Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Wiz Khalifa
How Wiz Khalifa built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Wiz Khalifa, born Cameron Jibril Thomaz, is an American rapper hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He launched his career by signing with Rostrum Records, where he released his debut album, Show and Prove in 2006. He briefly partnered with Warner Bros. Records the next year. His 2008 single, "Say Yeah," gained traction on urban radio, marking his initial success on the Rhythmic Top 40 and Hot Rap Songs charts.
2004: Discovery by Benjy Grinberg
In 2004, Benjy Grinberg, president of Rostrum Records, discovered Wiz Khalifa after hearing his contribution to a mixtape of Pittsburgh artists.
2005: Release of 'Prince of the City: Welcome to Pistolvania'
In 2005, Wiz Khalifa released his first mixtape, "Prince of the City: Welcome to Pistolvania".
2006: Release of 'Show and Prove' and 'Artist to Watch' recognition
In 2006, Wiz Khalifa released his first full-length album, "Show and Prove". He was also declared an "artist to watch" in Rolling Stone magazine.
2006: Release of Debut Album
In 2006, Wiz Khalifa signed with Rostrum Records and released his debut studio album, "Show and Prove".
July 4, 2007: Release of 'Grow Season' Mixtape
On July 4, 2007, Wiz Khalifa released the mixtape "Grow Season", hosted by DJ Green Lantern, through Rostrum Records.
November 20, 2007: Release of 'Prince of the City 2' Mixtape
On November 20, 2007, Wiz Khalifa released the mixtape "Prince of the City 2" through Rostrum Records.
August 2, 2008: Appearance at U92's Summer Jam
On August 2, 2008, Wiz Khalifa appeared with The Game, David Banner, and Play-n-Skillz at U92's Summer Jam in West Valley City, Utah.
September 2008: Release of 'Star Power' Mixtape
In September 2008, Wiz Khalifa released the mixtape "Star Power" on Rostrum Records.
2008: Founding Taylor Gang Entertainment
In 2008, Wiz Khalifa founded the record label Taylor Gang Entertainment, through which he has signed artists including Juicy J, Ty Dolla Sign, and Berner.
2008: Release of 'Say Yeah'
In 2008, Wiz Khalifa released the Eurodance-influenced single "Say Yeah". The song received urban radio airplay and entered the Rhythmic Top 40 and Hot Rap Songs charts, marking his first minor hit.
April 2009: Release of 'Flight School' Mixtape
In April 2009, Wiz Khalifa released the mixtape "Flight School" on Rostrum Records.
July 2009: Departure from Warner Bros. Records
In July 2009, Wiz Khalifa parted ways with Warner Bros. Records due to delays in releasing his debut album. He expressed happiness about moving on and controlling his future moves.
July 31, 2009: Performance at Amphitheatre at Station Square
On July 31, 2009, Wiz Khalifa performed at the Amphitheatre at Station Square in Pittsburgh, where he announced the end of his relationship with Warner Bros.
August 9, 2009: Release of 'How Fly' Mixtape
On August 9, 2009, Wiz Khalifa released the single "Teach U to Fly" and the mixtape "How Fly", a collaboration with New Orleans rapper Curren$y.
November 2, 2009: Release of 'Burn After Rolling' Mixtape
On November 2, 2009, Wiz Khalifa released the mixtape "Burn After Rolling", featuring him rapping over familiar beats from other artists.
November 24, 2009: Release of 'Deal or No Deal' Album
On November 24, 2009, Wiz Khalifa released his second album, "Deal or No Deal".
2009: Independent Album Release
In 2009, Wiz Khalifa parted ways with Warner Bros. Records and independently released his second album, "Deal or No Deal". He also released two mixtapes.
March 2010: Performance at South by Southwest and XXL Cover
In March 2010, Wiz Khalifa performed at Emo's in Austin, Texas, as part of the South by Southwest Music Festival. He also appeared on the cover of XXL magazine as one of the Top 10 Freshmen.
April 14, 2010: Release of 'Kush and Orange Juice' Mixtape
On April 14, 2010, Wiz Khalifa released the free mixtape "Kush and Orange Juice", which became a trending topic on Twitter.
