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.
Testify
Wiz Khalifa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴
Out in the street they call it murder
Yo! This where the blocks are known
Rocks get rolled up and down the cops patrol
So they play the back block
Plus the names are not to know
Not to mention niggas out here snitching
Heavy with the rock and snow but I
Don't play the block with blow
Usually in the lab with
A pad blowing tropical
Working on changing the game and
Making lots of dough put my hustle down
Throw my muscle round
You act food the wolves will
Come and hunt you down
Prick, we them bird guys where
They let them birds fly
Pop, now everything you seeing's
From a birds-eye you niggas aren't hot I
See that you're creeping
I'm an alarm clock to niggas that's sleeping
Call me an all-star
You cuffing broads I'm with your
Freak on the weekend
This your wife, I'm just getting my skeet in
He's too Swayze but you should recognize
I ain't standing next to guys
Any nigga think he on my level
Will be left to die
Got a mean team but you ain't
Even seen the best of mine
Get the boy stretched like he
Ready for an exercise
Pistolvania's what I rep, yes
Throw your sets up high yeah the beat cold
But the flow got em mesmerized
Test the guy, champion flow
I'm moving left to right hardest out
Nigga the whole city will testify chyeah!
Out in the street they call it murder
In the lyrics of Wiz Khalifa's song "Testify," the artist paints a vivid picture of the harsh realities of street life. The opening line, "Out in the street they call it murder," sets the tone for the rest of the song, alluding to the violence and danger that pervade urban neighborhoods. Khalifa describes the streets where drug deals take place, police patrol, and a culture of secrecy and betrayal exists. He mentions the presence of snitches who must be dealt with swiftly in order to protect the illicit activities of the community.
Khalifa then contrasts this dangerous environment with his own focus on his music career and personal growth. He talks about being in the studio, honing his craft, and striving to make a name for himself in the music industry. While others may be involved in illegal activities on the streets, Khalifa is dedicated to his hustle and aims to achieve success through his talent and hard work. He emphasizes his commitment to his music and his drive to change the game and secure financial success without resorting to the same illegal activities as others in his environment.
The lyrics also showcase Khalifa's confidence and swagger, as he boasts about his skills and warns others not to underestimate him. He asserts his superiority over his competition, proclaiming that anyone who tries to challenge him will be left to face the consequences. Khalifa references his roots in "Pistolvania" and his loyal team, highlighting his pride in his origins and the support system that sustains him. The imagery of streets, hustling, and survival is juxtaposed with Khalifa's ambition and determination to rise above his circumstances and make a name for himself in the rap game.
Overall, "Testify" delves into the complexities of street life, ambition, and self-assertion. Khalifa navigates the challenges of his environment while staying true to his passion for music and his desire to succeed on his own terms. The song captures the tension between the dangers and temptations of the streets and the artist's commitment to his craft and ambition, culminating in a powerful declaration of his talent and resilience in the face of adversity.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@brandonhayes670
I love wiz back when dude was in highschool I used to slam his shit it was so hard lyrical, and dude was hungry. His new shit ain't bad but it isn't his first 5 CD/ mix tapes before he blew up. Dude still got it and I'm a fan but I think the record Comp has a lot to do with wiz s new sound just my thoughts but this prince if city mix tape is on my top 5 rap CDs of all time , he completely murdered oh no Ive listened to it for years and I still get goosebumps when I listen to it out is so fukkn good just listen to the ryhme scheme s fuckn killed that shit
@jayperruzzi48
This is where I go when I feel like real fan
@KIDDCOTTON14
i still have a hard time believing this is wiz
@AlwaysDestructable
old wiz was so good
@W4lkst4r
Miss these dayz
@sl0phinswag
when wiz was dope
@raymondhuang2075
flames, aims man aim for dat membrane , the brain called it a headshot
@xCodeh
so fire. TGOD
@Deakzz
Codehhhhh! Stay lifted dude :)
@philippatek1527
2016