Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by his stage name Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. He released his debut album, ''
Show and Prove
''Show and Prove'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Wiz Khalifa. It was released on September 5, 2006, by Rostrum Records. Recording sessions took place from 2005 to 2006, with the production primarily provided from I.D. Labs, along ...
'', in 2006 and signed to
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
in 2007. His
Eurodance
Euro-Dance (sometimes referred to as Euro-NRG, Euro-electronica or Euro) is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s in Europe. It combines many elements of hip hop, techno, Hi-NRG, house music, and Euro-Disco. This ...
-influenced single "
Say Yeah" received
urban radio
Urban contemporary music, also known as urban music, hip hop, urban pop, or just simply urban, is a music radio format. The term was coined by New York radio DJ Frankie Crocker in the early to mid-1970s as a synonym for Black music. Urban contem ...
airplay, charting on the
Rhythmic Top 40
The Rhythmic chart (also called Rhythmic Airplay, and previously named Rhythmic Songs, Rhythmic Top 40 and CHR/Rhythmic) is an airplay chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine.
The chart tracks and measures the airplay of songs played on ...
and
Hot Rap Tracks
Hot Rap Songs (formerly known as Hot Rap Tracks and Hot Rap Singles) is a chart released weekly by ''Billboard'' in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio statio ...
charts in 2008, becoming his first minor hit.
Thomaz parted with Warner Bros. and released his second album, ''
Deal or No Deal
''Deal or No Deal'' is the name of several closely related television game shows, the first of which (launching the format) was the Dutch ''Miljoenenjacht (Netherlands), Miljoenenjacht'' (''Hunt/Chase for Millions''). The centerpiece of this f ...
'', in November 2009. He released the mixtape ''
Kush and Orange Juice'' as a free download in April 2010; he then signed with
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
. Thomaz then adopted a more radio-friendly, pop-oriented approach with his debut single for Atlantic, "
Black and Yellow
"Black and Yellow" is a song by American rapper Wiz Khalifa from his third studio album, '' Rolling Papers''. It was released on September 14, 2010, as the lead single from the album. The song was written by Khalifa, along with Stargate, who pr ...
". The song, a tribute to his hometown of
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
, debuted at number 100 and eventually peaked at number 1 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100. The song became the lead single for his third album
''Rolling Papers'', which was released in March 2011, and also had the
Top 40
In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or " con ...
singles "
Roll Up" and "
No Sleep".
The album's success was followed up with ''
O.N.I.F.C.
''O.N.I.F.C.'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Wiz Khalifa. The album was released on December 4, 2012, by Atlantic Records and Rostrum Records. The album's title was inspired by the album '' H.N.I.C.'' by Prodigy of Mobb Deep, an ...
'' in December 2012, which was backed by the singles "
Work Hard, Play Hard
"Work Hard, Play Hard" is a song by American rapper Wiz Khalifa, released as the lead single from his fourth studio album, '' O.N.I.F.C.'' (2012). The track features production from Benny Blanco and Stargate.
Track listing
;Digital download
# ...
" and "
Remember You
"Remember You" is a song by American rapper Wiz Khalifa featuring Canadian singer the Weeknd, released as the second single from the former's fourth studio album, ''O.N.I.F.C.''. Produced by Dpat and Illangelo, the song samples " Tell Me Do U W ...
" (featuring
the Weeknd
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism, his music explores escapism, Romance (love), ...
). Wiz released his fifth album ''
Blacc Hollywood
''Blacc Hollywood'' is the fifth studio album by American rapper Wiz Khalifa. It was released in the UK on August 18, 2014 and in the US on August 19, by Rostrum Records and Atlantic Records. The album features guest appearances from Ty Dolla Sig ...
'' in August 2014, backed by the lead single "
We Dem Boyz
"We Dem Boyz" is a song by American rapper Wiz Khalifa from his fifth studio album ''Blacc Hollywood'' (2014). On February 11, 2014, it was released by Rostrum Records and Atlantic Records as the album's first single. It was produced by Detail and ...
". In March 2015, he released "
See You Again
"See You Again" is a song by American rapper and singer Wiz Khalifa featuring fellow American singer Charlie Puth. It was commissioned for the soundtrack of the 2015 film ''Furious 7'' as a tribute to actor Paul Walker, who died in a single-ve ...
" (featuring
Charlie Puth
Charles Otto Puth Jr. (; born December 2, 1991) is an American singer and songwriter. His initial exposure came through the viral success of his song videos uploaded to YouTube. Puth initially signed with the record label eleveneleven after pe ...
) for the soundtrack of the film ''
Furious 7
''Furious 7'' (also known as ''Fast & Furious 7'') is a 2015 American action film directed by James Wan and written by Chris Morgan. It is the sequel to ''Fast & Furious 6'' (2013) and '' The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift'' (2006), and ser ...
'' and the song peaked at number one on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 for 12 non-consecutive weeks.
Early life
Khalifa was born Cameron Jibril Thomaz on September 8, 1987, in
Minot, North Dakota
Minot ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Ward County, North Dakota, United States, in the state's north-central region. It is most widely known for the Air Force base approximately north of the city. With a population of 48,377 at the 20 ...
, to parents serving in the
military
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
.
[Cordor, Cyril. "]Wiz Khalifa
Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by his stage name Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. He released his debut album, ''Show and Prove'', in 2006 and signed to Warner Bros. Records in 200 ...
. Allmusic. Retrieved on June 23, 2008. His parents divorced when Khalifa was about three years old. He is a
military brat
A military brat (colloquial or military slang) is a child of serving or retired military personnel. Military brats are associated with a unique subcultureDavid C. Pollock, Ruth E. van Reken. ''Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds'', Revise ...
with his parents' military service causing him to move regularly. Khalifa lived in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
, and
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
before settling in
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
with his mother in around 1996 where he attended
Taylor Allderdice High School
Taylor Allderdice High School is a public high school in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It opened in 1927 and is part of the Pittsburgh Public Schools district. It was named for industrialist and Squirr ...
