There is More to Him Than Meets the Eye

Khalifa is pictured on the cover of the Rolling Stone magazine wearing gold earrings, a short gold chain, and a white collared shirt with a light brown leather jacket that compliments the off yellow streak in his short nappy fro. Why Wiz Khalifa out of all people I ponder to myself? Apparently he is “Hip-Hop’s Rookie of the Year” but I was completely unaware. The musical artist flows most commonly about smoking and rolling marijuana, women, cars, and let’s not forget about being high. This guy, out of all of the artist in the world to choose from, is on the cover of the most notorious magazine in music while winking none the less with a rather pink sclera, which is the part of the eye that is suppose to be white. This makes me wonder if he permanently has this pigment change? Makes no difference none the less because he has a marijuana prescription.

After judging this book by the cover and discrediting his questionable appearance I visited the Rolling Stone’s website to see they have mastered the art of genres. I typed in Wiz Khalifa’s name in the search box to find blog entries, a gallery full of photos, articles, and videos all awaiting the click of my mouse pad. I first engaged in the video entitled “Rolling Joints With Wiz Khalifa,” posted on March 11, 2011.

Here Khalifa is filmed rolling a joint while clips of his photo shoot from Rolling Stone flashes. He gives details about his upcoming album “Rolling Papers.” The release date is on March 29, 2011 which just so happens to be his little sister’s birthday. We see a sensitive side of Khalifa when he comments “I’m probably gonna do something really, really cool for her... If I could just chill with her or at least like see her on her birthday that would be tight. And it would be good for me, for the album because I know there’s going to be a lot going on, around, so like if I could just get that time to chill that, that would be awesome.” This statement adds to the character of Khalifa greatly. Not only is he “Hip-Hop’s Rookie of the Year” but he is a caring family man as well.

I ask myself how did this man become who is today? Through research, the stardom seems to originate from Khalifa’s first hit “Say Yeah.” A song that is frequently played in club atmospheres or heard on the radio today despite the release date of January 2008. Due to the embedding being disabled by request on YouTube I cannot share the original video but here are the catchy lyrics courtesy of the website lyrics mania.

Lyrics to Say Yeah:

It's say yeah
One night in town
My niggas round
Throwin money
Them bitches hit the ground
Then bring it back up
She bringin backup
Put em in that black truck
So many hoes they lapped up
My niggas leanin
Diddy boppin
Let's get it poppin
I said let's get it poppin
Just look at how she drop it
Lil mama a certified pro
She need her own show
Slide on down that pole and grind slow
Hell no I ain't countin my dough
I came to blow it all
And get some brains trynna find miss know it all
And I got my cup filled you see how them bucks peel
Young pimp see how grab me up and chicken just chill

Hook:
In the back of the club
With a stack full a dubs
Drop it low like a pro
Bring it back that's what's up
All my dogs up in here
Plus there's hoes everywhere
Niggas stunt like you don't care
Throw that money in the air and say yeah (yeeeaaahh)
Throw that money in one hand and say yeah
Throw that money in the air and say yeah (yeeeaaahh)
Throw that money in one hand and say yeah
Throw that money in the air and say yeah (yeeeaaahh)

I'm high and drunk doin my same dance
They call it pocahontas doin that rain dance
Talkin dough I got it so make it rain man
Cause tha flow retarded sorta like that rain man
Borderline insane man
Look at all these dames damn
When a nigga gettin money
And I'm a changed man
You smell that haze scent
Know my gameplan
Trynna get it smackin
I ain't with dat gameplan
Lil momma work for every dollar she drop it low
Pop it slow stop and go
Lots of smoke we keep em rollin up
Shorty mad she came with you
She wanna roll with us

Hook

And say yeah
And say yeah
And say yeah

I said listen here
I do it broad day
All day
Smokin on that bomb hay
And I got my cup filled you see how them bucks peel
Young pimp see how grab me up and chicken just chill

Hook

I summarize this blog post by stating that clearly Wiz Khalifa is not so bad. His appearance at first glance may lead someone to believe otherwise but this hip-hop genius has worked his way to the top. A task that cannot be easy by any means, a task that I find quite admirable. With one of his first hits dropping in the beginning of 2008 and he now in 2011 being featured on the cover of the Rolling Stone’s magazine; I am eager to see what this artist will accomplish in the near future and where he will take the genre of hip-hop next. Only time will tell.