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.
The Cruise
Wiz Khalifa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
King size? I'll use those
Got the windows down, radio's on
Got the windows down, radio's on
Got the windows down, radio's on
Got the windows down, radio's on
When it's time to ball, niggas better think of you
You see the life you wanna live on TV and wanna be a part of it
Spend every night just popping bottles
Pouring drinks in VIP, and you love it
The more you make, the more they hate
The more they're fake, don't worry, that's just how the game go
The more you make, the more they hate
The more they're fake, but I'm just singin' the same note
Playin' the same song
Got the windows down, radio's on
Got the windows down, radio's on
Got the windows down, radio's on
Got the windows down, radio's on
You got it all, well at least they think you do (woo, yeah)
When they say workin' hard, man, they better think of you
'Cause all these plaques, nigga, that's because of it
Wouldn't have shit if it wasn't for it
Smokin' on medicinal, spraying ozium to try cover it
In the game playin' hard, but I'm just in the game, I ain't in love with it
Y'all niggas tryin' to get famous, a nigga like me tryin' to get fuckin' rich
Fuckin' rich, fuckin' rich, broke ass niggas can't fuck with this
Fuck a deal, when it goes down, got a hundred mill on my bucket list
Y'all niggas gon' keep on hatin' but we ain't gonna stop then
You'll catch me in somethin' foreign and the top gon' be droppin'
Got the windows down, radio's on
Got the windows down, radio's on
Got the windows down, radio's on
Got the windows down, radio's on
In Wiz Khalifa's song The Cruise, the artist talks about the lifestyle he is living as a successful rapper. He begins by requesting for papers to roll his marijuana, and announces he is driving with his radio on and the windows down, creating a carefree and relaxed atmosphere. Khalifa references the jealousy that comes with his success, as he explains that people who are not genuine toward him want to benefit from the life they see him living on television. He explains that he spends his nights in VIP sections drinking and popping bottles, seeming to enjoy the lifestyle. Khalifa acknowledges the fake nature of the entertainment industry, knowing that the more successful he is, the more people will hate and pretend to be his friend. He contrasts this lifestyle with his own values of success, explaining that he is not interested in fame, but instead only cares about making money.
The chorus of the song is the most prominent part, repeatedly referencing the windows down and radio up, emphasizing the carefree lifestyle. Khalifa then discusses how his hard work has resulted in his current success, pointing to the plaques he has earned as proof. He acknowledges that he would have nothing without putting in the effort, which he highlights through smoking medicinal marijuana and using ozium to cover the smell. He reiterates that he is in the industry for the money, not for the fame, displaying his dissatisfaction with people who only strive for fame.
Overall, Wiz Khalifa's The Cruise represents the artist's perspective of the music industry and the consequences of success. While he recognizes the joy that comes with the VIP lifestyle, he also acknowledges the fake aspects of the industry and the jealousy that follows his success. He emphasizes that he is in the game only for the money, not for the fame, relishing in the windows down and radio up moments along his journey.
Line by Line Meaning
Does anybody have regular size papers out there?
Asking for regular size rolling papers to roll weed
King size? I'll use those
Accepting the offer of using king size rolling papers
Got the windows down, radio's on
Enjoying a ride with open windows and music playing
You got it all, well at least you think you do
Talking about people who believe they have everything in life
When it's time to ball, niggas better think of you
Expecting people to recognize and respect your success
You see the life you wanna live on TV and wanna be a part of it
Envious of a glamorous lifestyle shown on television
Spend every night just popping bottles
Regularly partying and drinking expensive alcohol
The more you make, the more they hate
People become envious and bitter as you become more successful
The more they're fake, don't worry, that's just how the game go
Insinuating that people will act fake and insincere in the music industry
But I'm just singin' the same note
Acknowledging that his music is similar to others in the industry
You got it all, well at least they think you do (woo, yeah)
People assume you have everything, but you might not really have it all
When they say workin' hard, man, they better think of you
Stating that he works harder than most people in the industry
'Cause all these plaques, nigga, that's because of it
His hard work has resulted in multiple awards and recognitions
Wouldn't have shit if it wasn't for it
Acknowledging that his success was due to his hard work
Smokin' on medicinal, spraying ozium to try cover it
Smoking medical marijuana and using spray to hide the smell
In the game playin' hard, but I'm just in the game, I ain't in love with it
He enjoys the music industry but is not obsessed with it
Y'all niggas tryin' to get famous, a nigga like me tryin' to get fuckin' rich
His goal is financial success rather than just fame
Fuck a deal, when it goes down, got a hundred mill on my bucket list
Not interested in signing any deals, but hoping to make a hundred million in his lifetime
Y'all niggas gon' keep on hatin' but we ain't gonna stop then
People will continue to hate despite his success, but he won't let it stop him
You'll catch me in somethin' foreign and the top gon' be droppin'
He will be driving an expensive car with the top down
Got the windows down, radio's on
Continuing to enjoy the ride with open windows and music playing
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cameron Thomas
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
mark johnson
Imagine being 15-16 years old in high school when this came out and you put this on with your homies and you just straight vibin and think nothing more or less. Every time I hear old wiz like this it takes me back to those good ole high school days when we had no worries.
Austin Metz
Don’t gotta imagine, just reminisce lmao
frank martinez
bro what ????? that’s facts wiz was prime in hs
e34grrl
That was me too!! :) Miss those days.
Gabriel .G
described my life lol, miss those days. Rap was incredible early 2010's
The Poor Pessimist
No lie this song takes me back to a more simple yet more busy point in life... it makes me very emotional
Captain Haddock
We're hitting 2013 flashback levels that shouldn't even be possible...
J GoTTi
Word my friend
manapotek
facts
Wavy David4
Wow you hit it right on the dot