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Multiplatinum-selling, Grammy- and Golden Globe-nominated American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor, Wiz Khalifa, has long mastered the art of reinvention. With more than a dozen gold and platinum plaques to his name and a genre-defining discography that includes crowd-pleasing mixtapes and hits like See You Again, Young, Wild & Free, We Dem Boyz, and the chart-topping anthem that became a cultural phenomenon, Black and Yellow, Wiz Khalifa remains an enduring and innovative figure in hip hop. He has also built a multidimensional career that extends far beyond the studio.
A proud cannabis connoisseur and advocate, Wiz Khalifa has rolled his lifestyle into business ventures with high-impact results. His signature hybrid strain, Khalifa Kush, is available in dispensaries across the United States and has become a go-to for fans of premium cannabis. He also launched the mobile game Wiz Khalifa’s Weed Farm, which has racked up over 10 million downloads and partnered with Sovereign Brands to create McQueen and the Violet Fog, an award-winning gin. Alongside his business pursuits, Wiz Khalifa voiced characters in FOX’s animated comedy Duncanville. In 2014, Wiz Khalifa made his mark on Jamaican soil, performing on the Reggae Sumfest stage. His high-energy, cloud-filled set captivated the audience and remains one of the festival’s standout international appearances of that year.
Born Cameron Jibril Thomaz in Minot, North Dakota, to military parents, he spent his childhood moving around due to his parents’ service, living in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Japan before eventually settling in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. While still in his teens, Wiz Khalifa started recording music, gaining local recognition in Pittsburgh, and made a big career move when he signed with Rostrum Records and released his début album, Show and Prove, in 2006. His bio states that he had a brief joint venture with Warner Bros Records before releasing his second album, Deal or No Deal, independently.
His stage name, Wiz Khalifa, is a combination of ‘wisdom’ (shortened to ‘Wiz’) and the Arabic word ‘Khalifa’, meaning ‘successor’.
Now, fresh off the release of Kush & Orange Juice 2 and a groundbreaking début at the Stagecoach Music Festival, the Pittsburgh native just wrapped the Good Vibes Only Tour, alongside Sean Paul and DaBaby, with the Part #2 leg now underway. Amid the tour stops and “aura farming” with Sean Paul, Wiz Khalifa took a moment to chat with The Sunday Gleaner, touching on Jamaican culture, staying grounded, and why his go-to comfort food is straight from the island.
1. The tour is called ‘Good Vibes Only’, which sounds very Jamaican. What inspired the name, and how important was it to have it also connect with the Jamaican culture?
The inspiration behind Good Vibes Only is really a combination of me, Sean Paul, and Da Baby. It really describes what we bring to the tour, what the fans are going to feel, and what our music does to people in general. It sounded good, felt good, and so we went with it.
2. You’ve always had a laid-back, feel-good energy to your music. How does the Good Vibes Only Tour with Sean Paul reflect where you are creatively right now?
The Good Vibes Only Tour with Sean Paul reflects where I’m at musically, for sure. Because I have my band with me, I’m able to dive into my hits and also do some new music that I just recently released. And Sean Paul is doing new music that he recently released, and he has even more classics. So just us being able to get into our bag and have our live bands to perform for everybody… is a cool experience for us, but it is new for lots of other people, and that’s what makes ‘Good Vibes’ stand out.
3. You’ve collaborated with a few Jamaican acts and also performed in Jamaica on the Reggae Sumfest stage in 2014. What’s your impression of your Jamaican audience or fans?
My impression of the Jamaican audience and fans is [that] they have tonnes of energy. Jamaicans love music, and they love to have a good time, and that’s what I am about as well. It’s always good vibes with them.
4. You’ve evolved from mixtapes and mainstream hits to becoming a full-on lifestyle brand. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt about staying true to yourself in the industry?
The biggest lesson I learned about staying true to myself is doing things that make me happy and helping everybody to enjoy themselves with the stuff that makes me happy.
5. What keeps you grounded?
What keeps me grounded is my family, my routine, and my [all-around] love for music. I love and enjoy music. I listen to music all the time, so it is a blessing to be able to create it and have people enjoy what I make and do.
6. When you’re on the road for a tour, what’s your go-to comfort food? And have you ever tried any Jamaican dishes like oxtail, jerk chicken, or ackee and saltfish, or is there one you’ve been meaning to try?
Well, my go-to comfort food is Jamaican food, so all of those listed! Anybody who knows me knows that about me.
English (US) ·