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 “the skills, the looks, the confidence, the drive, and the charisma for the job.” The New Pittsburgh Courier says, “The 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.
Gettin' Up
Wiz Khalifa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mr. look the fuck up
All that
Hahaha
Feeling real good about life
Got a drink poured
Blunt lit
Let's go
Hoes like who he
On the paper chase, dont waste my loose leaf
A nigga paying bills, lightin L's on the beach
But I still move with the goons on a loose leesh.
Some call it weird, hoes call it unique
Swag like I just stepped out a boutique
And I spit like I got a mouth full of loose teeth
Closet full of new sneaks that I probably never wear
Im in that president suite, bad bitch
And if them niggas aint me, average
I treat a beat like a canvas
Bar bras on the song paint it perfect
Ever run out of weed, I throw a purp fit
I keep the army at ease cause yall aint worth it
Been considered hipster, cause my shirts fit
The way your bitch hit my chirp, make a hip hurt
Young nigga riding that wave, picturing me surfin'
In Wiz Khalifa's song "Gettin' Up", he raps about being on top of the world and having a great time. The opening lines set the tone for the entire song, as Wiz proclaims that he feels "real good about life" and is ready to party. The first verse is all about his status and appearance, as he brags about wearing expensive clothes and having a unique sense of style. He also touches on his love for weed, stating that he likes to smoke on the beach and hang out with his "goons" who keep him safe.
The chorus of the song is brief but catchy, as Wiz simply repeats the phrase "Gettin' up" over and over. This can be interpreted as a reference to getting high, or it could refer to his success in the music industry.
The second verse is all about Wiz's musical abilities, as he boasts about his "swag" and the fact that he can rap effortlessly. He also adds in a few humorous lines, stating that he has a closet full of shoes that he probably won't ever wear. He mentions being in a luxury hotel room with a beautiful woman, and notes that anyone who isn't him is "average".
The final lines of the song refer to Wiz's rising fame and influence, as he states that he's "riding that wave" and pictures himself surfing on it. Overall, the lyrics of "Gettin' Up" are all about Wiz Khalifa's confidence and success, both in his personal life and in the music industry.
Line by Line Meaning
It's young khalifa
Introducing himself as Wiz Khalifa
Mr. look the fuck up
Asserting his coolness and commanding attention
All that
Acknowledging his success and accomplishments
Hahaha
Laughing at his own good fortune and sense of humor
Feeling real good about life
Expressing his positive outlook on life
Got a drink poured
Suggesting his relaxed and carefree attitude
Blunt lit
Indicating he is smoking marijuana
Let's go
Expressing his readiness to take action
Excuse me, my jeans levi, my shoes is gucci
Mentioning his fashion choices
Hoes like who he
Claiming his attractiveness to women
On the paper chase, dont waste my loose leaf
Focusing on making money and not wasting time
A nigga paying bills, lightin L's on the beach
Describing his lifestyle of paying bills and relaxing at the beach while smoking marijuana
But I still move with the goons on a loose leesh.
Implying that he still associates with dangerous people
Some call it weird, hoes call it unique
Describing his perceived strangeness as unique and desirable
Swag like I just stepped out a boutique
Describing his confidence and fashionable appearance
And I spit like I got a mouth full of loose teeth
Comparing his flow to having a mouth full of loose teeth
Closet full of new sneaks that I probably never wear
Boasting about his collection of sneakers
Im in that president suite, bad bitch
Implying his luxurious lifestyle and attractive companion
And if them niggas aint me, average
Suggesting that he is above average and unique among his peers
I treat a beat like a canvas
Comparing a musical beat to a painting canvas
Bar bras on the song paint it perfect
Describing how he improves and perfects a song by working on the lyrics
Ever run out of weed, I throw a purp fit
Joking about his reaction to running out of marijuana by throwing a tantrum
I keep the army at ease cause yall aint worth it
Confidently stating that he is unbothered by his haters or critics
Been considered hipster, cause my shirts fit
Acknowledging that he is sometimes considered a hipster because of his fashion choices
The way your bitch hit my chirp, make a hip hurt
Boasting about his attractiveness to women and the jealousy it causes among other men
Young nigga riding that wave, picturing me surfin'
Closing the song by emphasizing his youth and the momentum of his career, picturing himself riding a wave
Contributed by Ellie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
techn1que
One of the smoothest verses wiz ever spit. Miss this style so fucking much man. Brings me back to the happiest years of my life
David Thurman
Bro the happiest
SPØØKÝ
For real bro, wiz was so fire back then. I was thinkin of my top 5 Wiz songs yesterday, and I put this at #2 right behind "Who I Am". Man, I miss these days.
ShooterBtv
Great era
u cookin?
his run 07-12 was strong
Shawn Simon
Straight facts
chip banner
The best music era to me
B- Woodz
When you gettin up in the morn' listen to gettin up it'll effect you drastically
Sean Dafny
O yea
Nate Tuohy
Fax