, there’s little information available surrounding Ye’s potential appearance. However, there’s been a few celebrity appearances in Ghana this week, including Dave Chappelle. The comedian served as the “special guest” at a talk at the University of Ghana East Legon. During the conversation, Chappelle, and Chance The Rapper discussed the possibility of opening a comedy club in the country.
Chance and Vic Mensa’s efforts in Ghana will bring some incredible talents to the stage. Erykah Badu, T-Pain, Sarkodie, Tobe Nwigwe, Asakaa Boys, and M.anifest will also be gracing the stage.
Vic Mensa Brings Clean Water To Over 200K Residents In Ghana
Chi-town rapper Vic Mensa is helping provide clean water to three villages in Ghana, West Africa. Mensa said he was moved to help after seeing the “desolate living conditions” and “contaminated water.” As the “U Mad” artist gears up for the Star Line Festival with Chance The Rapper, he told TMZ he wanted to help […]
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[WATCH] Dave Chappelle Dances Upon Arriving in Ghana for Festival Appearance
Dave Chappelle is celebrating his arrival in Ghana by dancing. The comedian is on hand for Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa’s Black Star Line Festival. Chappelle is on hand to be part of the line-up, in conversation with Chance and had a pop-lock session with African dancers.
Dave Chappelle turning up in Ghana
pic.twitter.com/QQtBmGz4Lq
— Wave Check
(@thewavecheckk) January 4, 2023
Ahead of co-headlining the festival with Chance the Rapper and Chappelle in Ghana this week, Vic Mensa is helping the area by bringing clean water to three villages.
According to TMZ, Mensa made a previous trip to Ghana and stated that after seeing the villages’ conditions, including poor water sources, he decided to make an impact. Mensa would partner with his father, a Ghana native, to launch an initiative.
“We’re building 3 boreholes in different communities in Ghana to provide clean drinking water; the first being the Asokore Zongo in Koforidua where my family lives, which is already built,” Vic said. “The other locations are a nearby community called Effiduase and then our ancestral village in the Volta Region, Amedzofe. Most people in communities like this in Ghana experience constant waterborne diseases.”
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Vic Mensa Plans To Provide Clean Water For More Than 200k People In Ghana By Building Water Boreholes
The season of giving may be over for some, but it is just getting started for Vic Mensa. The “Victory” rapper has a long history of philanthropic efforts in his hometown of Chicago. Over the Labor Day weekend, Mensa gave away $10,000 worth of gas money to help residents struggling with the increased cost at the pump. Now, the musician is looking to be of service in West Africa.
As the entertainer prepares for his inaugural Black Star Line Festival in Accra, Ghana, co-organized with longtime friend Chance The Rapper, according to TMZ, he has partnered with organizers to provide clean water to several nearby communities.
Mensa told the outlet, “We’re building three boreholes in different communities in Ghana to provide clean drinking water. The first being the Asokore Zongo in Koforidua, where my family lives, which is already built.”
Later adding, “The other locations are a nearby community called Effiduase and then our ancestral village in the Volta Region, Amedzofe. Most people in communities like this in Ghana experience constant waterborne diseases.”
It is being reported that nearly 200k people call Koforidua home. While Effiduase’s resident count is estimated at 20k people, and Amedzofe has a population of around 6k.
The clean water project should take about 3-4 weeks to complete, including 10-15 days of on-site drilling, pipework, and cable installations. The effort will cost roughly $45k to finish.
The Black Star Line Festival activities have begun with the Pan-African Conference. The music performances will be held on January 6. For more information about the festival, click here.
Vic Mensa Creates Clean Water Sources for Three Villages in Ghana
Vic Mensa is co-headlining a festival with Chance the Rapper in Ghana this week. While he is there, Vic is helping the area by bringing clean water to three villages.
According to TMZ, Mensa made a previous trip to Ghana and stated that after seeing the villages’ conditions, including poor water sources, he decided to make an impact. Mensa would partner with his father, a Ghana native, to launch an initiative.
“We’re building 3 boreholes in different communities in Ghana to provide clean drinking water; the first being the Asokore Zongo in Koforidua where my family lives, which is already built,” Vic said. “The other locations are a nearby community called Effiduase and then our ancestral village in the Volta Region, Amedzofe. Most people in communities like this in Ghana experience constant waterborne diseases.”
The total population of the three areas is 226,000 people. The drilling for the boreholes will take 3-4 weeks, including 10-15 days of installation. The cost to complete the boreholes is $45,000.
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