.
Soon after moving to Pittsburgh, Khalifa began to write and perform his own lyrics before he was a teenager.
His stage name is derived from
Khalifa
Khalifa or Khalifah (Arabic: خليفة) is a name or title which means "successor", "ruler" or "leader". It most commonly refers to the leader of a Caliphate, but is also used as a title among various Islamic religious groups and others. Khalifa ...
, an
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
word meaning "successor", and
wisdom
Wisdom, sapience, or sagacity is the ability to contemplate and act using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense and insight. Wisdom is associated with attributes such as unbiased judgment, compassion, experiential self-knowledge, ...
, which was shortened to Wiz when Khalifa was a young boy.
Khalifa stated to
Spinner.com
Spinner was an online music and entertainment service. An AOL Music property, it was acquired by AOL on June 1, 1999, along with Nullsoft for $400 million. Based in San Francisco, California, the website was the first Internet music service and w ...
that the name also came from being called "young Wiz 'cause I was good at everything I did, and my granddad is
Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
, so he gave me that name; he felt like that's what I was doing with my music." He got a tattoo of his stage name on his 17th birthday.
By the age of 15, he was regularly recording his music at a local studio called
I.D. Labs ID Labs (stylized as "I.D. Labs") is a commercial recording studio and production facility, opened in 2003, owned and operated by Pittsburgh-based producer, E. Dan. The engineer and producer team, composed of Jeremy "Big Jerm" Kulousek, Eric "E. Da ...
.
Impressed by the young teen's talent,
E. Dan
Eric Dan, known professionally as E. Dan, is a Pittsburgh-based recording engineer, mixer, and producer. Most known for his extensive work with hip-hop artists Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller, E. Dan has recorded, mixed and/or produced several gramm ...
, the owner of the studio offered Khalifa an intern job at the studio in exchange for free recording time. Dan, being a veteran of the Pittsburgh hip-hop scene, would help develop and mentor the young artist early on in his career.
Career
2005–2008: Early mixtapes and ''Show and Prove''
Rostrum Records president Benjy Grinberg first heard about Wiz Khalifa in 2004 when the rapper's contribution to a mixtape of various new Pittsburgh artists attracted his interest.
When Grinberg finally met the 16-year-old artist, he immediately decided he wanted to work with him, later telling
HitQuarters
HitQuarters was an international music industry publication and contact database founded in 1999. It was noted for its in-depth interviews with industry figures, as well as its A&R and manager contact directory, free artist promo pages and song ...
: "Even though he wasn't all the way developed you could just tell that he was a diamond in the rough, and that with some polishing, guidance and backing he could become something special." Khalifa signed to the label shortly after and began a seven-year period of artist development.
Khalifa released his first
mixtape
A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...
, ''Prince of the City: Welcome to Pistolvania'', in 2005. The mixtape paved the way for his first full-length album entitled ''
Show and Prove
''Show and Prove'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Wiz Khalifa. It was released on September 5, 2006, by Rostrum Records. Recording sessions took place from 2005 to 2006, with the production primarily provided from I.D. Labs, along ...
'' in 2006. Khalifa was declared an "artist to watch" that year in ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' magazine.
In 2007, Khalifa signed to
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
and released two mixtapes through
Rostrum Records
Rostrum Records is an American independent record label initially located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, now located in Los Angeles, California. Benjy Grinberg is the founder and president of the label, which currently has twelve artists on its ros ...
: ''Grow Season'', hosted by
DJ Green Lantern
James Christopher D'Agostino (born July 7, 1975), professionally known as DJ Green Lantern, is an American hip hop DJ and producer from Rochester, New York. In 2002, D'Agostino was signed by American rapper Eminem, to become the official DJ for S ...
and released on July 4, 2007, and ''Prince of the City 2'', released on November 20, 2007. His debut Warner Bros. single "
Say Yeah" reached number 25 on the ''Billboard''
Rhythmic Top 40
The Rhythmic chart (also called Rhythmic Airplay, and previously named Rhythmic Songs, Rhythmic Top 40 and CHR/Rhythmic) is an airplay chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine.
The chart tracks and measures the airplay of songs played on ...
music chart and number 20 on ''Billboard's''
Hot Rap Tracks
Hot Rap Songs (formerly known as Hot Rap Tracks and Hot Rap Singles) is a chart released weekly by ''Billboard'' in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio statio ...
. The song
samples "
Better Off Alone
"Better Off Alone" is a song by Alice Deejay, the trance music project of Dutch producer DJ Jurgen in collaboration with Wessel van Diepen, Dennis van den Driesschen, Sebastiaan Molijn and Eelke Kalberg (Pronti & Kalmani). In 1997, the song was ...
" by
Alice Deejay
Alice Deejay is a Dutch Eurodance- pop project founded and produced by Wessel van Diepen, Dennis van den Driesschen, Sebastiaan Molijn and Eelke Kalberg (Pronti & Kalmani), fronted by singer Judith Anna Pronk. They are best known for their 1999 s ...
. Khalifa's vocals from "Say Yeah" appear near the end of Pittsburgh
mashup producer
Girl Talk's 2008 album, ''
Feed the Animals
''Feed the Animals'' is the fourth studio album by American musician Gregg Gillis, released under his stage name Girl Talk by Illegal Art on June 19, 2008. Illegal Art originally released the album as a digital download through their website usin ...
'', over music from
Underworld's "
Born Slippy",
Usher's "
Love in This Club", and
the Cure
The Cure are an English Rock music, rock band formed in 1978 in Crawley, Crawley, West Sussex. Throughout numerous lineup changes since the band's formation, guitarist, lead vocalist, and songwriter Robert Smith (musician), Robert Smith has re ...
