Wiz Khalifa
Encyclopedia
Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by the stage name
Wiz Khalifa (not to be confused with Burj Khalifa), is an American rapper. He released his debut album, Show and Prove
, in 2006, and signed to Warner Bros. Records
in 2007. His eurodance
-influenced single, "Say Yeah
", received urban radio airplay, charting on the Rhythmic Top 40 and Hot Rap Tracks
charts in 2008. Khalifa parted with Warner Bros. and released his second album, Deal or No Deal
, in November 2009. He released the mixtape Kush and Orange Juice
as a free download in April 2010; he then signed with Atlantic Records
. He is also well known for his debut single for Atlantic, "Black and Yellow
", which peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100
. His debut album for the label, Rolling Papers
, was released on March 29, 2011.
, North Dakota
, to a mother and a father serving in the military
. His parents divorced when Khalifa was about three years old. His parents' military service caused him to move regularly: Khalifa lived in Germany
, England
, and Japan
before settling in Pittsburgh where he attended Taylor Allderdice High School
.
His stage name is derived from khalifa
, an Arabic
word meaning "successor", and wisdom
, which was shortened to Wiz when Khalifa was fifteen. Khalifa stated to spinner.com
that the name also came from being called "young Wiz 'cause I was good at everything I did, and my granddad is Muslim, so he gave me that name; he felt like that's what I was doing with my music." He got his stage name tattooed on his 17th birthday. He includes Camp Lo
, The Notorious B.I.G.
and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
among his influences.
: "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
, Prince of the City: Welcome to Pistolvania, in 2005. The mixtape led to his first full length album entitled Show and Prove
in 2006. Khalifa was declared an "artist to watch" that year in Rolling Stone magazine.
In 2007, Khalifa signed to Warner Bros. Records
and released two mixtapes through Rostrum Records
: Grow Season, hosted by DJ Green Lantern
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 music chart and number 20 on Billboard's Hot Rap Tracks
. The song samples
"Better Off Alone" by Alice Deejay
. Khalifa's vocals from "Say Yeah" appear near the end of Pittsburgh mash up
producer Girl Talk
's 2008 album, Feed the Animals
, over music from Underworld's
"Born Slippy
", Usher's
"Love in This Club
", and the Cure
's "In Between Days
". Khalifa appeared with The Game
, David Banner
and Play-n-Skillz
at U92's
Summer Jam at the USANA Amphitheatre
in West Valley City
, Utah on August 2, 2008. Khalifa released the mixtapes Star Power in September 2008, and Flight School in April 2009 on Rostrum Records.
Khalifa parted ways with Warner Bros. Records
in July 2009 after numerous delays in releasing his planned debut album for the label, First Flight. Khalifa stated to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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
, Donora
, Grand Buffet
, and Don Caballero
at the Amphitheatre at Station Square in Pittsburgh on July 31, 2009, where he announced that his relationship with Warner Bros. was over.
member U-God
at the 2009 CMJ Music Marathon
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
" and "Diva
" by Beyoncé, "Walking on a Dream
" by Empire of the Sun
, "Luchini AKA This Is It
" by Camp Lo
, and "Best I Ever Had
" by Drake
. Khalifa released his second album, Deal or No Deal
, on November 24, 2009.
Khalifa performed at Emo's
in Austin
, Texas in March 2010 as part of the 2010 South by Southwest
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
, J. Cole, Pill
, Freddie Gibbs
, and Fashawn
. Wiz Khalifa was named 2010 "Rookie Of The Year" by "The Source", with alongside Rick Ross, "The Man Of The Year". He toured with rapper Yelawolf
on a 20-date tour, the Deal Or No Deal Tour. Khalifa released the free mixtape Kush and Orange Juice
for download on April 14, 2010. Due to Khalifa's devoted grassroots fan base, the mixtape became the No. 1 trending topic
on Twitter with the hash tag #kushandorangejuice, and "Kush and Orange Juice download” ranked No. 1 on Google
’s hot search trends.
magazine wrote that Khalifa signed with Atlantic Records
in April 2010, although the rapper did not confirm it. He stated to AllHipHop
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.
