In 2005 he released his first official mixtape, Prince of the City: Welcome to Pistolvania, and later in 2006 he released his first full length street album entitled Show and Prove. Since then he has released a further six mixtapes and a collaboration mixtape titled How Fly with friend Curren$y. He released his debut album, Deal or No Deal, in November of 2009, it reached #1 on the iTunes hip hop chart, and then reached the top ten on iTunes' overall album chart the week it was released. Previously signed to Warner Bros. Records, he left the label 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".He is also the founder of the rap crew Taylor Gang, which includes friends Kev Tha Hustler, Ekko, Smallz Money and Gene Stovall. They derived the name from the fact they always used to wear Chuck Taylor shoes.
Khalifa was born on September 8, 1987 in Minot, North Dakota to a mother and a father serving in the military. The family moved to Pittsburgh when Khalifa was the age of two. His parents' military service caused the family to move on a regular basis.
Over the next thirteen years, he would move between Pittsburgh and South Carolina, Georgia, Oklahoma, Germany, Japan, and England as his parents were reassigned to different posts. In October of 1990 Wiz was separated from his mother,who left him in the hands of her sister while she served in Operation Desert Storm.
During his travels, Wiz was forced to mature quicker than his peers. He was constantly faced with new surroundings, new schools, and new sets of friends, and he found it difficult to become attached to anyone outside his family roots. This nomadic life gave Wiz an opportunity, though, to broaden his mind and offered him many experiences from which to draw inspiration. He began to perceive the world differently than most kids, and he would write his thoughts down every day.These thoughts would become the foundation for his future recordings.
By the age of 14, with a few songs under his belt, Wiz was already drawing comparisons with his commanding voice and witty wordplay. While he has been influenced by artists such as Jay-Z, Camron, and the Notorious B.I.G., Wiz was determined to create his own identity that would, one day, be loved and revered by fans.
Ready to take the next step, Wiz began his search for a recording studio to record new songs. He found one, ID LABS, where owner Eric Dan immediately recognized Wiz's talents. Along with Chad Glick of ID Management, they began to network Wiz to another Pittsburgh native, Benjy Grinberg of Rostrum Records. Benjy realized the raw talent that Wiz possessed, and immediately brought him into the Rostrum family in 2002.
Soon after, Wiz Khalifa began his ascent into the music scene in the Pittsburgh area. He has been hailed by the award winning Pittsburgh Post-Gazette pop music critic, Ed Masley, as having โthe skills, the looks, the confidence, the drive, and the charisma for the job.โ The New Pittsburgh Courier says, โThe combination of a young, charismatic M.C. with a slew of stop-and-rewind rhymes together with a local independent label with major industry connections has set the stage for a hip-hop artist representing Pittsburgh to reach superstar status for the first time ever.
In 2010, with the success of Kush and Orange Juice still present, Wiz Khalifa signed with Atlantic Records. Wiz's style along with his production team, Johnny Juliano, Sledgren, and E. Dan make this a winning combination for success.
He is also well known for his debut single for Atlantic, "Black and Yellow", which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. His debut album for the label, Rolling Papers, was released on March 29, 2011. He followed that album with O.N.I.F.C. (abbreviated for mainstream markets from "Only Nigga In First Class") on December 4, 2012 which was backed by the singles "Work Hard, Play Hard" and "Remember You". O.N.I.F.C. debuted at number two with 131,000 in first week sales.
Pittsburgh City Council declared 12-12-12 (December 12, 2012) to be Wiz Khalifa Day in the city. Khalifa graduated from Pittsburgh's Taylor Allderdice High School and in January 2012, purchased a home in nearby Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.