's "
In Between Days
"In Between Days" (sometimes listed as "Inbetween Days" or "In-Between Days") is a song by the English rock band The Cure, released in July 1985 as the first single from the band's sixth album ''The Head on the Door''.
The song was an internatio ...
". Khalifa appeared with
The Game,
David Banner
Lavell William Crump (born April 11, 1974), better known by his stage name David Banner, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor.
Born in Brookhaven, Mississippi, Banner's family moved to Jackson, Mississippi, where he was raised. Ban ...
and
Play-n-Skillz at
U92's Summer Jam at the
USANA Amphitheatre
The USANA Amphitheatre is an outdoor amphitheater, located in West Valley City, Utah. The Amphitheater is named after USANA Health Sciences, a manufacturer of nutritional supplements. It offers a view of the Wasatch Mountains. The venue opene ...
in
West Valley City
West Valley City is a city in Salt Lake County and a suburb of Salt Lake City in the U.S. state of Utah. The population was 140,230 at the 2020 census,
making it the second-largest city in Utah. The city incorporated in 1980 from a large, quic ...
, Utah on August 2, 2008. Khalifa released the mixtapes ''Star Power'' in September 2008, and ''
Flight School
Flight training is a course of study used when learning to pilot an aircraft. The overall purpose of primary and intermediate flight training is the acquisition and honing of basic airmanship skills.
Flight training can be conducted under a str ...
'' in April 2009 on Rostrum Records.
Khalifa parted ways with
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
in July 2009 after numerous delays in releasing his planned debut album for the label, ''First Flight''. Khalifa stated to the ''
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', also known simply as the PG, is the largest newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Descended from the ''Pittsburgh Gazette'', established in 1786 as the first newspaper published west of the All ...
'' that, "I learned a lot during my time there and matured as an artist during the process. I'm happy to be moving on with all of my material and having the chance to be in control of my next moves".
Khalifa appeared with Girl Talk,
Modey Lemon
Modey Lemon is an American garage rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The group formed in Pittsburgh's South Oakland neighborhood in 1999 as an informal side project of Dean Swagger, a rock trio that had spent the previous year mainly perf ...
,
Donora,
Grand Buffet
Grand Buffet is a hip-hop funk duo from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, made up of Jackson O'Connell-Barlow (stage names: Iguanadon, Grape-a-Don, Plaps, Nate Kukla, and Mr. Pennsylvania) and Jarrod Weeks (stage names: M-Dog, Lord Grunge, Viceroy, Mat ...
, and
Don Caballero
Don Caballero (often shortened by members as 'Don Cab') was an American instrumental rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Although the band has had numerous lineup changes with co-founder Damon Che (drums and percussion) being the only cons ...
at the
Amphitheatre at Station Square in Pittsburgh on July 31, 2009, where he announced that his relationship with Warner Bros. was over.
2009–2010: ''Deal or No Deal'' and signing with Atlantic Records
![Wiz Khalifa Columbia University Bacchanal 2010](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Wiz_Khalifa_Columbia_University_Bacchanal_2010.jpg)
Continuing his association with Rostrum Records, Khalifa released the single "Teach U to Fly", and the mixtape ''How Fly'', a collaboration with New Orleans rapper
Curren$y
Shante Scott Franklin (born April 4, 1981), better known by his stage name Currensy (often stylized as Curren$y), is an American rapper. In 2011, he founded the label Jet Life Recordings.
Music career
2002–2008: No Limit and Young Money ...
, on August 9, 2009.
[Mervis, Scott (July 18, 2009).]
Wiz Khalifa, Warner Bros. part ways
. ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', also known simply as the PG, is the largest newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Descended from the ''Pittsburgh Gazette'', established in 1786 as the first newspaper published west of the All ...
''. Retrieved on July 18, 2009. Khalifa introduced a more melodic style on the mixtape, alternating between singing and rapping. He opened for
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its original members include RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Close affili ...
member
U-God
Lamont Jody Hawkins (born November 10, 1970), better known as U-God, is an American rapper and member of the hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He has been with the group since its inception, and is known for his deep voice and rhythmic flow tha ...
at the 2009
CMJ Music Marathon
CMJ Holdings Corp. is a music events and online media company, originally founded in 1978, which ran a website, hosted an annual festival in New York City, and published two magazines, ''CMJ New Music Monthly'' and ''CMJ New Music Report''. Th ...
in New York City. Khalifa released the mixtape ''Burn After Rolling'' on November 2, 2009, where he raps over familiar beats from other artists, including the songs "
If I Were A Boy
"If I Were a Boy" is a song written by BC Jean and Toby Gad and originally performed by Jean in 2008. The song gained international attention the same year in a version by the American singer Beyoncé, from her third studio album '' I Am... Sa ...
" and "
Diva
Diva (; ) is the Latin word for a goddess. It has often been used to refer to a celebrated woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, theatre, cinema, fashion and popular music. If referring to an actress, the meaning of ''diva'' is clo ...
" by
Beyoncé
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
, "
Walking on a Dream Walking on a Dream may refer to:
* ''Walking on a Dream'' (album), a 2008 album by Empire of the Sun
** "Walking on a Dream" (song), the album's title track
{{Disambiguation ...
" by
Empire of the Sun
''Empire of the Sun'' is a 1984 novel by English writer J. G. Ballard; it was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Like Ballard's earlier short story "The Dead Time" (published in the anthology '' ...
, "
Luchini AKA This Is It
"Luchini AKA This Is It" is the first single released from Camp Lo's debut album, ''Uptown Saturday Night''. The song was produced by up-and-coming producer Ski
A ski is a narrow strip of semi-rigid material worn underfoot to glide over snow. S ...
" by
Camp Lo
Camp Lo is an American hip hop duo, formed in 1995, which hails from The Bronx, New York. The duo consists of rappers Sonny Cheeba (Salahadeen Wilds) and Geechi Suede (Saladine Wallace). The duo is perhaps best known for their 1997 hit " Luch ...