Khalifa was featured in a remix and video for the 2010 Rick Ross
single "Super High
", alongside Curren$y. He guested on the mixtape Grey Goose, Head Phones, and Thirsty Women by St. Louis rapper M.C, and was featured on the track "The Breeze (Cool)" on rapper Wale
's August 2010 mixtape More About Nothing. Khalifa was named MTV's Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010, winning with nearly 70,000 votes, and beating out finalists Nicki Minaj
, J. Cole, Travis Porter, and Diggy Simmons
.
Khalifa appeared at the Soundset 2010 festival in May 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, alongside Method Man & Redman
, Del the Funky Homosapien and Hieroglyphics, Atmosphere
, Murs, Cage, and others. He also performed at the 2010 Rock the Bells
festival, along with hip hop veterans Wu-Tang Clan
, Snoop Dogg
, Lauryn Hill
, A Tribe Called Quest
, Rakim
, KRS-One
, Jedi Mind Tricks
and Slick Rick
. Khalifa declined an invitation to tour with rapper Drake
and launched his own "Waken Baken" tour, a 50-city national tour with rapper Yelawolf
. The tour, scheduled to last from September to November 2010, has, as of October, sold out every venue. On November 2010, during his "Waken Baken" tour at East Carolina University, Wiz Khalifa was arrested for possession and trafficking of marijuana. He was then released the next morning after a $300K bail, and resumed his tour. Khalifa performed in a cypher during the 2010 BET
Hip-Hop Awards. He recited his verse from the song, "The Check Point", from his mixtape with Curren$y, How Fly.
", his first single for Rostrum/Atlantic, produced by Stargate
, which has received radio airplay. The single was peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100
; the title of the song refers to the colours of the Pittsburgh Steelers
. 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' 2010 album, 24 Hour Karate School
. Khalifa's record label is Taylor Gang Records
, named after his love of Chuck Taylor All-Stars
shoes.
On March 29, 2011, Khalifa released his first studio album, Rolling Papers
. The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200
chart, with first-week sales of 197,000 copies in the United States. Shortly afterward on March 31, 2011 Wiz Khalifa performed at Emory University
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
. Khalifa collaborated with British rapper Tinie Tempah
whom Tinie announced in an interview with Rolling Stone
that his next single is to be called "Till I'm Gone
" and would feature Wiz Khalifa and is to be produced by Stargate
.
The single and the video song were released at the end of June 2011.
. He is also personal friends with rapper Yelawolf
, and fellow Pittsburgh rapper, Mac Miller
.
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
Wiz Khalifa (not to be confused with Burj Khalifa), is an American rapper. He released his debut album, Show and Prove
Show and Prove
-References:*Ayad, Moustafa . "". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved on August 4, 2007.*Amen, Rob . "". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved on August 4, 2007.*last.fm album page ""-External links:*...
, in 2006, and signed to Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
in 2007. His eurodance
Eurodance
Eurodance is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s or early 1990s primarily in Europe. It combines many elements from House, Techno, Hi-NRG and especially Italo-Disco...
-influenced single, "Say Yeah
Say Yeah
"Say Yeah" is the first single from rapper Wiz Khalifa released on Warner Bros. Records. The song was produced by Johnny Juliano and samples Alice DeeJay's 1999 single "Better Off Alone."-Charts:...
", received urban radio airplay, charting on the Rhythmic Top 40 and Hot Rap Tracks
Hot Rap Tracks
Rap Songs 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 stations and sales in hip hop-focused or exclusive markets. From 1989 through 2001, it was based on how much the single...
charts in 2008. Khalifa parted with Warner Bros. and released his second album, Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal (album)
-Charts:...
, in November 2009. He released the mixtape Kush and Orange Juice
Kush and Orange Juice
Kush & Orange Juice is a mixtape by rapper Wiz Khalifa, released as a free online download on April 14, 2010. His eighth independently produced mixtape, Kush & Orange Juice gained notice by becoming the No...
as a free download in April 2010; he then signed with Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
. He is also well known for his debut single for Atlantic, "Black and Yellow
Black and Yellow
"Black and Yellow" is a song by American rapper Wiz Khalifa from his debut studio album, Rolling Papers. It was released on September 14, 2010 as the lead single from the album. The song was written by Wiz Khalifa, and StarGate, and it was produced by StarGate. It was released as a CD single in...