In April 2013, Khalifa revealed that after having his son he decided to work on a new album that he was planning to release in 2013. On April 17, 2013, Wiz Khalifa and Curren$y announced that they will drop their collaboration EP Live in Concert on April 20, 2013. The EP featured seven new songs. On June 24, 2013, he announced that his fifth studio album would be titled Blacc Hollywood and would be released in 2013. On September 3, 2013, Khalifa revealed he had recorded songs with Miley Cyrus, Adele and Juicy J for Blacc Hollywood. In October 2013, Mannie Fresh confirmed that he provided production for the album. On February 11, 2014, Khalifa released Blacc Hollywood's first single titled "We Dem Boyz". The album was then supported by the singles "KK", "You and Your Friends", "Stayin Out All Night", "Promises" and "So High".
Khalifa released an EP with TY Dolla $ign on March 31, 2015, entitled "Talk About It In the Morning". That same month, Wiz released the lead single for the film "Furious 7" called "See You Again" as a tribute to Paul Walker. The single has since gone on to global success. "See You Again" spent 12 non-consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, tying for the longest-running rap number-one hit in the US.
On January 23, 2015, Khalifa was featured on a remix release of the Fall Out Boy song "Uma Thurman". On May 18, they performed the song together on the 2015 Billboard Music Awards show. In the summer of 2015, he began touring the United States with Fall Out Boy and Hoodie Allen in a tour titled "The Boys of Zummer Tour". The tour featured performances of "Uma Thurman" by Fall Out Boy and Khalifa. Later that year, on December 15, 2015, Wiz released the mixtape "Cabin Fever 3". During the Golden Globes on January 10, 2016, Wiz announced that his next album, titled Khalifa, would be released on the 22nd of that month. However, the album was released on February 5, 2016. On May 24, 2016, he released "Pull Up", a standalone single in promotion of his sixth album, Rolling Papers 2, which was released on July 13, 2018.
On April 20, 2020, Khalifa released, The Saga of Wiz Khalifa. The album included collaborations with Tyga, Logic, Mustard and Ty Dolla $ign. In May 2020, Khalifa featured on the song "Drums Drums Drums" with Travis Barker.
In 2021, Khalifa competed in season five of The Masked Singer as "Chameleon". He finished in third place.
Amber Ice
Wiz Khalifa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gettin' paid's just a regular thing to us
Cause if it ain't gettin' money, it's strange to us
And if you don't wanna smoke, you ain't gotta pay
Rolling up by myself trying to find a way
Floating away, floating away
Floating away, floating away
I, swear I got so high, last night I don't remember going to sleep
But I do know that these louis's go in my feet
And the critics they found how these lyrics do go over beats
Twenty-k shopping when dude go overseas
Smoking weed in the most expensive suite
Even though we ain't supposed to be living anywhere close to these people
How they gon' hate on me, I got more bread than most of these people
Don't wish that on my enemies, I pour a toast for 'em
And keep positive energy and have a smoke for 'em
Bombay and high-grade liquor for my niggas
Never seen a ghost in person, now she riding in one
Never seen a ghost in person, cost me five figures
That's like fifty g's a person if you ridin' with us
To the sky's limits
Roll some weed, and get high with winners
My niggas eating when it's time for dinner
[Hook:]
Gettin' paid's just a regular thing to us
Cause if it ain't gettin' money, it's strange to us
And if you don't wanna smoke, you ain't gotta pay
Rolling up by myself trying to find a way
Floating away, floating away
Floating away, floating away
The lyrics to Wiz Khalifaโs song Amber Ice address a common theme in rap music: getting money and smoking weed. In the hook, he comments on how getting paid is normal for him and his crew, and not doing so is odd. He then speaks on how he rolls up by himself, trying to find a way to keep floating. The verse describes his high state the night before, wearing Louis Vuitton shoes, and critics recognizing his lyrical talent over beats. He spent around $20,000 on shopping overseas and is smoking weed in the most expensive hotel room. Even though they do not belong to the same social class, he is still hated on by others. Wiz Khalifa acknowledges this by not wishing anything negative on his enemies but instead toasting to their health and smoking for them. He then comments on living life to the fullest, sharing Bombay and high-grade liquor with his friends, and even owning a Rolls Royce Ghost. The verse concludes with him rolling up weed, hoping to get high with winners and feeding his crew for dinner.