, and "
Best I Ever Had" by
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
.
[McCray, Mike (November 3, 2009). ]
Mixtape Review: Wiz Khalifa
. '' Creative Loafing Charlotte''; retrieved November 8, 2009. Khalifa released his second album, ''
Deal or No Deal
''Deal or No Deal'' is the name of several closely related television game shows, the first of which (launching the format) was the Dutch ''Miljoenenjacht (Netherlands), Miljoenenjacht'' (''Hunt/Chase for Millions''). The centerpiece of this f ...
'', on November 24, 2009.
Khalifa performed at
Emo's
Emo's, formerly known as The Back Room, is a music and event venue located in Austin, Texas. Emo's got its start as a Houston punk club in 1989, with the Austin location opening in 1992. The Houston location closed its doors in September 2001 ...
in
Austin
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
, Texas in March 2010 as part of the 2010
South by Southwest
South by Southwest, abbreviated as SXSW and colloquially referred to as South By, is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and Convention (meeting), conferences organized jointly that take place in m ...
Music Festival. He appeared on the cover of ''
XXL'' magazine that same month, for the magazine's annual list of Top 10 Freshman, which included
Donnis
Ladonnis Decurtis Crump (born June 2, 1984), better known by the stage name Donnis, is an American rapper based in Atlanta, Georgia. He released his debut mixtape, ''Diary of an ATL Brave'', in 2009, and signed to Atlantic Records in 2010.
E ...
,
J. Cole
Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper and record producer. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained recognition as a rapper following the release of his d ...
,
Pill
Pill or The Pill may refer to:
Drugs
* Pill (pharmacy), referring to anything small for a specific dose of medicine
* "The Pill", a general nickname for the combined oral contraceptive pill
Film and television
* ''The Pill'' (film), a 2011 fil ...
,
Freddie Gibbs
Fredrick Jamel Tipton (born June 14, 1982), better known by his stage name Freddie Gibbs, is an American rapper from Gary, Indiana. After initially being signed to Interscope Records in 2006, Gibbs recorded his debut studio album under the label ...
, and
Fashawn
Santiago Leyva (born October 19, 1988), known by his stage name Fashawn, is an American hip hop recording artist from Fresno, California. He first gained major attention after releasing his debut album ''Boy Meets World'' in 2009, which was pro ...
. Wiz Khalifa was named 2010 "Rookie Of The Year" by "
The Source
''The Source'' is an American hip hop and entertainment website, and a magazine that publishes annually or . It is the world's longest-running rap periodical, being founded as a newsletter in 1988 by Jonathan Shecter. David Mays was the ma ...
", with alongside Rick Ross, "The Man Of The Year". He toured with rapper
Yelawolf
Michael Wayne Atha (born December 30, 1979), better known by his stage name Yelawolf, is an American rapper. Born in Alabama and raised in Tennessee, he embarked on his career independently in 2005, releasing one extended play (EP) and four mixta ...
on a 20-date tour, the Deal Or No Deal Tour. Khalifa released the free mixtape ''
Kush and Orange Juice'' for download on June 14, 2010. Due to Khalifa's devoted grassroots fan base, the mixtape became the No. 1
trending topic
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
on Twitter with the
hash tag
A hashtag is a metadata tag that is prefaced by the hash (also known as pound or octothorpe) sign, ''#''. On social media, hashtags are used on microblogging and photo-sharing services such as Twitter or Instagram as a form of user-generated ...
#kushandorangejuice, and "Kush and Orange Juice download" ranked No. 1 on
Google
Google LLC () is an American multinational technology company focusing on search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and consumer electronics. ...
's hot search trends.
Citing music industry insiders, ''
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
'' magazine wrote that Khalifa signed with
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
in April 2010, although the rapper did not confirm it. He stated to
AllHipHop
AllHipHop is a hip hop news website founded by Greg Watkins and Chuck Creekmur in 1998.
History
The website was founded in 1998 by Greg Watkins and Chuck Creekmur. In 1997, Watkins registered the allhiphop.com domain to promote the artists on ...
in June 2010 that he was working on a new album, but was weighing his options and had not yet decided on a label to distribute it. Khalifa confirmed to MTV on July 30 that he was signing an Atlantic Records deal.
![Wiz Khalifa Boston Urban Music Project August 2010](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Wiz_Khalifa_Boston_Urban_Music_Project_August_2010.jpg)
Khalifa was featured in a remix and video for the 2010
Rick Ross
William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper.
Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...
single "
Super High
"Super High" is the first single from rapper Rick Ross from his fourth studio album '' Teflon Don''. The song features Ne-Yo.
The song samples "Silly Love Song" by Enchantment.
Music video
The music video premiered on May 24, 2010 on MTV Jams ...
", alongside
Curren$y
Shante Scott Franklin (born April 4, 1981), better known by his stage name Currensy (often stylized as Curren$y), is an American rapper. In 2011, he founded the label Jet Life Recordings.
Music career
2002–2008: No Limit and Young Money ...
. He guested on the mixtape ''Grey Goose, Head Phones, and Thirsty Women '' by
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
rapper M.C, and was featured on the track "The Breeze (Cool)" on rapper
Wale's August 2010 mixtape ''
More About Nothing
More or Mores may refer to:
Computing
* MORE (application), outline software for Mac OS
* more (command), a shell command
* MORE protocol, a routing protocol
* Missouri Research and Education Network
Music Albums
* ''More!'' (album), by Booka ...
''. Khalifa was named MTV's Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010, winning with nearly 70,000 votes, and beating out finalists
Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accent ...
,
J. Cole
Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper and record producer. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained recognition as a rapper following the release of his d ...
,
Travis Porter
Travis Porter is an American hip hop trio from Atlanta, Georgia. The group consists of stepbrothers Ali and Quez, and their friend Strap who they met in middle school. In November 2010 the trio signed with Jive Records. The group's biggest hits ...
