Vic Mensa Launches Podcast with Chance the Rapper as His First Guest
Vic Mensa is launching his podcast series "The Vic Mensa Show" with Chance The Rapper as his first guest, in which he discusses music, culture, politics, and social issues. The series consists of 24 episodes and brings together guests from various disciplines, as Mensa continues his in-depth conversations about raising awareness through hip-hop. The podcast is an extension of his career and is distributed via major platforms such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Vic Mensa is entering a new phase. The Chicago rapper is launching his own podcast series, "The Vic Mensa Show," which premieres on August 26 with none other than Chance The Rapper as the first guest. It’s a logical choice: both MCs share the same roots in the Chi.
The podcast was announced on Monday, August 10. The first season consists of 24 episodes that are released every Wednesday. Mensa brings in guests from various fields: music, literature, activism, and entertainment. The lineup includes names such as Rapsody, Durand Bernarr, Lena Waithe, Aja Monet, and Van Lathan Jr.
This isn’t just another celebrity talk show. Mensa positions the program as an extension of themes that have recurred throughout his entire career. "Music, culture, and politics have always been intertwined in my work and in the tradition I come from," he explains to Billboard. "Much of my historical and political perspective stems from music—whether I learned about Assata Shakur from Common, about blood diamonds from Lupe Fiasco and Kanye, or about capitalism from Lauryn Hill."
That path of awareness through hip-hop led Mensa toward writing and deeper conversations about politics, race, and society. He has published articles in *The New York Times* and *Time*. His video series "Orange Tree" won a Webby Award. "Orange Tree showed me the power of conversation: a space for radical ideas, humor, honesty, and vulnerability," said Mensa. "What began as a conversation with my online community is now expanding through The Vic Mensa Show."
The podcast is a collaboration between Mass Appeal and ORANJ, Mensa's new multidisciplinary production company. Pickup Media and Blank Square Productions are serving as executive producers. The episodes will be distributed across all major platforms: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
For the 33-year-old rapper, this is an additional outlet alongside his music. Mensa remains active with grassroots programs, charitable initiatives, and community projects in Chicago. His most recent studio album, "Victor," was released in 2023. He subsequently appeared on Chance The Rapper’s 2025 album "Star Line.".
The show gives Mensa the space to delve deeper into the conversations he’s been having for years. It’s not a superficial promotional tour, but a platform for the ideas that have driven him from the very beginning. Hip-hop as a starting point, the world as his playground.
