Vic Mensa and Olly Sholotan Unpack Identity and Culture Through ‘HALFRICAN’ Debut at SXSW
- Mars
- Mar 25
- 4 min read
SXSW has always delivered some of the most impactful music sessions, conversations and panels in the country, and its 40th anniversary felt no different. One of the first sessions we tapped into featured Vic Mensa and Olly Sholotan, and what looked like a random pairing at first turned into a focused presentation of a new visual project. The two used their time to introduce HALFRICAN, an independent film series written by Mensa and starring both him and Sholotan.
They opened the session by debuting a short comedy sketch from the pilot episode, giving us an early look at the direction of the series. The clip blended humor with real life experiences while highlighting the disconnect between African American culture and African culture. It balanced comedy with commentary in a way that made the message clear without feeling forced. From what we saw in the room, it was enough to leave people wanting more from the full project.
Along with the preview, Mensa shared that HALFRICAN is being developed through a Kickstarter campaign set to launch in April 2026. The campaign will allow supporters to help fund the next phase of the project while also getting access to behind-the-scenes content, exclusive releases and live experiences with the team. It is a direct to audience approach that keeps the project independent while still building momentum. That decision reflects a focus on maintaining control of the story while creating space for the community to be part of the process.
The conversation moved into the meaning behind the series and the real experiences that shaped it. Mensa spoke in depth about conversations he has had with people from Africa who questioned why African Americans come across as angry. He explained that those questions often come from a lack of understanding of African American history and the realities tied to it. From his perspective, that disconnect is not intentional, but it highlights how different the lived experiences are between the two groups.
He broke that down further by pointing to historical events and systemic issues that shaped that reality. He referenced the killings of Black leaders such as Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr., along with figures like Huey P. Newton, as well as the long history of police brutality that existed before it was widely captured on camera. He also spoke on the destruction of Black communities, referencing events like Tulsa, and the lack of access to economic resources such as banking and government assistance that were more readily available to other groups. Mensa explained that when those realities are understood, the emotional response of African Americans makes more sense, and that is part of the gap HALFRICAN is aiming to address.
At the same time, the series does not approach those topics in a heavy handed way. By using comedy, HALFRICAN creates an entry point that allows those conversations to land in a more digestible format. That balance between humor and truth stood out as one of the strongest aspects of the project during the session. Both Mensa and Sholotan emphasized that the goal is not to divide, but to create understanding between cultures that are often grouped together without fully understanding each other.
Mensa also spoke about his transition from music into film and acting, connecting that shift to his viral video series. He explained that those videos were his first real introduction into cinematography, from understanding lighting to positioning himself in frame. He even noted how something as simple as adjusting from full sunlight to partial shadow added more depth to the visual. Those small details eventually pushed him to take film more seriously.
That curiosity led him to study acting in Los Angeles, where he approached it with structure and discipline. He shared that he would stay in character for at least an hour a day as part of his training. Mensa also spoke about conversations with Common and Mos Def, asking them how they successfully transitioned from music into film. The advice he took with him was to fully immerse himself in the craft and approach it with the same level of intention as music. Sholotan added to that by emphasizing patience and the importance of constantly learning as an artist.
The session closed with a brief Q and A before shifting into lighter conversation around Mensa’s SXSW showcase. He spoke about curating a lineup of artists he discovered through the livestream platform Nero, continuing his role as someone who is still actively building within music. We ended up at that showcase later on, and it stood out as one of our favorite events of SXSW 2026, adding another layer to everything he discussed during the session.
From what we saw, HALFRICAN already feels like a project with direction and purpose. The early preview, combined with the conversation around it, made it clear that this is more than just a side venture. With the Kickstarter campaign set to launch, the next step will be bringing that vision to a larger format while keeping the same level of intention behind it.
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