", which peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. His debut album for the label, Rolling Papers
Rolling Papers (album)
Rolling Papers is a studio album by American rapper Wiz Khalifa, released March 29, 2011, on Atlantic Records, and Rostrum Records. The album features collaborations with Too $hort, Curren$y, and Chevy Woods...
, was released on March 29, 2011.
Early life
Khalifa was born on September 8, 1987 in MinotMinot, North Dakota
Minot is a city located in north central North Dakota in the United States. It is most widely known for the Air Force base located approximately 15 miles north of the city. With a population of 40,888 at the 2010 census, Minot is the fourth largest city in the state...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, to a mother and a father serving in the military
Military of the United States
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
. His parents divorced when Khalifa was about three years old. His parents' military service caused him to move regularly: Khalifa lived in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
before settling in Pittsburgh where he attended Taylor Allderdice High School
Taylor Allderdice High School
Taylor Allderdice High School, also referred to by the Pittsburgh Public Schools as “Pittsburgh Allderdice” or informally by students as "Dice", is a public high school located in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh’s East End. Allderdice is the "largest of the Pittsburgh Public Schools'...
.
His stage name is derived from khalifa
Caliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
, an Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
word meaning "successor", and wisdom
Wisdom
Wisdom is a deep understanding and realization of people, things, events or situations, resulting in the ability to apply perceptions, judgements and actions in keeping with this understanding. It often requires control of one's emotional reactions so that universal principles, reason and...
, which was shortened to Wiz when Khalifa was fifteen. Khalifa stated to spinner.com
Spinner (website)
Spinner is an AOL Music property, which bills itself as "the ultimate music blog for free MP3s, free CD listening, [and] discovering new artists."...
that the name also came from being called "young Wiz 'cause I was good at everything I did, and my granddad is Muslim, so he gave me that name; he felt like that's what I was doing with my music." He got his stage name tattooed on his 17th birthday. He includes Camp Lo
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 and Geechi Suede , both of Muslim upbringing.-Career:...
, The Notorious B.I.G.
The Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough...
and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is an American Hip-Hop/R'n'B band from Cleveland, Ohio formed in 1991. It originally consisted of rappers Layzie Bone, Flesh-n-Bone, Bizzy Bone, Krayzie Bone, and Wish Bone. Rapper Eazy-E of the group N.W.A signed Bone Thugs-N-Harmony to Ruthless Records in 1994, when Bone...
among his influences.
2005–08: 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 eventually met the 16-year-old artist he immediately decided he wanted to work with him, later telling HitQuartersHitQuarters
HitQuarters is an international music industry publication and contact database founded in 1999. It is noted for in-depth interviews with industry figures, with past subjects including Simon Cowell, Martin Kierszenbaum, Jason Flom, Diane Warren, Peter Edge, Ron Fair and RedOne, as well as its A&R...
: "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
Mixtape
A Mix Tape or Mixed Tape is a compilation of songs recorded in a specific order, traditionally onto an audio Compact Cassette.A Mix Tape, which usually reflects the musical tastes of its compiler, can range from a casually selected list of favorite songs, to a conceptual mix of songs linked by a...
, Prince of the City: Welcome to Pistolvania, in 2005. The mixtape led to his first full length album entitled Show and Prove
Show and Prove
-References:*Ayad, Moustafa . "". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved on August 4, 2007.*Amen, Rob . "". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved on August 4, 2007.*last.fm album page ""-External links:*...
in 2006. Khalifa was declared an "artist to watch" that year in Rolling Stone magazine.
In 2007, Khalifa signed to Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
and released two mixtapes through Rostrum Records
Rostrum Records
Rostrum Records is an independent record label, founded in 2003 by Benjy Grinberg in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The label is currently focusing on its newest artist, Mac Miller, as well as his first album, titled Blue Slide Park which was released on November 8th 2011.With success by Rostrum...
