The Ghanaian-American rapper performs as Ekko on “Know My Name,”
bringing a diaspora connection to Riot Games’ virtual music
group.
Vic Mensa is part of True Damage’s return for the 2026 League of
Legends World Championship anthem, “Know My Name.” The Ghanaian-American
rapper joins SOYEON, Coco Jones and Sofía Reyes on the collaboration,
which brings real musicians into Riot Games’ fictional hip-hop
collective. Riot
announced the project on September 29.
The song and its official
music video are now out. For Ghanaian readers, Mensa’s involvement
adds a familiar name to a crossover between music and competitive
gaming. However, understanding the project means separating the artists
behind the recording from the characters they perform.
What Vic Mensa’s Ekko role
means
Mensa performs as Ekko for this release, according to Inven
Global’s report. SOYEON performs as Akali, Coco Jones as Senna and
Sofía Reyes as Qiyana. Yasuo completes the fictional group as its DJ and
producer.
These are League of Legends characters presented as music artists in
True Damage’s world. The collaboration therefore has two identities:
listeners hear established musicians, while the visual presentation
features champions familiar to players.
This is a musical performance role. It should not be confused with an
announcement that Mensa has become Ekko’s general in-game voice actor.
Nor does the collaboration, by itself, establish a permanent contract
with the group.
Inven Global also reported Mensa’s explanation that he explored
Ekko’s story while developing his verse. That detail gives the
partnership a creative dimension beyond simply attaching a celebrity
name to a soundtrack.
True Damage’s earlier chapter
True Damage debuted with “GIANTS” in 2019. Its original recording
featured Becky G, Keke Palmer, SOYEON, DUCKWRTH and Thutmose, as
documented by THE LINE
Studio, which produced the animated video with Riot.
The studio describes a production that combined animation with
performance references and live-action material. Its team included more
than 70 artists and production staff. The characters’ movements drew on
a reference library developed with choreographer Suzette Brissett.
That background helps explain how a virtual group can still depend on
substantial human creative work. Recording artists supply the music,
while animators, choreographers and production teams shape how audiences
encounter its fictional performers.
Fashion also formed part of that earlier presentation. THE LINE’s
account describes incorporating a Qiyana design by Louis Vuitton’s
Nicolas Ghesquière into the video. It is a concrete example of
disciplines meeting within one game-related music project, rather than a
claim that the current release repeats the same fashion partnership.
The 2026 collaboration introduces different voices around the
returning SOYEON. Mensa belongs to this new chapter, rather than the
original “GIANTS” lineup. Keeping those credits distinct matters for
fans discovering True Damage through the latest release.
A Ghanaian connection
through Vic Mensa
Mensa’s connection to Ghana extends beyond his surname. His father is
Ghanaian, and the Chicago-born artist has spoken about building cultural
connections between Africa and its diaspora.
In a 2023
InStyle interview, he discussed the Black Star Line Festival,
organised with Chance the Rapper in Accra. The event took place on
January 6, 2023, and brought Ghanaian and American performers
together.
That history provides relevant context for his latest international
collaboration. It does not make “Know My Name” a Ghanaian production,
but it gives Ghanaian audiences a connection to one of its
performers.
Analysis: music is
part of the game world
The partnership illustrates how a game character can become a vehicle
for work outside gameplay. Here, Ekko is both a familiar fictional
figure and a musical identity that Mensa helps interpret.
Riot describes this as the first Worlds anthem performed by one of
its virtual artists. That changes the framing: the tournament’s song
comes from a group within the publisher’s own fictional music universe.
The recording still relies on real artists, but its identity belongs to
the characters as well.
For listeners who do not play League of Legends, the artists offer an
accessible starting point. For existing players, the characters offer
another reason to explore the recording. Those entry points overlap
without requiring every music fan to become a gamer.
There is also a useful lesson for creative professionals: a
game-related commission need not be limited to programming. The earlier
“GIANTS” production shows how animation, choreography, recording and
visual storytelling can contribute to the same project.
However, visibility should not be mistaken for measurable opportunity
in Ghana. This collaboration alone does not demonstrate new local jobs,
investment or access to Riot commissions. Its immediate significance is
cultural: a Ghanaian-American performer contributes to a work built
around an established gaming world.
The next stage is Brooklyn
True Damage is scheduled to perform at the Worlds 2026 Final Opening
Ceremony, presented by Mastercard, on November 14. Barclays
Center’s event listing confirms the championship date and Brooklyn
venue.
The distinction is important: this is the ceremony before the final,
not the opening of the entire tournament. Riot’s schedule places the
start of the competition in Los Angeles on October 15.
Meanwhile, Riot says the anthem video centres on Faker and T1’s
championship legacy. Mensa’s contribution sits within that wider esports
story, rather than replacing it.
For fans following the Ghanaian-American rapper, the recording is
available now and the live presentation is the next announced milestone.
The collaboration brings his voice into True Damage’s world while
leaving the boundaries of that role clear.
