Vic Mensa criticises African nations for harsh anti-gay policies: ‘It’s a colonial mindset’

In a bold and reflective address that has ignited debate across the continent, American rapper Vic Mensa , who proudly traces his heritage to Ghana, has openly challenged the persistence of anti-gay laws in several African countries, questioning why nations fighting for liberation still uphold what he describes as “colonial attitudes” towards sexuality.

In a video posted across his social media platforms, the rapper praised Burkina Faso’s military leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, for his campaign to reclaim African resources. Yet he said he was taken aback by the country’s recent decision to criminalise homosexuality.

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“Burkina Faso passed a law a little while ago criminalising homosexuality. I love Traoré, I support his mission to reclaim Africa’s resources, but it made me think, people aren’t going to stop being gay because it’s illegal. Be real, the anti-gay stuff is some colonial thing. People try to act like that’s an inherently African point of view,” Mensa stated.

Vic Mensa extended his critique to Ghana, highlighting the increasing pressure in recent years for the passage of a strict anti-LGBTQ bill. He recalled a moment when he and other prominent figures, including the late fashion icon Virgil Abloh, publicly backed LGBTQ Ghanaians during the heated national debate. According to him, the backlash was swift.

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“Take Ghana, for example. Ghana has had a major anti-LGBTQ push over the last few years. I remember before Virgil passed, a group of us supported the rights of queer people in Ghana. I lost about a thousand followers overnight after posting a design Virgil made that said ‘Ghanaians for equality’ with a rainbow,” he recounted.

Burkina Faso’s contentious legislation was signed by its transitional president, Captain Traoré, on 25 September, after receiving parliamentary approval earlier that month. The new law outlaws “homosexual acts or similar practices” as well as “behaviour likely to promote homosexual and similar practices,” imposing prison sentences of two to five years and fines of up to 10 million CFA francs.

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Meanwhile, in Ghana, a coalition of MPs continues to push for an anti-LGBTQ bill that proposes a minimum three-year custodial sentence for individuals who identify as LGBTQ.