, and
Diggy Simmons
Daniel Dwayne "Diggy" Simmons III (born March 21, 1995) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, model, and actor and the fourth child of Joseph "Rev. Run" Simmons of Run DMC. He is currently acting on the hit show ''Grown-ish'' as Doug Edwar ...
.
Khalifa appeared at the Soundset 2010 festival in May 2010 in
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
, Minnesota, alongside
Method Man & Redman
Method Man & Redman (also referred to as Meth & Red, Red & Mef, John Blaze and Funk Doc or Funk Doctor Spock and Johnny Blaze) are an American hip hop duo, composed of East Coast rappers Method Man (of Wu-Tang Clan) and Redman (of Def Squad). ...
,
Del the Funky Homosapien
Teren Delvon Jones (born August 12, 1972), better known by his stage name Del the Funky Homosapien (sometimes stylized as Del tha Funkee Homosapien) or Sir DZL, is an American rapper.
Music career 1988–1997: Early life and beginnings
Born in O ...
and
Hieroglyphics
Egyptian hieroglyphs (, ) were the formal writing system used in Ancient Egypt, used for writing the Egyptian language. Hieroglyphs combined logographic, syllabic and alphabetic elements, with some 1,000 distinct characters.There were about 1,00 ...
,
Atmosphere
An atmosphere () is a layer of gas or layers of gases that envelop a planet, and is held in place by the gravity of the planetary body. A planet retains an atmosphere when the gravity is great and the temperature of the atmosphere is low. A s ...
,
Murs
Murs may refer to:
People
* Marc Athanase Parfait Œillet des Murs (1804-1878), French ornithologist
* Olly Murs (born 1984), English singer-songwriter
* Murs (rapper) (born 1978), American rapper
Places
* Murs, Indre, France
* Murs, Vaucluse, Fr ...
,
Cage
A cage is an enclosure often made of mesh, bars, or wires, used to confine, contain or protect something or someone. A cage can serve many purposes, including keeping an animal or person in captivity, capturing an animal or person, and displayin ...
, and others. He performed at the 2010
Rock the Bells
Rock the Bells was an annual hip-hop festival that originally took place in Southern California only, but has since toured throughout the world. The concert featured a line-up of high-profile alternative hip-hop artists, often headlined by a mor ...
festival, along with hip hop veterans Wu-Tang Clan,
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...
,
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. She is often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, as well as being one of the most influential musicians of her generation. ...
,
A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest was an American hip hop group formed in Queens, New York City, in 1985,[Q-Tip](_blank)
,
Rakim
William Michael Griffin Jr. (born January 28, 1968), better known by his stage name Rakim Allah or simply Rakim (), is an American rapper and record producer. One half of golden age hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, he is widely regarded as one of t ...
,
KRS-One
Lawrence "Kris" Parker (born August 20, 1965), better known by his stage names KRS-One (; an abbreviation of "Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone") and Teacha, is an American rapper from New York City. He rose to prominence as part of ...
,
Jedi Mind Tricks
Jedi Mind Tricks (JMT) are an American underground hip hop group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1996 by two high school friends, rapper Vinnie Paz (Vincenzo Luvineri) and producer Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind (Kevin Baldwin). In 19 ...
and
Slick Rick
Richard Martin Lloyd Walters (born January 14, 1965), better known as Slick Rick, is an English-American rapper and record producer.
He rose to prominence with Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew in the mid-1980s. Their songs " The Show" and " ...
. Khalifa declined an invitation to tour with rapper
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
and launched his own Waken Baken Tour, a 50-city national tour with rapper
Yelawolf
Michael Wayne Atha (born December 30, 1979), better known by his stage name Yelawolf, is an American rapper. Born in Alabama and raised in Tennessee, he embarked on his career independently in 2005, releasing one extended play (EP) and four mixta ...
. His official DJ on the tour was
DJ Bonics.
The tour, scheduled to last from September to November 2010, sold out every venue. In November 2010, during his "Waken Baken" tour at East Carolina University, Khalifa was arrested for possession and trafficking of marijuana. He was released the next morning after a $300K bail, and resumed his tour. Khalifa performed in a cypher during the 2010
BET
Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los A ...
Hip-Hop Awards.
2010–2012: Mainstream success, ''Rolling Papers'' and ''O.N.I.F.C.''
![Wiz Khalifa SXSW 2010](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Wiz_Khalifa_SXSW_2010.jpg)
Khalifa released "
Black and Yellow
"Black and Yellow" is a song by American rapper Wiz Khalifa from his third studio album, '' Rolling Papers''. It was released on September 14, 2010, as the lead single from the album. The song was written by Khalifa, along with Stargate, who pr ...
", his first single for Rostrum/Atlantic, produced by
Stargate
''Stargate'' (often stylized in all caps) is a military science fiction media franchise based on the Stargate (film), film directed by Roland Emmerich, which he co-wrote with producer Dean Devlin. The franchise is based on the idea of an alien E ...
, which has received radio airplay. The single peaked at number one on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100; the title of the song refers to the colors of the
City of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsyl ...
.
[Lipshutz, Jason (October 13, 2010)]
"Wiz Khalifa's "Black & Yellow" And Four Other Hot Football Fight Songs"
Billboard.com; retrieved October 15, 2010. Khalifa released his debut album with Atlantic Records in 2011. He appeared with Curren$y on the track "Scaling the Building" on producer
Ski Beatz
David Anthony Willis, known professionally as Ski Beatz, is an American record producer from Greensboro, North Carolina, mainly working in hip hop.
Biography
Discovered by DJ Clark Kent, Ski was originally known as "MC Will-Ski" in the late 19 ...