: Grow Season, hosted by DJ Green Lantern
DJ Green Lantern
James D'Agostino , better known by his stage name DJ Green Lantern, is an American-Italian-Puerto Rican DJ and hip hop music producer from Rochester, New York. In 2002, D'Agostino was signed by Eminem to become the official DJ for Shady Records after DJ Head stepped down for undisclosed reasons...
and released on July 4, 2007, and Prince of the City 2, released on November 20, 2007. His debut Warner Bros. single "Say Yeah
Say Yeah
"Say Yeah" is the first single from rapper Wiz Khalifa released on Warner Bros. Records. The song was produced by Johnny Juliano and samples Alice DeeJay's 1999 single "Better Off Alone."-Charts:...
" reached number 25 on the Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 music chart and number 20 on Billboard's Hot Rap Tracks
Hot Rap Tracks
Rap Songs 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 stations and sales in hip hop-focused or exclusive markets. From 1989 through 2001, it was based on how much the single...
. The song samples
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
"Better Off Alone" by Alice Deejay
Alice DeeJay
Alice DeeJay was an electronic music group, who achieved success from 1999 to 2002.-Members:The group consisted of record producers Pronti , Kalmani and DJ Jurgen with Marc Lee-Smith remixing and the DJ's From Mars lead singer Judith Anna Pronk...
. Khalifa's vocals from "Say Yeah" appear near the end of Pittsburgh mash up
Mashup (music)
A mashup or bootleg is a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another...
producer Girl Talk
Girl Talk (musician)
Gregg Michael Gillis , better known by his stage name Girl Talk, is an American musician specializing in mashups and digital sampling. Gillis has released five LPs on the record label Illegal Art and EPs on 333 and 12 Apostles....
's 2008 album, Feed the Animals
Feed the Animals
Feed the Animals is the fourth album by Girl Talk , released on Illegal Art in 2008. It is composed almost entirely of samples taken from other artists' songs, plus minor original instrumentation by Girl Talk...
, over music from Underworld's
Underworld (band)
Underworld are a British electronic group, and principal name under which duo Karl Hyde and Rick Smith have recorded together since 1980.- Early years: 1979–1986 :...
"Born Slippy
Born Slippy
"Born Slippy" is a single by Underworld originally released in 1995, which has never appeared on an album by the group. The track is instrumental and features no lyrics. It is often confused with the more popular vocal track, "Born Slippy .NUXX", because of the similar name. However, they are...
", Usher's
Usher (entertainer)
Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
"Love in This Club
Love in This Club
"Love in This Club" is a song by American R&B singer Usher. Featuring rapper Young Jeezy, it was released on February 22, 2008 as the lead single from Usher's fifth studio album, Here I Stand. The song was written by Usher, Polow da Don, Young Jeezy, Darnell Dalton, Ryon Lovett, Lamar Taylor and...
", and the Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
's "In Between Days
In Between Days
"In Between Days" is a song by the English new wave/rock band The Cure....
". Khalifa appeared with The Game
The Game (rapper)
Jayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper and actor. As a member of G-Unit, he rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations...
, David Banner
David Banner
Lavell Crump , better known by his stage name David Banner, is an American rapper, record producer and occasional actor. Banner was born in Jackson, Mississippi and graduated from Southern University. He started his music career as a member of the rap duo, Crooked Lettaz before going solo in 2000...
and Play-n-Skillz
Play-N-Skillz
Play-N-Skillz are an American hip-hop electronic music record production duo from Irving, Texas, consisting of brothers Juan "Play" Salinas and Oscar "Skillz" Salinas, who are also rappers...
at U92's
KUUU
KUUU, also known as U92, is a Rhythmic Top 40 radio station broadcasting to the Salt Lake City-Ogden-Provo, Utah metropolitan area. The station, whose frequency is 92.5 MHz, is owned by Simmons Media Group...
