By The Voice
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer
Like many who have come before him, Wiz Khalifa has been critically-panned following a strong commercial debut. One year ago, Wiz Khalifa was celebrating his takeover, led by one single, “Black & Yellow.” Released during the fall of 2010, “Black & Yellow” became a breakout hit for the Pittsburgh emcee. With the single, the once-underground artist had achieved international fame, becoming one of the most-requested rappers in the game.
Wiz Khalifa continued his run in 2011, releasing his Rolling Papers debut, followed by his “Roll Up” single, which turned heads. Given Khalifa’s style, many initially thought “Roll Up” would be a smoking song. In the end, Wiz Khalifa ended up surprising everyone with a song about a fling. Some said the song was an indirect jab at Kanye West, as Wiz Khalifa is dating his ex-girlfriend. In the end, “Roll Up” was critically-panned, being viewed as a failed pop attempt.
Following the release of his debut album, Wiz Khalifa returned to the mixtape scene, dominating once again and he also capitalized off his partnership with Snoop Dogg. The duo released several songs throughout the summer, leading to their Mac + Devin Go to High School collaborative soundtrack album. In the midst of the collaborations, Wiz Khalifa also developed the artists on his Taylor Gang label. Chevy Woods would gain mainstream attention, while still pushing his mixtapes. The biggest surprise of 2011 came when Three Six Mafia’s Juicy J, an established artist, signed with Taylor Gang.
As stated in MTV’s “Hottest MCs in the Game” debate, Wiz Khalifa, as a new artist, made the Forbes list, which is usually dominated by the likes of Jay-Z and Diddy. However, in the end, Wiz Khalifa’s status as a pop star led to him receiving a relatively low position on their countdown, which brings up the slight against Wiz Khalifa. While his music does cater to the pop audiences, the young rapper is making history, first for putting Pittsburgh’s hip hop scene on the map. Also, his Taylor Gang label has established itself, with the addition of Juicy J. Wiz Khalifa has his hands in many pots, establishing himself as a young businessman.
When an artist is making the Forbes list only months after their first album, they certainly do deserve more respect. After all, one major topic in most rhymes is money and Wiz Khalifa definitely has plenty of money to burn.