' 2010 album, ''
24 Hour Karate School''.
On March 29, 2011, Khalifa released his first studio album, ''
Rolling Papers'' in the US. The album debuted at number two on the US
''Billboard'' 200 chart, with first-week sales of 197,000 copies in the United States. On March 31, 2011, Khalifa performed at
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1836 as "Emory College" by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory, Emory is the second-oldest private institution of ...
in Atlanta, Georgia as part of the school's annual Dooley's Weekend. On June 26, 2011, Khalifa was nominated and won Best New Artist at the
BET Awards of 2011
The 11th BET Awards took place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California on June 26, 2011. The awards recognized Americans in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. Comedian and actor Kevin Hart host ...
.
Khalifa collaborated with British rapper
Tinie Tempah
Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu (born 7 November 1988), better known by his stage name Tinie Tempah, is a British rapper. He has been signed to Parlophone Records since 2009, a subsidiary of Warner Music Group. He created his own entertainment compa ...
. Tinie announced in an interview with
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
that his next single is to be called "
Till I'm Gone
"Till I'm Gone" is a song written and performed by British rapper Tinie Tempah featuring American rapper Wiz Khalifa. The song was produced by Norway, Norwegian production team Stargate (production team), Stargate. The single became the seventh ...
" and would feature Wiz Khalifa and was produced by
Stargate
''Stargate'' (often stylized in all caps) is a military science fiction media franchise based on the Stargate (film), film directed by Roland Emmerich, which he co-wrote with producer Dean Devlin. The franchise is based on the idea of an alien E ...
. The single and the video song were released at the end of June 2011.
On April 11, 2012, Khalifa announced that he will release his second studio album titled ''Only Nigga In First Class'' but that it will be abbreviated as ''
O.N.I.F.C.
''O.N.I.F.C.'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Wiz Khalifa. The album was released on December 4, 2012, by Atlantic Records and Rostrum Records. The album's title was inspired by the album '' H.N.I.C.'' by Prodigy of Mobb Deep, an ...
'' for release to mainstream markets.
''O.N.I.F.C.'' debuted at number two with 131,000 in first week sales. The album has spawned two singles "
Work Hard, Play Hard
"Work Hard, Play Hard" is a song by American rapper Wiz Khalifa, released as the lead single from his fourth studio album, '' O.N.I.F.C.'' (2012). The track features production from Benny Blanco and Stargate.
Track listing
;Digital download
# ...
" and "
Remember You
"Remember You" is a song by American rapper Wiz Khalifa featuring Canadian singer the Weeknd, released as the second single from the former's fourth studio album, ''O.N.I.F.C.''. Produced by Dpat and Illangelo, the song samples " Tell Me Do U W ...
" both receiving good commercial acclaim and the former going platinum. Wiz spoke with rapper
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...
, with whom he collaborated on the song "Telescope", about making a movie together.
2013–present: ''Blacc Hollywood'' and ''Rolling Papers 2''
In April 2013, Khalifa revealed that after having his son he decided to work on a new album that he was planning to release in 2013. On April 17, 2013, Wiz Khalifa and Curren$y announced that they will drop their collaboration
EP ''Live in Concert'' on April 20, 2013. The EP featured seven new songs. On June 24, 2013, he announced that his fifth studio album would be titled ''
Blacc Hollywood
''Blacc Hollywood'' is the fifth studio album by American rapper Wiz Khalifa. It was released in the UK on August 18, 2014 and in the US on August 19, by Rostrum Records and Atlantic Records. The album features guest appearances from Ty Dolla Sig ...
'' and would be released in 2013.
On September 3, 2013, Khalifa revealed he had recorded songs with
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus ( ; born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her distinctive raspy voice, her music spans across varied styles and genres, including pop, country, rock, hip hop ...
and
Juicy J
Jordan Michael Houston III (born April 5, 1975), known professionally as Juicy J, is an American rapper and record producer. Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, he is a founding member of the Southern hip hop group Three 6 Mafia, established i ...
for ''Blacc Hollywood''. In October 2013,
Mannie Fresh
Byron Otto Thomas (born March 20, 1969), better known by his stage name Mannie Fresh, is an American music producer and rapper. He's best known for his productions on Cash Money Records releases, as well being half of the hip hop duo (alongside ...
confirmed that he provided production for the album.
On February 11, 2014, Khalifa released ''Blacc Hollywood''s first single titled "
We Dem Boyz
"We Dem Boyz" is a song by American rapper Wiz Khalifa from his fifth studio album ''Blacc Hollywood'' (2014). On February 11, 2014, it was released by Rostrum Records and Atlantic Records as the album's first single. It was produced by Detail and ...
". On March 31, 2015, Wiz Khalifa released an
EP with fellow Taylor Gang artist
Ty Dolla $ign
Tyrone William Griffin Jr. (born April 13, 1982), known professionally as Ty Dolla Sign (stylized as Ty Dolla $ign or Ty$), is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He first gained major recognition in 2010 for his feature on Ameri ...
, ''
Talk About It in the Morning''. That same month, Khalifa and
Charlie Puth
Charles Otto Puth Jr. (; born December 2, 1991) is an American singer and songwriter. His initial exposure came through the viral success of his song videos uploaded to YouTube. Puth initially signed with the record label eleveneleven after pe ...
released the song "
See You Again
"See You Again" is a song by American rapper and singer Wiz Khalifa featuring fellow American singer Charlie Puth. It was commissioned for the soundtrack of the 2015 film ''Furious 7'' as a tribute to actor Paul Walker, who died in a single-ve ...
", a tribute to
Paul Walker
Paul William Walker IV (September 12, 1973 – November 30, 2013) was an American actor. He was known for his role as Brian O'Conner in the ''Fast & Furious'' franchise.
Walker began his career as a child actor in the 1980s, gaining recogniti ...
, who died during filming for ''
Furious 7
''Furious 7'' (also known as ''Fast & Furious 7'') is a 2015 American action film directed by James Wan and written by Chris Morgan. It is the sequel to ''Fast & Furious 6'' (2013) and '' The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift'' (2006), and ser ...