April 2010: Speculation About Signing with Atlantic Records
In April 2010, New York magazine reported that Wiz Khalifa had signed with Atlantic Records, although the rapper did not confirm it at the time.
May 2010: Performance at Soundset 2010 Festival
In May 2010, Wiz Khalifa performed at the Soundset 2010 festival in Minneapolis, Minnesota, alongside several other artists.
June 2010: Working on a New Album
In June 2010, Wiz Khalifa stated he was working on a new album and considering his options for a label.
July 2010: Signing with Atlantic Records
In July 2010, Wiz Khalifa signed with Atlantic Records. He then adopted an urban hip-hop-influenced approach for his debut single for the label, "Black and Yellow."
August 2010: Guest Appearances and MTV Award
In August 2010, Wiz Khalifa was featured in a remix and video for Rick Ross' single "Super High". He also appeared on mixtapes by M.C. and Wale. Additionally, he was named MTV's Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010.
November 2010: Arrest and Performance at BET Hip-Hop Awards
In November 2010, during his "Waken Baken" tour, Wiz Khalifa was arrested for marijuana possession and trafficking. He was released on bail and resumed his tour. He also performed in a cypher during the 2010 BET Hip-Hop Awards.
2010: Collaboration with Ski Beatz
In 2010, Wiz Khalifa appeared with Curren$y on the track "Scaling the Building" on producer Ski Beatz' album, 24 Hour Karate School.
March 29, 2011: Release of 'Rolling Papers' Album
On March 29, 2011, Wiz Khalifa released his first studio album, "Rolling Papers" in the US. The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart.
March 31, 2011: Performance at Emory University
On March 31, 2011, Wiz Khalifa performed at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia as part of the school's annual Dooley's Weekend.
June 2011: Collaboration with Tinie Tempah
In June 2011, Wiz Khalifa collaborated with British rapper Tinie Tempah on the single "Till I'm Gone", produced by Stargate. The song and video were released at the end of the month.
June 26, 2011: Won Best New Artist at the BET Awards
On June 26, 2011, Wiz Khalifa was nominated for and won the Best New Artist award at the BET Awards of 2011.
2011: Release of 'Rolling Papers'
In 2011, Wiz Khalifa released his third album and major label debut, "Rolling Papers". Despite mixed critical reception, the album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200.
2011: Release of 'Black and Yellow'
In 2011, Wiz Khalifa's single "Black and Yellow" peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song refers to the colors of the city of Pittsburgh.
April 11, 2012: Announcement of 'O.N.I.F.C.' Album
On April 11, 2012, Wiz Khalifa announced the title of his second studio album as "Only Nigga In First Class", abbreviated as O.N.I.F.C. for mainstream release.
2012: Acting Role in 'Mac & Devin Go to High School'
In 2012, Wiz Khalifa expanded his career to acting with the lead role alongside Snoop Dogg in the stoner comedy film "Mac & Devin Go to High School".
2012: Release of 'O.N.I.F.C.'
In 2012, Wiz Khalifa released his fourth album, "O.N.I.F.C.", which received mixed reviews but was supported by the singles "Work Hard, Play Hard" and "Remember You" (featuring the Weeknd).
April 2013: Decision to Work on a New Album
In April 2013, Wiz Khalifa decided to work on a new album after having his son.
April 17, 2013: Announcement of 'Live in Concert' EP
On April 17, 2013, Wiz Khalifa and Curren$y announced the release of their collaboration EP "Live in Concert" on April 20, 2013.
April 20, 2013: Release of 'Live in Concert' EP
On April 20, 2013, Wiz Khalifa and Curren$y released their collaboration EP "Live in Concert", featuring seven new songs.
June 24, 2013: Announcement of 'Blacc Hollywood' Album
On June 24, 2013, Wiz Khalifa announced that his fifth studio album would be titled "Blacc Hollywood".
September 3, 2013: Recording Songs with Miley Cyrus and Juicy J
On September 3, 2013, Wiz Khalifa revealed that he had recorded songs with Miley Cyrus and Juicy J for his upcoming album "Blacc Hollywood".
October 2013: Mannie Fresh's Production on 'Blacc Hollywood'
In October 2013, Mannie Fresh confirmed that he provided production for Wiz Khalifa's album "Blacc Hollywood".
