Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987 in Minot, North Dakota), bett… Read Full Bio ↴Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987 in Minot, North Dakota), better known by his stage name Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, signed to Rostrum Records. According to the Black and Yellow Songfacts, his stage name is derived from khalifa, an Arabic word meaning "successor", and wisdom. His nickname growing up was "Wizard" which was shortened to Wiz when Khalifa was fifteen.

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.

How You Live
Wiz Khalifa Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Looking through my phone
Passed by your number
Yeah do you remember, yeah do you remember
Last December I lent you my sweater
Yeah do you have it?
On my way to work I can grab it
I’ll bring you something to eat
Any thing girl it's on me

It’s been a year since we broke it off
Been a year since we spoken
I just figured I hit you up, hit you up
Girl it’s worth a shot so I gotta say
It’s been a long time hello, how are you?
You’ve been on my mind hello how are you?
I'm sitting here thinking bout what
We used to do so tonight, tonight I
I'mma take a chance, hello how are you?
Can I fit in your plans hello how are you?
I'm sitting here thinking about what
We used to do so tonight, tonight I

Scrolling down my screen pass by yo picture
I saw someone withcha
I hope he ain’t withcha
And girl you’re looking fine
Oh oh, oh my, better than I left ya
So girl let’s pick it up, pick it up
Where we left over a small bite to eat
Anything girl it's on me, yeah

It’s been a year since we broke it off
Been a year since we spoken
I just figured I hit you up, hit you up uh
Girl it’s worth a shot so I gotta say
It’s been a long time hello, how are you?
You’ve been on my mind hello how are you?
I'm sitting here thinking bout what
We used to do so tonight, tonight I
I'mma take a chance, hello how are you?
Can I fit in your plans hello how are you?
I'm sitting here thinking about what
We used to do so tonight, tonight I

Been a while since I seen you
So I’m thinking bout picking you up
Taking you out, riding you round
Letting the top down letting you hang out
Both arms out
Flying for real say you love how it feel
I got my hands on the wheel
We can go to Vegas
Don’t care what no one’s saying
We don’t even gotta stay
Just came here to get turnt up and play this
Or, we could just get stoned
Buy red cups and take shots at home
To me we just too grown
To get messed up and spend nights alone
I like to party, you like to party
I got the paps who got the Molly
I got the dranks you at the bar
I’m acting straight
You back and forth, you acting hard (to get)
It’s been a long time hello, how are you?
You’ve been on my mind hello how are you?
I'm sitting here thinking bout what
We used to do so tonight, tonight I
I'mma take a chance, hello how are you?
Can I fit in your plans hello how are you?

I'm sitting here thinking about what
We used to do so tonight, tonight I

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Wiz Khalifa's song "How You Live" revolve around reconnecting with an old flame. The singer is reminiscing about their past relationship, referencing specific moments such as lending her his sweater last December. He confesses that it has been a year since they broke up and they haven't spoken since then. However, he decides to reach out and see if there is a chance for them to reconnect. The lyrics express a mix of nostalgia, curiosity, and hopefulness, as the singer contemplates taking a chance on reigniting their love.

Throughout the song, Wiz Khalifa expresses his desire to reconnect and catch up with the girl he used to be involved with. He scrolls through his phone, passing by her number, and wonders if she remembers the moments they shared. He also notices a picture of her with someone else and hopes that the person isn't her new significant other. Despite the uncertainty, he believes she looks better than he left her and suggests picking up where they left off over a casual meal. The lyrics convey his yearning to find out if there is still a connection and if they can recreate what they had.

The chorus repeats the message of reaching out and taking a chance to reconnect. The singer acknowledges the time that has passed and how she has been on his mind. He wants to engage in conversation and fit into her plans, reflecting his hope to rekindle the romance they once had.