''.
![Wiz Khalifa High Road](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Wiz_Khalifa_High_Road.jpg)
After releasing several "Weedmixes" on
SoundCloud
SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...
, including "Ziplocc" and "Maan!", Wiz took to Twitter to create hype about his new mixtape, ''
28 Grams
''28 Grams'' is the twelfth mixtape by American rapper Wiz Khalifa. It was released on May 25, 2014, by Taylor Gang Records and Rostrum Records. On the same day, Khalifa was arrested for marijuana possession after security stopped the musician at ...
'', which was due to be released on May 25, 2014. However, Wiz was arrested in
El Paso, Texas
El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the county seat, seat of El Paso County, Texas, El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau w ...
for marijuana possession the day before, and there were fears that the mixtape would be pushed back. After posting a "jail selfie" and
hashtag
A hashtag is a metadata tag that is prefaced by the hash (also known as pound or octothorpe) sign, ''#''. On social media, hashtags are used on microblogging and photo-sharing services such as Twitter or Instagram as a form of user-generated ...
ging "FreeTrapWiz" on Twitter, he was released hours later, meaning the mixtape would go ahead with its intended release date.
On January 23, 2015, Khalifa was featured on a remix release of the
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer A ...
song "
Uma Thurman
Uma Karuna Thurman (born April 29, 1970) is an American actress and former model. She has performed in a variety of films, from romantic comedies and dramas to science fiction and action films. Following her appearances on the December 1985 an ...
". On May 18, they performed the song together on the 2015
''Billboard'' Music Awards show. In the summer of 2015, he began touring the United States with
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer A ...
and
Hoodie Allen
Steven Adam Markowitz (born August 19, 1988), better known by his stage name Hoodie Allen, is an American rapper, singer and songwriter from Plainview, New York. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, he began working at Google befo ...
in a tour titled "
The Boys of Zummer Tour". The tour featured performances of "Uma Thurman" by Fall Out Boy and Khalifa. Later that year, on December 15, 2015, Wiz released the mixtape "
Cabin Fever 3
''Cabin Fever: Patient Zero'' is a 2014 science fiction horror film directed by Kaare Andrews and written by Jake Wade Wall; it serves as a prequel to, and the third installment of the ''Cabin Fever'' franchise. Starring Ryan Donowho, Brando Ea ...
". During the Golden Globes on January 10, 2016, Wiz announced that his next album, titled ''
Khalifa
Khalifa or Khalifah (Arabic: خليفة) is a name or title which means "successor", "ruler" or "leader". It most commonly refers to the leader of a Caliphate, but is also used as a title among various Islamic religious groups and others. Khalifa ...
'', would be released on the 22nd of that month. However, the album was released on February 5, 2016. On May 24, 2016, he released "Pull Up", a standalone single in promotion of his sixth album, Rolling Papers 2, which was released on July 13, 2018.
In 2016, Khalifa sued former manager Benjy Grinberg and
Rostrum Records
Rostrum Records is an American independent record label initially located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, now located in Los Angeles, California. Benjy Grinberg is the founder and president of the label, which currently has twelve artists on its ros ...
because of a "
360 deal
In the music industry, a 360 deal (from 360° deal) is a business relationship between an artist and a music industry company. The company agrees to provide financial and other support for the artist, including direct advances as well as support i ...
" that he signed which he claimed was unfair.
Khalifa is seeking $1 million in compensation as well as punitive damages and attorney fees. He and Grinberg split after 10 years of partnership.
On April 20, 2020, Khalifa released a new EP, The Saga of Wiz Khalifa. The album included collaborations with
Tyga
Michael Ray Nguyen-Stevenson[Micheal Ray Stevenson ...](_blank)
,
Logic
Logic is the study of correct reasoning. It includes both formal and informal logic. Formal logic is the science of deductively valid inferences or of logical truths. It is a formal science investigating how conclusions follow from premises ...
,
Mustard
Mustard may refer to:
Food and plants
* Mustard (condiment), a paste or sauce made from mustard seeds used as a condiment
* Mustard plant, one of several plants, having seeds that are used for the condiment
** Mustard seed, seeds of the mustard p ...
and
Ty Dolla $ign
Tyrone William Griffin Jr. (born April 13, 1982), known professionally as Ty Dolla Sign (stylized as Ty Dolla $ign or Ty$), is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He first gained major recognition in 2010 for his feature on Ameri ...
.
In May 2020, Khalifa featured on a new song, ''Drums Drums Drums'' with
Travis Barker
Travis Landon Barker (born November 14, 1975) is an American musician who serves as the drummer for the rock band Blink-182. He has also performed as a frequent collaborator with hip hop artists, is a member of the rap rock group Transpla ...
.
In 2021, Khalifa competed in
season five
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pola ...
of ''
The Masked Singer
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' as "Chameleon". He finished in third place.
Personal life
Khalifa began dating model
Amber Rose
Amber Rose Levonchuck (born October 21, 1983) is an American model and television personality. She first gained attention after she appeared in the music video for Young Jeezy and Kanye West's single "Put On". In 2008, Rose began a high-profile ...
in early 2011. They got engaged on March 1, 2012, and married on July 8, 2013. They have one son, Sebastian Taylor (born 2013). On September 24, 2014, it was announced that Rose would be filing for divorce, citing
irreconcilable differences
''Irreconcilable Differences'' is a 1984 American comedy-drama film starring Ryan O'Neal, Shelley Long, and Drew Barrymore. The film was a minor box-office success, making over $12 million. For their performances, both Long and Barrymore were no ...
. As of 2015, Khalifa and Rose have
joint custody
Joint custody is a form of child custody pursuant to which custody rights are awarded to both parents. Joint custody may refer to ''joint physical custody'', ''joint legal custody'', or both combined.
In joint legal custody, both parents of a c ...
of their son.