Line by Line Meaning
Gettin' paid's just a regular thing to us
Making money is a common occurrence for us.
Cause if it ain't gettin' money, it's strange to us
If we're not earning money, it feels odd and unfamiliar to us.
And if you don't wanna smoke, you ain't gotta pay
If you don't want to partake in smoking, it's okay, you don't need to pay.
Rolling up by myself trying to find a way
I'm trying to figure out my path on my own.
Floating away, floating away
Getting lost in my thoughts and enjoying the feeling.
I swear I got so high, last night I don't remember going to sleep
I was incredibly intoxicated last night and have no memory of falling asleep.
But I do know that these louis's go in my feet
I'm wearing expensive Louis Vuitton shoes.
And the critics they found how these lyrics do go over beats
Critics have analyzed how my lyrics match with the beats used in my music.
Twenty-k shopping when dude go overseas
I spent $20,000 while shopping in a different country.
Smoking weed in the most expensive suite
I'm getting high while in a luxurious hotel suite.
Even though we ain't supposed to be living anywhere close to these people
Despite not being expected to live in the same neighborhoods as wealthy people, we do.
How they gon' hate on me, I got more bread than most of these people
People are mistreating me, but I have more money than most of them.
Don't wish that on my enemies, I pour a toast for 'em
I don't wish ill will on my enemies; I'll even celebrate them.
And keep positive energy and have a smoke for 'em
I'm maintaining a positive attitude and smoking in honor of my enemies.
Bombay and high-grade liquor for my niggas
I'm providing my close friends with Bombay Sapphire gin and other high-quality alcohol.
Never seen a ghost in person, now she riding in one
Someone I know who never rode in a fancy car before is now in a Rolls Royce.
Never seen a ghost in person, cost me five figures
The Rolls Royce I mentioned previously cost me more than $50,000.
That's like fifty g's a person if you ridin' with us
If you're accompanying us in our Rolls Royce, it's the equivalent of spending at least $50,000.
To the sky's limits
We're capable of achieving anything.
Roll some weed, and get high with winners
Smoke some marijuana and relax with successful individuals.
My niggas eating when it's time for dinner
My close friends are successful and thriving.
Gettin' paid's just a regular thing to us
Making money is a common occurrence for us.
Cause if it ain't gettin' money, it's strange to us
If we're not earning money, it feels odd and unfamiliar to us.
And if you don't wanna smoke, you ain't gotta pay
If you don't want to partake in smoking, it's okay, you don't need to pay.
Rolling up by myself trying to find a way
I'm trying to figure out my path on my own.
Floating away, floating away
Getting lost in my thoughts and enjoying the feeling.
Contributed by Kennedy J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Indigo Uchiha
This is one of the greatest mixtapes of all time ๐ฏ I'm proud to be a wiz fan for a decade plus now! Thank you for FINALLY putting this on streaming platforms ๐
Thisisa.mezing
Not one lie said. Love coming back to this mixtape whenever I start blazing again
elonbust
I remember bumping this front to back smoking and drinking playing ufc
Arman Abroad
Same so proud
xxxBigBoiDraco
Letโs go baby!!! Used to go thru this album once a week back in high schoolโฆafter school when I first started smoking. So many 420โs spent listening to wiz
Cannaman816 Kcmo
Itโs so dope to be a part of this as a fan ! Ten + years. This album is one of the best !
StoneColdScriber
Legendary mixtape. Will always be my favorite
T Wall
Had to play this every single morning during high school just wasnโt any other way to start the day man the memories!
Danneil Robinson
You know how long I wanted this to happen??? Now things are official๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ
Thiago Ventura
I love so much this song that I don't have enough words to describe how good it is. Classic mix, thanks Wiz!