words: swagrporters

Mention the name Wiz Khalifa to any true hip hop head and brace yourself for an argument. How could you blame them when you have the hip hop messiah, Ghostface Killah, declaring him the “softest rapper in the game” in his 5th annual edition?

If you happen to include yourself in the skeptical camp, a quick wiki search of Wiz Khalifa’s background will only confirm your suspicions. One could say that the story reads something of Eminem’s diss of “Clarence” in 8 Mile.

Born by the name Cameron Jibril Thomaz, Wiz claims the mean streets of Minot, North Dakota. His mother and father both served active duties in the military which took the family to Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, and finally Pittsburgh.

Obviously Pittsburgh stuck. Even in his earliest 2005 mixtapes, Wiz shoulders the 'Steel City' in every media appearance available. Canary diamonds spell out the Pirates logo on his chest. Lyrics, album covers, caps, tattoos…all Pittsburgh. The climax of the motif plays out at the 2011 Superbowl when the Steelers take on the Packers charged by the hit single “Black and Yellow,” which had become the unofficial fight song.

Overnight a mixtape-rapper from Pittsburgh (I guess) is catapulted into the limelight of pop success. His first and second commercial albums after signing to the Atlantic Records, Rolling Papers and O.N.I.F.C.respectively, are drenched with pop-washed weed references and somewhat clever beats. All of the sudden Susie, Sally, Dick and Tom are whistling his tune around town while in line for a double pump latte. Non-fat of course.

There are always two sides to any story. Wiz came firing out of the gate with mixtape after mixtape in a four year span that only Weezy F can top. These albums show a vastly different persona and even a different delivery from the Wiz commercial audiences have grown to know. He delivers smooth lyrics that seem to lather atop the beats created by Pittsburgh producers that have now become quite successful in their own right. These tales paint a much darker image of his upbringing and the lifestyle he and his Taylor Gang crew lead. They speak of drug use and tattoos that you can’t help but associate with degenerates.

But you can’t say that these albums aren't good. Yeah, I said it! They’re good. Give Cabin Fever, Kush and Orange Juice, or even his joint project with New Orleans rapper, Curren$y, How Fly a try. We dare you to not find a few tracks you'll want to add to the heavy rotation.

Another pervasive theme that emerges from these early productions is Wiz’s discussion of a lavish life of the young and wealthy; even at a point in his career when his income could not have justified the lifestyle he claims. Like any up and coming MC, he paints a fairly competent narrative of the lifestyle he wishes to attain. Can you really blame a dude for going mainstream when he releases 10 plus mixtapes talking about getting paid? I don't think I can.