Summer Jam at the USANA Amphitheatre
USANA Amphitheatre
The USANA Amphitheatre is a 20,000-seat outdoor amphitheater, located in West Valley City, Utah. The Amphitheater is named after USANA Health Sciences, a manufacturer of nutritional supplements...
in West Valley City
West Valley City, Utah
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 129,480 at the 2010 census,...
, Utah on August 2, 2008. Khalifa released the mixtapes Star Power in September 2008, and Flight School in April 2009 on Rostrum Records.
Khalifa parted ways with Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
in July 2009 after numerous delays in releasing his planned debut album for the label, First Flight. Khalifa stated to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG," is the largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.-Early history:...
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
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 performing in basements to college party crowds...
, Donora
Donora (band)
Donora is an American indie pop/rock band based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They first gained visibility in 2006 as semifinalists in the contest, "Calling All Bands", sponsored by MySpace and Verizon Wireless, for their song "She's Just a Girl"...
, Grand Buffet
Grand Buffet
Grand Buffet is a hip-hop funk duo from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, made up of Jackson O'Connell-Barlow and Jarrod Weeks . Their music is a unique brand of humorous, often satirical rap...
, and Don Caballero
Don Caballero
Don Caballero are an American rock group from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The group took their name from the character Guy Caballero, portrayed by Joe Flaherty, on the sketch comedy show Second City Television...
at the Amphitheatre at Station Square in Pittsburgh on July 31, 2009, where he announced that his relationship with Warner Bros. was over.
2009–10: Deal or No Deal
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, on August 9, 2009. Khalifa introduced a more melodic style on the mixtape, alternating between singing and rapping. He opened for Wu-Tang ClanWu-Tang Clan
The Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...
member U-God
U-God
Lamont Hawkins , 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 having a deep, rhythmic flow that can alternate between being gruff or smooth...
at the 2009 CMJ Music Marathon
CMJ Music Marathon
CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival is put on by CMJ Network. CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival 2010 is scheduled for October 19–23 and will be headquartered at New York University and other downtown NYC venues.- History :...
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
"If I Were a Boy" is a pop song recorded by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles. It was composed by Toby Gad and BC Jean. Jean initially recorded her version of the song which was rejected by Jean's record company. Knowles then recorded a new version for her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce...
" and "Diva
Diva (Beyoncé Knowles song)
"Diva" is a song by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles. The song was written and produced by Shondrae "Bangladesh" Crawford, Sean Garrett, and Knowles for her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce . It was released as the album's third overall single in the United States alongside the third...
" by Beyoncé, "Walking on a Dream
Walking on a Dream (song)
"Walking on a Dream" is a song by the Australian electronic duo Empire of the Sun, released as the lead single from their debut album, Walking on a Dream. The full Sam La More remix was made available as a free download on the band's official website. The single was successful on the Australian...
" by Empire of the Sun
Empire of the Sun (band)
Empire of the Sun is an Australian electronic music duo that formed in 2008. The duo is composed of Luke Steele of The Sleepy Jackson and Nick Littlemore of Pnau. The two met in 2000 after both being signed to the same record label. Luke and Nick knew that they instantly had a chemistry like no other...
, "Luchini AKA This Is It
Luchini AKA This Is It
"Luchini AKA This Is It" was the lead single released from Camp Lo's debut album, Uptown Saturday Night. The song was produced by up-and-coming producer Ski and used a sample of Dynasty's 1980 song "Adventures in the Land of Music"....
" by Camp Lo
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 and Geechi Suede , both of Muslim upbringing.-Career:...
, and "Best I Ever Had
Best I Ever Had (Drake song)
"Best I Ever Had" is the first single from Canadian rapper Drake's first EP So Far Gone. It first became prominent from the release of Drake's third mixtape of the same name. In 2009, the song was named the "Hot Rap Song" of the year by Billboard. The song's popularity helped Drake decide to...
" by Drake
Drake (entertainer)
Aubrey Drake Graham , who records under the mononym Drake, is a Canadian recording artist and actor. He originally became known for playing Jimmy Brooks on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation....
. Khalifa released his second album, Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal (album)
-Charts:...
, on November 24, 2009.
