Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by the
stage nameA 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-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. RecordsWarner 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
eurodanceEurodance 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" 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 TracksRap 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-Charts:...
, in November 2009. He released the mixtape
Kush and Orange JuiceKush & 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 RecordsAtlantic 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" 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 100The 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 PapersRolling 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 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 DakotaNorth 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
militaryThe 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
GermanyGermany , 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...
,
EnglandEngland 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
JapanJapan 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 SchoolTaylor 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
khalifaThe 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
ArabicArabic 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
wisdomWisdom 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.comSpinner 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 LoCamp 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.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-HarmonyBone 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 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
mixtapeA 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-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. RecordsWarner 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 RecordsRostrum 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 LanternJames 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" 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 TracksRap 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
samplesIn 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 DeejayAlice 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 upA 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 TalkGregg 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 AnimalsFeed 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'sUnderworld 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" 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'sUsher 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" 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 CureThe 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" is a song by the English new wave/rock band The Cure....
". Khalifa appeared with
The GameJayceon 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 BannerLavell 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-SkillzPlay-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'sKUUU, 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 AmphitheatreThe 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 CityWest 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. RecordsWarner 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-GazetteThe 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 LemonModey 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...
,
DonoraDonora 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 BuffetGrand 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 CaballeroDon 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 ClanThe 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-GodLamont 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 MarathonCMJ 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" 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" 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" 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 SunEmpire 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" 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 LoCamp 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" 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
DrakeAubrey 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-Charts:...
, on November 24, 2009.
Khalifa performed at
Emo'sEmo'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
AustinAustin 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 SouthwestSouth 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
XXLXXL 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
DonnisLadonnis 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,
PillTyrone 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 GibbsFredrick 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
FashawnSantiago 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
YelawolfMichael 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 JuiceKush & 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 topicA 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
GoogleGoogle 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 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 RecordsAtlantic 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
AllHipHopAllHipHop.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 RossWilliam 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" 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
WaleWale 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 MinajOnika Tanya Maraj , better known by her stage name Nicki Minaj; ), is a Trinidadian-born American recording artist...
, J. Cole, Travis Porter, and
Diggy SimmonsDaniel 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 & RedmanMethod 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,
AtmosphereAtmosphere 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 BellsRock 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 ClanThe 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 DoggCalvin 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 HillLauryn 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 QuestA 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...
,
RakimWilliam 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-OneLawrence Krisna Parker , better known by his stage names KRS-One , and Teacha, is an American rapper...
,
Jedi Mind TricksJedi 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 RickRichard Walters , better known by his stage name Slick Rick is a Grammy-nominated English-American rapper...
. Khalifa declined an invitation to tour with rapper
DrakeAubrey 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
YelawolfMichael 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 $300K bail, and resumed his tour. Khalifa performed in a cypher during the 2010
BETBet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
Hip-Hop Awards. He recited his verse from the song, "The Check Point", from his mixtape with Curren$y,
How Fly.
2010–11: Mainstream success and Rolling Papers
Khalifa released "
Black and 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
StargateThis 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 100The 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 SteelersThe 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 School24 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 RecordsTaylor 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-StarsChuck 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 PapersRolling 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 200The 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 UniversityEmory 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 2011The 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 TempahPatrick 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 StoneRolling 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" 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
StargateThis 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 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
YelawolfMichael 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 MillerMalcolm 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 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 Deal
-Charts:...
(2009)
- Rolling Papers
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