Overall, the song portrays a mix of longing, curiosity, and determination as Wiz Khalifa contemplates reaching out to his past love interest and taking a chance on restarting their relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

Looking through my phone
I'm scrolling through my phone's contacts

Passed by your number
I saw your phone number while scrolling

Yeah do you remember, yeah do you remember
Do you recall, do you recall

Last December I lent you my sweater
Last December, I loaned you my sweater

Yeah do you have it?
Do you still possess it?

On my way to work I can grab it
I can pick it up while I'm heading to work

I’ll bring you something to eat
I'll bring you food

Any thing girl it's on me
I'll pay for whatever you want

It’s been a year since we broke it off
A year has passed since we ended our relationship

Been a year since we spoken
It's been a year since we last talked

I just figured I hit you up, hit you up
I decided to contact you

Girl it’s worth a shot so I gotta say
It's worth a try, so I must mention

It’s been a long time hello, how are you?
It's been a while, how have you been?

You’ve been on my mind hello how are you?
I've been thinking about you, hello how are you?

I'm sitting here thinking bout what
I'm reflecting on

We used to do so tonight, tonight I
What we used to do, so tonight, tonight I

I'mma take a chance, hello how are you?
I'm going to take a risk, hello how are you?

Can I fit in your plans hello how are you?
Can I be a part of your plans, hello how are you?

I'm sitting here thinking about what
I'm contemplating on

We used to do so tonight, tonight I
What we used to do, so tonight, tonight I

Scrolling down my screen pass by yo picture
While scrolling down, I saw your picture

I saw someone withcha
I noticed someone with you

I hope he ain’t withcha
I hope he is not with you

And girl you’re looking fine
And girl, you look great

Oh oh, oh my, better than I left ya
Wow, you look better than when we were together

So girl let’s pick it up, pick it up
Let's continue where we left off

Where we left over a small bite to eat
From where we stopped, let's grab a bite to eat

Anything girl it's on me, yeah
Whatever you want, I'll pay for it, yeah

Been a while since I seen you
It's been a long time since I saw you

So I’m thinking bout picking you up
So I'm considering picking you up

Taking you out, riding you round
Taking you out, driving you around

Letting the top down letting you hang out
Opening the top down and letting you enjoy

Both arms out
Both arms extended

Flying for real say you love how it feels
Being truly free and expressing love for the experience

I got my hands on the wheel
I have my hands on the steering wheel

We can go to Vegas
We can go to Las Vegas

Don’t care what no one’s saying
I don't care about other people's opinions

We don’t even gotta stay
We don't even have to stay there

Just came here to get turnt up and play this
We just came here to party and listen to this song

Or, we could just get stoned
Alternatively, we could get high

Buy red cups and take shots at home
Purchase red cups and take shots at home

To me we just too grown
In my opinion, we're too mature

To get messed up and spend nights alone
To get intoxicated and spend nights by ourselves

I like to party, you like to party
I enjoy partying, and you do too

I got the paps who got the Molly
I have connections for ecstasy (Molly)

I got the dranks you at the bar
I have the drinks, and you're at the bar

I’m acting straight
I'm remaining composed

You back and forth, you acting hard (to get)
You're indecisive, you're playing hard to get

It’s been a long time hello, how are you?
It's been a while, how have you been?

You’ve been on my mind hello how are you?
I've been thinking about you, hello how are you?

I'm sitting here thinking bout what
I'm contemplating on

We used to do so tonight, tonight I
What we used to do, so tonight, tonight I

I'mma take a chance, hello how are you?
I'm going to take a risk, hello how are you?

Can I fit in your plans hello how are you?
Can I be a part of your plans, hello how are you?

I'm sitting here thinking about what
I'm contemplating on

We used to do so tonight, tonight I
What we used to do, so tonight, tonight I

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KHRISTOPHER VAN RIDDICK TYNES, ANTONIO LAMAR DIXON, KENNY BABYFACE EDMONDS, LEON G. THOMAS III, CAMERON JIBRIL THOMAZ, KENNETH B. EDMONDS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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