Khalifa performed at Emo's
Emo's
Emo's is a prominent nightclub 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, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Texas in March 2010 as part of the 2010 South by Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
Music Festival. He appeared on the cover of XXL
XXL (magazine)
XXL is a Hip-Hop magazine, published by Harris Publications.In 1997, XXL was founded by former Source staffers as well as other Harris Publication employees, who wanted to create their own magazine about the hip-hop music and culture using the model developed by the founders of The Source...
magazine that same month, for the magazine's annual list of Top 10 Freshman, which included Donnis
Donnis
Ladonnis Decurtis Crump , 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.XXL Staff . “”.-Early life:Donnis was born on June 2, 1984 in Montclair, California...
, J. Cole, Pill
Pill (rapper)
Tyrone Rivers, better known by his stage name Pill, is an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia.-Career:In early 2009 Pill's first mixtape 4180: The Prescription and his first single "Trap Goin' Ham" was released. Pill was featured in The Source's Unsigned Hype section. The mixtape received praise...
, Freddie Gibbs
Freddie Gibbs
Fredrick Tipton , better known by his stage name Freddie Gibbs, is an emerging hip hop performer. He was signed by Interscope Records before being let go from his deal without a record being released...
, and Fashawn
Fashawn
Santiago Leyva , better known as Fashawn or Fash is an American Rapper from Fresno, California. He is best known for his debut album, Boy Meets World, which was produced entirely by one half of Emanon, Exile...
. Wiz Khalifa was named 2010 "Rookie Of The Year" by "The Source", with alongside Rick Ross, "The Man Of The Year". He toured with rapper Yelawolf
Yelawolf
Michael Wayne Atha , better known by his stage name YelaWolf, is an American rapper. He is currently signed to Shady Records, Ghet-O-Vision Entertainment and Interscope Records...
on a 20-date tour, the Deal Or No Deal Tour. Khalifa released the free mixtape Kush and Orange Juice
Kush and Orange Juice
Kush & Orange Juice is a mixtape by rapper Wiz Khalifa, released as a free online download on April 14, 2010. His eighth independently produced mixtape, Kush & Orange Juice gained notice by becoming the No...
for download on April 14, 2010. Due to Khalifa's devoted grassroots fan base, the mixtape became the No. 1 trending topic
Trending topic
A trending topic is a word, phrase or topic that is posted multiple times on the social networking and microblogging service Twitter. Trending topics become popular either through a concerted effort by users or because of an event that prompts people to talk about one specific topic...
on Twitter with the hash tag #kushandorangejuice, and "Kush and Orange Juice download” ranked No. 1 on Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
’s hot search trends.
2010: Signing with Atlantic Records
Citing music industry insiders, New YorkNew York (magazine)
New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
magazine wrote that Khalifa signed with Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
in April 2010, although the rapper did not confirm it. He stated to AllHipHop
AllHipHop
AllHipHop.com is a hip hop news website. It was founded in 1998. At five million visitors a month, it is the world's most popular hip hop website. Essence magazine has dubbed it "the CNN of hip-hop". In 2006, AllHipHop won the Rising Stars Award from Black Enterprise magazine. In 2007, PC Magazine...
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.
Khalifa was featured in a remix and video for the 2010 Rick Ross
Rick Ross (rapper)
William Leonard Roberts II , better known by his stage name Rick Ross, is an American rapper. He derived his stage name from the drug trafficker "Freeway" Ricky Ross, to whom he has no connection...
single "Super High
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. The F...
", alongside Curren$y. He guested on the mixtape Grey Goose, Head Phones, and Thirsty Women by St. Louis rapper M.C, and was featured on the track "The Breeze (Cool)" on rapper Wale
Wale (rapper)
Wale Victor Folarin , better known by his stage name Wale , is an American rapper from Washington, D.C. Wale was born to Nigerian parents. He rose to prominence in 2006, when his song "Dig Dug " became popular in his hometown. Wale became locally recognized and continued recording music for the...
's August 2010 mixtape More About Nothing. Khalifa was named MTV's Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010, winning with nearly 70,000 votes, and beating out finalists Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj , better known by her stage name Nicki Minaj; ), is a Trinidadian-born American recording artist...
