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.
Incense
Wiz Khalifa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No, nooo, noo, no, no, nooo
Ooohh, noo, no
Once we smoke, we gotta use them incense, babe
Do my stroke, for real
I'mma do it slow, like a puff-puff pass
Right...
And when we smoke
Oh, we gotta use them incense babe
When I stroke, I'mma go slow when I'm in it
So long, we be burning out them candles girl
Oh, no, no, nooo
When I'm out with my niggas, when you're out with your bitches
...You don't text or call!
You the late night type, you would spend a little, too
Ride with me, spend time with me
Unwind with me, so I could read
And be on top of me
In front of me
Having fun with me
Girl, for none of me
And when we smoke, we gotta use some incense, babe
And when I stroke, you gonna remember my name when I'm in it
Go longer than them candles burn
You want it all? You get it all
Where my down-South girls? Where my Eastcoast girls?
Where my Westcoast girls? Where my Chi-town girls?
My Toronto girl
Oh, I know you with it
Out of France, they say that I'm the man
And when we smoke, we gotta use them incense babe
When I stroke, I'mma go slow when I'm in it
So long, we be burning out them candles girl
Oh, no, no, nooo
When we smoke, we gotta use them incense, baby
When I stroke, you gone remember my name
I'ma go low, do it til them candles burn
Uhh, ooohh, uhhh
The song "Incense" by Wiz Khalifa is an ode to the smoking culture that the rapper is known for. The lyrics are suggestive and mostly about sex, as seen through lines such as "Do my stroke, for real," and "you gonna remember my name when I'm in it." However, the song also has a more subtle message about the importance of self-care and relaxation, which is emphasized through the repeated mentions of burning incense and candles. Khalifa's use of incense as a metaphor for smoking and sensuality shows that he sees cannabis not just as a drug, but as a way to enhance physical and emotional experiences.
The chorus of "Incense" centers around the use of incense to set the mood for a romantic encounter. Khalifa insists that "when we smoke, we gotta use them incense" to make sure everything is just right. The use of incense is not just about masking the smell of the smoke, but also about creating an ambiance that encourages relaxation and sensuality. This idea is further emphasized in the second verse, where Khalifa invites his partner to "unwind with me" and spend time together, without distractions from the outside world. The use of incense, candles, and cannabis become a part of this ritual, symbolizing the importance of taking care of oneself and one's relationships.
Overall, the lyrics of "Incense" present a complex picture of smoking culture and its role in enhancing physical and emotional experiences. While the song is mostly about sex, it also underscores the importance of self-care and the need to find ways to relax and connect with oneself and others.
Line by Line Meaning
Once we smoke, we gotta use them incense, babe
We need to light incense after smoking
Do my stroke, for real
I'll perform sincerely
I'mma do it slow, like a puff-puff pass
I'll take it slow like a puff-puff pass
And when we smoke, Oh, we gotta use them incense babe
We need to light incense when smoking
When I stroke, I'mma go slow when I'm in it
I'll go slow while performing
So long, we be burning out them candles girl
We'll burn candles for a long time
When I'm out with my niggas, when you're out with your bitches
When we're hanging out with our friends
...You don't text or call!
You don't text or call me!
You the late night type, you would spend a little, too
You like to stay out late and spend some money as well
Ride with me, spend time with me
Come with me, spend time with me
Unwind with me, so I could read
Relax with me, so I can have some me-time to read
And be on top of me
Be intimate with me
In front of me
Also, be intimate with me in front of me
Having fun with me
Have fun with me
Girl, for none of me
I won't force you to do anything
You want it all? You get it all
If you want it all, you can have it all
Where my down-South girls? Where my Eastcoast girls?
Calling out to girls from different regions
Where my Westcoast girls? Where my Chi-town girls?
Calling out to girls from the West Coast and Chicago
My Toronto girl
Also, calling out to girls from Toronto
Oh, I know you with it
I know you're into it
Out of France, they say that I'm the man
Even in France, people recognize me as the man
When we smoke, we gotta use them incense, baby
We need to light incense when smoking
When I stroke, you gone remember my name
You'll remember my name when I'm performing
I'ma go low, do it til them candles burn
I'll go slow and keep performing until the candles burn out
Contributed by William B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jordan Gates
2022 still on this! Timeless, that’s the world for this song🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
TRAPSTAR
One of my fav song ever ever.
Jacob Quinlan
2023 maybe ill be back next year to comment again lmaoo
Mádçám
❤❤
GRIM KIDD
a true artist can step out of his genre and make a master piece wiz is a true artist
Evince420
This isn't rap. This is art.
Ignacio JR Arceo
I will Forever Love this Song Forever. Soo damn much memories to this
till this day they ain't never fading away
Marek Žabenský
If this song was released today, it would have a giant hype! Nice work Wiz.
Matt Johnson
This entire album was the soundtrack to my summer 2014. Saw Wiz at Tinley Park that August with a best friend and my girlfriend. Nostalgic memories of him performing this song. Top 10 memory. Thank you Wiz!!
Sista!
No matter what state of mind I am in, this is my go to. 💜 Thank you Wiz!