February 11, 2014: Release of 'We Dem Boyz'
On February 11, 2014, Wiz Khalifa released "We Dem Boyz", the first single from his album "Blacc Hollywood".
May 25, 2014: Mixtape Release
On May 25, 2014, Wiz Khalifa's mixtape "28 Grams" was released after a brief delay due to his arrest for marijuana possession the day before. The release went ahead as planned after Wiz was released from jail.
2014: Partnership with The Cookie Company
As of early 2014, Wiz Khalifa no longer paid for cannabis and was sponsored by The Cookie Company, a medical marijuana dispensary which sells his "Khalifa Kush" (KK) strain, which he partnered with RiverRock Cannabis to create.
2014: Release of 'Blacc Hollywood'
In 2014, Wiz Khalifa released his fifth album, "Blacc Hollywood", which became his first album to debut atop the Billboard 200. It was supported by the single "We Dem Boyz."
January 23, 2015: Featured on "Uma Thurman" remix
On January 23, 2015, Wiz Khalifa was featured on a remix release of the Fall Out Boy song "Uma Thurman".
March 31, 2015: Release of 'Talk About It in the Morning' and 'See You Again'
On March 31, 2015, Wiz Khalifa released the EP "Talk About It in the Morning" with Ty Dolla $ign. He also released "See You Again" with Charlie Puth, a tribute to Paul Walker.
December 15, 2015: "Cabin Fever 3" mixtape release
On December 15, 2015, Wiz Khalifa released his mixtape "Cabin Fever 3".
2015: Release of 'See You Again'
In 2015, Wiz Khalifa released "See You Again" (featuring Charlie Puth) for the soundtrack to the film "Furious 7", as a tribute to Paul Walker. The song achieved significant commercial success.
January 10, 2016: Album announcement at Golden Globes
On January 10, 2016, during the Golden Globes, Wiz Khalifa announced that his next album, titled Khalifa, would be released on January 22, 2016.
February 5, 2016: "Khalifa" album release
On February 5, 2016, Wiz Khalifa's album, "Khalifa", was released, after being announced at the Golden Globes in January.
May 24, 2016: "Pull Up" single release
On May 24, 2016, Wiz Khalifa released "Pull Up", a standalone single to promote his sixth album, "Rolling Papers 2".
2016: Lawsuit against former manager
In 2016, Wiz Khalifa sued his former manager Benjy Grinberg and Rostrum Records due to an allegedly unfair "360 deal". He sought $1 million in compensation, punitive damages, and attorney fees after splitting with Grinberg after a decade-long partnership.
2016: Launch of Khalifa Kush
In 2016, Wiz Khalifa, known for his cannabis use, launched his own cannabis brand, Khalifa Kush.
July 13, 2018: "Rolling Papers 2" album release
On July 13, 2018, Wiz Khalifa released his sixth album, "Rolling Papers 2", after promoting it with the standalone single "Pull Up" in 2016.
2018: Release of 'Rolling Papers 2'
In 2018, Wiz Khalifa released his sixth album, "Rolling Papers 2", which matched its predecessor in chart position. The album was supported by the single "Something New" (featuring Ty Dolla Sign).
2018: "Hot Now" controversy
In 2018, the release of Wiz Khalifa's song "Hot Now" sparked controversy due to a line some perceived as racially insensitive. Wiz responded by stating he wasn't racist and loved all races, including his Korean friends.
April 20, 2020: "The Saga of Wiz Khalifa" EP Release
On April 20, 2020, Wiz Khalifa released a new EP, "The Saga of Wiz Khalifa". The album included collaborations with Tyga, Logic, Mustard, and Ty Dolla $ign.
May 2020: Featured on "Drums Drums Drums"
In May 2020, Wiz Khalifa was featured on a new song, "Drums Drums Drums" with Travis Barker.
2021: Competed on The Masked Singer
In 2021, Wiz Khalifa competed as "Chameleon" on season five of The Masked Singer, finishing in third place.
2022: Expansion of Khalifa Kush
In 2022, Wiz Khalifa expanded his cannabis brand Khalifa Kush for release in nationwide dispensaries.
2023: Multiple Mixtape Releases
In 2023, Wiz Khalifa released four mixtapes: Star Power, See Ya, Khali Sober, and Decisions.
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