, J. Cole, Travis Porter, and Diggy Simmons
Diggy Simmons
Daniel Dwayne Simmons III , better known by his stage name Diggy Simmons or simply as Diggy, is an American rapper and the fourth child of Joseph "Rev. Run" Simmons...
.
Khalifa appeared at the Soundset 2010 festival in May 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, alongside Method Man & Redman
Method Man & Redman
Method Man & Redman, also referred to as Red & Meth, Meth & Red, Doc & Meth or Mr. Mef and Funk Doc, are an American hip hop duo, consisting of rap superstars Method Man and Redman ....
, Del the Funky Homosapien and Hieroglyphics, Atmosphere
Atmosphere (music group)
Atmosphere is an American hip hop group from Minneapolis, Minnesota. The group is composed of rapper Slug and DJ/Producer Ant...
, Murs, Cage, and others. He also performed at the 2010 Rock the Bells
Rock the Bells
Rock the Bells is an annual hip hop festival that originally took place in Southern California only, but has since toured throughout the world. The concert features a lineup of high-profile alternative hip hop artists, often headlined by a more mainstream artist...
festival, along with hip hop veterans Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
The Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...
, Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Noelle Hill is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress.Early in her career, she established her reputation as a member of the Fugees. In 1998, she launched her solo career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album, The Miseducation of...
, A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest is an American hip hop group, formed in 1985, and is composed of rapper/producer Q-Tip , rapper Phife Dawg , and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A fourth member, rapper Jarobi White, left the group after their first album but rejoined in 2006...
, Rakim
Rakim
William Michael Griffin Jr. , known by his stage names Rakim , Rakim Allah, R.A.K.I.M., and The Master, is an American rapper. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and most skilled emcees of all time. Eric B...
, KRS-One
KRS-One
Lawrence Krisna Parker , better known by his stage names KRS-One , and Teacha, is an American rapper...
, Jedi Mind Tricks
Jedi Mind Tricks
Jedi Mind Tricks is a hip hop duo with Vinnie Paz from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Jus Allah from Camden, New Jersey. The group was founded by two high school friends, rapper Vinnie Paz and former producer/DJ Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind...
and Slick Rick
Slick Rick
Richard Walters , better known by his stage name Slick Rick is a Grammy-nominated English-American rapper...
. Khalifa declined an invitation to tour with rapper Drake
Drake (entertainer)
Aubrey Drake Graham , who records under the mononym Drake, is a Canadian recording artist and actor. He originally became known for playing Jimmy Brooks on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation....
and launched his own "Waken Baken" tour, a 50-city national tour with rapper Yelawolf
Yelawolf
Michael Wayne Atha , better known by his stage name YelaWolf, is an American rapper. He is currently signed to Shady Records, Ghet-O-Vision Entertainment and Interscope Records...
. The tour, scheduled to last from September to November 2010, has, as of October, sold out every venue. On November 2010, during his "Waken Baken" tour at East Carolina University, Wiz Khalifa was arrested for possession and trafficking of marijuana. He was then released the next morning after a $300K bail, and resumed his tour. Khalifa performed in a cypher during the 2010 BET
Bet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
Hip-Hop Awards. He recited his verse from the song, "The Check Point", from his mixtape with Curren$y, How Fly.
2010–11: Mainstream success and Rolling Papers
Khalifa released "Black and YellowBlack and Yellow
"Black and Yellow" is a song by American rapper Wiz Khalifa from his debut studio album, Rolling Papers. It was released on September 14, 2010 as the lead single from the album. The song was written by Wiz Khalifa, and StarGate, and it was produced by StarGate. It was released as a CD single in...
", his first single for Rostrum/Atlantic, produced by Stargate
Stargate (production team)
This is a list of songs written and produced by the Norwegian production team Stargate.-Produced singles:-1999:5ive - Invincible*05. "Two Sides to Every Story"*06. "You Make Me a Better Man"Noora Noor - Curious*01. "Curious"...
