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.
Smoke Chambers
Wiz Khalifa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Always feeling like I was stuck out here on my own
Now my pockets is full and I'm still riding slow
What goes on in my head, don't nobody really know
I'm in the light, all on my life get put on display
Nothing to call my own, ducking, dodging everyday
Put that camera phone away and keep it real with me
Time to time again I'm searching for reality and feeling so alone
Alone again
Alone again
Alone again
Alone
I'm smoking that weed everyday but never hide my faith
They calling my phone, I don't even got the time a day
Don't know their motives anymore that's why I hesitate
I'm tired of partying, getting drunk, I'm trying to elevate
I remember back in the day, I ain't had no cash
I was coming up off of nothing hoping it would last
Now it's 2015 and I got it all
Feeling like I did, when I started on my own
Out here all alone
Alone again
Alone again
Alone again
Alone
No use looking out
It's within that brings that lonely feeling
Understand that when you leave here
You'll be clear among the better men
In Wiz Khalifa's "Smoke Chambers," he talks about how he used to feel alone when he was younger, but now that he's successful, he still feels the same way. He talks about how he always used to drive alone, feeling like he was stuck without anyone to rely on. Now, even though his pockets are full, he still rides slow, and nobody knows what's going on in his head. He's constantly in the light, and his life is always on display. He feels like he has nothing to call his own, and he's always ducking and dodging to avoid the cameras.
But Wiz knows that he needs to keep it real, and he's always searching for reality. He's smoking weed every day, but he never hides his faith. Even though people are calling his phone, he doesn't have time for them because he doesn't know what their motives are anymore. He's tired of partying and getting drunk—he's trying to elevate. Wiz remembers back when he didn't have any cash, and he was coming up with nothing. But now, it's 2015, and he has everything he ever wanted. But even with all his success, he still feels alone, like he's out here all alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Back when I was a kid I used to drive alone
As a young adult, I felt isolated and alone, often driving alone with no one else around.
Always feeling like I was stuck out here on my own
I constantly had feelings of loneliness and isolation, no matter what my situation or surroundings were.
Now my pockets is full and I'm still riding slow
Despite my newfound wealth, I still live my life at a relaxed pace.
What goes on in my head, don't nobody really know
I have deep thoughts and emotions that I often keep to myself, and nobody really knows what's going on inside my head.
I'm in the light, all on my life get put on display
As a celebrity, everything I do is scrutinized and judged by the media and public eye.
Nothing to call my own, ducking, dodging everyday
I feel like I have nothing that truly belongs to me or can be kept private, and I have to protect myself from invasive or dangerous situations on a daily basis.
Put that camera phone away and keep it real with me
I want people to stop looking at me through their screens and connect with me genuinely, without any distractions or facades.
Time to time again I'm searching for reality and feeling so alone
I'm constantly seeking genuine connections and grounding experiences in a world that often feels fake and isolating.
Alone again
Alone again
Alone again
Alone
I feel constantly alone, and even when surrounded by people, I can't shake that feeling.
I'm smoking that weed everyday but never hide my faith
Although I smoke weed frequently, I'm still connected to my faith and don't hide it from others.
They calling my phone, I don't even got the time a day
I have so many people contacting me that I can't even keep up, and often have to ignore calls and messages.
Don't know their motives anymore that's why I hesitate
I've become distrustful of people's intentions and need to be cautious to protect myself.
I'm tired of partying, getting drunk, I'm trying to elevate
I'm over the partying and reckless lifestyle and am working to better myself and reach higher levels of success and fulfillment.
I remember back in the day, I ain't had no cash
I come from humble beginnings and remember a time when I had no money or possessions.
I was coming up off of nothing hoping it would last
Despite my lack of resources, I was determined to make something of myself and create a lasting impact.
Now it's 2015 and I got it all
I've achieved great success and have acquired everything I wanted and more.
Feeling like I did, when I started on my own
Out here all alone
Despite my success, I still feel the same sense of loneliness and solitude I had when I first started out on my own.
No use looking out
It's within that brings that lonely feeling
I've come to realize that the source of my loneliness is within myself and cannot be fixed by external factors or distractions.
Understand that when you leave here
You'll be clear among the better men
I want others to understand that despite the hardships and obstacles one may face, they can still rise above and become a better version of themselves.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cameron Thomaz
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Takito33
Back when I was a kid I used to drive alone
Always feeling like I was stuck out here on my own
Now my pockets is full and I'm still riding slow
What goes on in my head, don't nobody really know
I'm in the light, all on my life get put on display
Nothing to call my own, ducking, dodging everyday
Put that camera phone away and keep it real with me
Time to time again I'm searching for reality
And feeling so alone
Alone again Alone...
I'm smoking that weed everyday but never hide my faith
They calling my phone, I don't even got the time a day
Don't know their motives anymore that's why I hesitate
I'm tired of partying, getting drunk, I'm trying to elevate
I remember back in the day, I ain't had no cash
I was coming up off of nothing hoping it would last
Now it's 2015 and I got it all
Feeling like I did, when I started on my own
Out here all alone
Alone again Alone...
No use looking out
It's within that brings that
Lonely feeling
Understand that when you leave here
You'll be clear
Among the better men
Kid Kenny
this song makes me think about my whole life. it's like my whole life flashes into my head. it makes me sad thinking of memories and the changes that happen.. anyone can relate?
Ahmed Yaseen
U summed my life.
Ylenia Chimetto
Relate Bro
Raekwon Sanders
Facts I feel you
Everyone can relate my guy
Jonathan Martinez
Definitely bro my two brothers got incarcerated I lost two of my bulldogs who meant a lot to me problems with the b mah this shit right here is what helps me keep whole..
J’aron Pierre
The year is 2015... you’re playing GTA V, rolling weed , and listening to Wiz Khalifa all summer . Life was so much simpler.
Tristyn R
That’s a vibe
Se7enEi8htNin9
God bring me back😢
WiseTV
And working double shifts at sonic, junior year. 8:30 pm smoke break, going to class with $800 in my pocket for no reason . Good times