Khalifa is open about his use of
cannabis
''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: ''Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternatively ...
, and he has claimed in many interviews that he spends $10,000 a month on cannabis, and also smokes daily. As of early 2014, Khalifa no longer pays for cannabis and is sponsored by The Cookie Company, a medical marijuana dispenser which sells his "Khalifa Kush" (KK) strain, which he partnered with RiverRock Cannabis to create. Also, in 2016 Khalifa was featured in a cooking show with
Martha Stewart
Martha Helen Stewart (, ; born August 3, 1941) is an American retail businesswoman, writer, and television personality. As founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, she gained success through a variety of business ventures, encompassing pub ...
and
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...
where weed was the main ingredient.
Khalifa began training in the martial art
Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ; pt, jiu-jitsu brasileiro ) is a self-defence martial art and combat sport based on grappling, ground fighting (ne-waza) and submission holds. BJJ focuses on the skill of taking an opponent to the ground, control ...
in May 2017 with
Rigan Machado
Rigan Machado (born 2 July 1966) is an 8th degree red and White belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, earning his rank under Carlos Gracie, Jr. He is a former Pan American Champion (1996, 1997 weight and absolute) and a veteran medalist of the ADCC. Mac ...
, an 8th degree red and black belt. Shortly after, he began training in
Muay Thai
Muay Thai ( th, มวยไทย, , ), sometimes referred to as Thai boxing, is a combat sport that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. This discipline is known as the "art of eight limbs", as it is characterised ...
with former
UFC
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...
bantamweight title contender
Cat Zingano
Cathilee Deborah "Cat" Zingano (née Albert; born July 1, 1982) is an American mixed martial artist, currently signed to Bellator MMA, competing in the Women's Featherweight division. Zingano also competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship ...
and at the Unbreakable Performance Center in Los Angeles. On April 24, 2018,
Yokkao
Yokkao Boxing is a Muay Thai brand based in Thailand.
History
YOKKAO was founded in Bangkok on 1 January 2010 by Philip Villa and Doungjaj Tananan. It began by producing Muay Thai shorts and training equipment. In February 2011, YOKKAO started t ...
hosted a private Muay Thai seminar with Thai boxing legend
Saenchai
Suphachai "Saenchai" Saepong (born July 30, 1980), formerly known as Saenchai Sor. Kingstar ( th, แสนชัย ส.คิงสตาร์), is a Muay Thai fighter of Khon Isan descent. Saenchai won the Lumpinee Stadium title, which is ...
for Khalifa at Unbreakable.
Honors
Pittsburgh City Council
The Pittsburgh City Council serves as the legislative body in the City of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city ...
declared 12-12-12 (December 12, 2012) to be Wiz Khalifa Day in the city.
[ Khalifa graduated from Pittsburgh's Taylor Allderdice High School][ and in January 2012, purchased a home in nearby ]Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
Canonsburg is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, southwest of Pittsburgh. Canonsburg was laid out by Colonel John Canon in 1789 and incorporated in 1802. The population was 9,735 at the 2020 census. The town li ...
.
Discography
*''Show and Prove
''Show and Prove'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Wiz Khalifa. It was released on September 5, 2006, by Rostrum Records. Recording sessions took place from 2005 to 2006, with the production primarily provided from I.D. Labs, along ...
'' (2006)
*''Deal or No Deal
''Deal or No Deal'' is the name of several closely related television game shows, the first of which (launching the format) was the Dutch ''Miljoenenjacht (Netherlands), Miljoenenjacht'' (''Hunt/Chase for Millions''). The centerpiece of this f ...
'' (2009)
*'' Rolling Papers'' (2011)
*''Mac & Devin Go to High School
''Mac & Devin Go to High School'' is a 2012 American stoner comedy film. The film was directed by Dylan Brown and stars rappers Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa (in his film debut) in the title roles, along with Mike Epps, Teairra Mari, Andy Milonaki ...
'' (with Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...
) (2011)
*''O.N.I.F.C.
''O.N.I.F.C.'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Wiz Khalifa. The album was released on December 4, 2012, by Atlantic Records and Rostrum Records. The album's title was inspired by the album '' H.N.I.C.'' by Prodigy of Mobb Deep, an ...
'' (2012)
*''Blacc Hollywood
''Blacc Hollywood'' is the fifth studio album by American rapper Wiz Khalifa. It was released in the UK on August 18, 2014 and in the US on August 19, by Rostrum Records and Atlantic Records. The album features guest appearances from Ty Dolla Sig ...
'' (2014)
*'' Rolling Papers 2'' (2018)
*''Multiverse
The multiverse is a hypothetical group of multiple universes. Together, these universes comprise everything that exists: the entirety of space, time, matter, energy, information, and the physical laws and constants that describe them. The di ...
'' (2022)
Tours
* Waken Baken Tour (2010)
* Rolling Papers World Tour (2011)
* Under the Influence of Music Tour (2011, 2012, 2014)
* Under the Influence Tour (2013)
* Boys of Zummer Tour (2015)
* High Road Summer Tour (2016)
* Dazed & Blazed Tour (2018)
* Decent Exposure Tour (2019)
* 2009 Tour (2019)
* Vinyl Verse Summer Tour (2022)
Filmography
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
Wiz Khalifa
at MTV
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Khalifa, Wiz
1987 births
Living people
21st-century American male actors
21st-century American male musicians
21st-century American rappers
African-American male actors
African-American male rappers
American hip hop singers
American male film actors
American male rappers
American male television actors
American male voice actors
American Muay Thai practitioners
American practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Atlantic Records artists
Cannabis music
East Coast hip hop musicians
Male actors from North Dakota
Male actors from Pittsburgh
Musicians from Pittsburgh
People from Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
People from Minot, North Dakota
Pop rappers
Rappers from Pittsburgh
Taylor Allderdice High School alumni
Trap musicians
Warner Records artists