So far, Vic Mensa has only released one official studio album. The well-received The Autobiography came out in 2017. After five years, Mensa appears to be ready to release his sophomore set.
Vic Mensa spoke about the plans for an upcoming body of work during an interview with L’Officiel Fashion Book Australia. The magazine selected the Roc Nation emcee and fellow Chicago-raised rhymer Chance The Rapper to grace the cover of the October 2022 issue.
“Yes. My album is complete,” confirmed Mensa. “At this point, I’m just waiting on a couple of feature verses and tweaking the mixes, but the creation of the album is complete. This is my second full-length album. My first one being [in] 2017 is The Autobiography.”
He continued, “This is my second full-length album and is inspired by everything from African Highlife music to ’90s Hip Hop and Punk, and Rock and Roll, and all the things that inspire me. I’m like a smorgasbord of influences. They all exist within this album and the conceptual direction is themed around redemption and follows my own personal growth in the last year.”
Vic Mensa Went Full Punk Rock Three Years Ago, The Next LP Will Explore His Growth
In 2019, Vic Mensa presented 93Punx which embraced a Punk Rock aesthetic. That side project came after EPs such as 2016’s There’s Alot Going On and 2017’s The Manuscript. The 2014 XXL Freshman broke out as a Hip Hop artist with his Innanetape mixtape in 2013.
Mensa regularly uses his music to tackle serious issues like drug addiction, mental health, racism, homophobia, and transphobia. His next album will supposedly address the last twelve months of the 29-year-old SaveMoney member’s drug-free life.
“I started [the album] about a year ago and I finished writing most of it way earlier this year in about the Spring and it’s following my journey in the last year,” Vic Mensa told L’Officiel Fashion Book Australia. “I’ve been sober a year. I’ve been revolutionizing the way that I think, the way that I act in the world. This album explores many of the pieces of that personal journey of growth.”
Additionally, Vic Mensa and Chance The Rapper joined forces to organize the new Black Star Line Festival in Ghana. The “Wrath” collaborators announced the Marcus Garvey-inspired music event will take place in Accra’s Black Star Square on January 6, 2023.