, which has received radio airplay. The single was peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
; the title of the song refers to the colours of the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
. 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' 2010 album, 24 Hour Karate School
24 Hour Karate School
24 Hour Karate School is the debut album by hip hop record producer, Ski Beatz. Originally, the album was set for a March 30, 2010 but was pushed back due to sample clearance issues. The project was then given a September 7, 2010 release date, however, was not released until September 21...
. Khalifa's record label is Taylor Gang Records
Taylor Gang Records
Taylor Gang Records is an American record label, founded by rapper Wiz Khalifa. It specializes in Hip hop and pop.-Current acts:-Mixtapes:* Wiz Khalifa - Star Power * Wiz Khalifa - Flight School...
, named after his love of Chuck Taylor All-Stars
Chuck Taylor All-Stars
Chuck Taylor All Stars, or Converse All Stars, also referred to as "Chuck Taylors", "Converses", "All Stars", "Chucks" or "Cons", are canvas and rubber shoes produced by Converse. They were first produced in 1917 as the "All Star," Converse's attempt to capture the basketball shoe market...
shoes.
On March 29, 2011, Khalifa released his first studio album, Rolling Papers
Rolling Papers (album)
Rolling Papers is a studio album by American rapper Wiz Khalifa, released March 29, 2011, on Atlantic Records, and Rostrum Records. The album features collaborations with Too $hort, Curren$y, and Chevy Woods...
. The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, with first-week sales of 197,000 copies in the United States. Shortly afterward on March 31, 2011 Wiz Khalifa performed at Emory University
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor 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
BET Awards of 2011
The 2011 BET Awards took place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California on June 26, 2011. The awards recognized African-Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. Actor Kevin Hart hosted the event for the first time. ...
. Khalifa collaborated with British rapper Tinie Tempah
Tinie Tempah
Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu , better known by his stage name Tinie Tempah, is a British rapper. He made his first mixtape in 2007 with 28 songs, freestyles and remixes, the album features Mz Bratt, Chipmunk and G-Unit...
whom Tinie announced in an interview with Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
that his next single is to be called "Till I'm Gone
Till I'm Gone
"Till I'm Gone" is a song by English rapper Tinie Tempah, featuring vocals from American rapper Wiz Khalifa produced by Norwegian production team Stargate. In the US, the song was released as the second single from the US version of his debut album Disc-Overy, and was made available from May 17,...
" and would feature Wiz Khalifa and is to be produced by Stargate
Stargate (production team)
This is a list of songs written and produced by the Norwegian production team Stargate.-Produced singles:-1999:5ive - Invincible*05. "Two Sides to Every Story"*06. "You Make Me a Better Man"Noora Noor - Curious*01. "Curious"...
.
The single and the video song were released at the end of June 2011.
Personal life
Thomaz is currently in a relationship with Amber Rose, the former girlfriend of Thomaz's fellow hip-hop star Kanye WestKanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
. He is also personal friends with rapper Yelawolf
Yelawolf
Michael Wayne Atha , better known by his stage name YelaWolf, is an American rapper. He is currently signed to Shady Records, Ghet-O-Vision Entertainment and Interscope Records...
, and fellow Pittsburgh rapper, Mac Miller
Mac Miller
Malcolm McCormick , known by his stage name Mac Miller , is an American rapper from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Organization | Award | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | MTV European Music Awards | Best New | Wiz Khalifa | |
| Best Push | Wiz Khalifa | |||
| American Music Awards | Sprint's Best New Artist | Wiz Khalifa |
Discography
Studio albums- Show and ProveShow and Prove-References:*Ayad, Moustafa . "". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved on August 4, 2007.*Amen, Rob . "". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved on August 4, 2007.*last.fm album page ""-External links:*...
(2006) - Deal or No DealDeal or No Deal (album)-Charts:...
(2009) - Rolling PapersRolling Papers (album)Rolling Papers is a studio album by American rapper Wiz Khalifa, released March 29, 2011, on Atlantic Records, and Rostrum Records. The album features collaborations with Too $hort, Curren$y, and Chevy Woods...
(2011) - O.N.I.F.C. (2012)
External links
- Wiz Khalifa at MTV