Wiz Khalifa

Infobox Musical artist

|
Name = Wiz Khalifa
Landscape =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Cameron Jibril Thomaz
Alias = The Prince of Pistolvania
Born = birth date and age|1987|9|8 Minot, North Dakota, U.S.
Died =
Origin = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Voice_type =
Genre = Rap, hip hop
Occupation =
Years_active = 2003–present
Label = Rostrum / Warner Bros.
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.wizkhalifa.com/ www.wizkhalifa.com]
Current_members =
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =

Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by the stage name Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His techno-influenced single, "Say Yeah", received urban radio airplay, charting on "Billboard's" Hot 100, Rhythmic Top 40 and Hot Rap Tracks charts. He will release his major label debut album, "First Flight", on Warner Bros. Records in early 2009.

Biography

Early life

Khalifa was born on September 8, 1987Richards, Dave (September 18, 2008). " [http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080918/ENTERTAINMENT0301/809180341/-1/ENTERTAINMENT03 He'll make it hot] ". "Erie Times-News". Retrieved on September 18, 2008.] in Minot, North Dakota to a mother and a father serving in the military. [Cordor, Cyril. " [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:axfwxqwdldse Wiz Khalifa] ". Allmusic. Retrieved on June 23, 2008.] 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 decade, Khalifa lived in the U.S., Germany, England, and Japan. He graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School in 2006. Khalifa has been influenced by artists such as Jay-Z, Cam'ron, and the Notorious B.I.G. His stage name is derived from khalifa, an Arabic word meaning "successor", and wisdom, which was shortened to Wiz when Khalifa was 15. [ [http://www.brothaashproductions.com/WizKhalifaInterview.htm Brotha Ash Productions interview] ]

Career

Khalifa released his first mixtape, "", in 2005. The mixtape recorded sales in the thousands, leading to his first full length album entitled "Show and Prove" in 2006. Khalifa was declared an "artist to watch" that year in "Rolling Stone" magazine. Khalifa has shared the stage with popular artists like Ghostface Killah, Styles P, Lupe Fiasco, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Cham, Little Brother, Clipse, Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy, Lil Scrappy, Mario, T.I., Nas, and Rich Boy. After bringing home “Best Male Artist” and "Lyricist Of The Year” at the 1st annual Pittsburgh Hip Hop awards, Khalifa premiered his debut video "Pittsburgh Sound", on various hip-hop fan sites. Khalifa uses, but did not coin, the nickname Pistolvania for Pennsylvania.

In 2007, Khalifa signed to Warner Bros. Records and released two mixtapes through Rostrum Records: "Grow Season", hosted by DJ Green Lantern and released on July 4, 2007, and "Prince of the City 2", released on November 20, 2007. His debut Warner Bros. single "Say Yeah" reached number 25 on the "Billboard" Rhythmic Top 40 music chart and number 20 on "Billboard's" Hot Rap Tracks. The song samples the 1999 single "Better Off Alone" by the Dutch electronic music group Alice Deejay. Khalifa's vocals from "Say Yeah" appear near the end of Pittsburgh mash up producer Girl Talk's 2008 album, "Feed the Animals", over music from Underworld's "Born Slippy", Usher's "Love in This Club", and the Cure's "In Between Days". [Breihan, Tom (June 24, 2008). " [http://blogs.villagevoice.com/statusainthood/archives/2008/06/girl_talks_carw.php Girl Talk's Pop-Music Car-Wreck] ". "The Village Voice". Retrieved on June 25, 2008.] Khalifa appeared with The Game, David Banner and Play-n-Skillz at U92's Summer Jam at the USANA Amphitheatre in West Valley City, Utah on August 2, 2008. [Burger, David (August 1, 2008). " [http://www.sltrib.com/themix/ci_10061200 U92's Summer Jam: Rap producers get a chance to shine ] ". "The Salt Lake Tribune". Retrieved on August 2, 2008.] He will release his Warner Bros. debut album, "First Flight", in early-2009.

Discography

Albums

*2006: "Show and Prove"
*2009: "First Flight", Warner Bros./Rostrum - forthcoming major label debut, due early-2009

Mixtapes

*2005: ""
*2007: "Grow Season"
*2007: "Prince of the City 2"
*2008: "Star Power", Warner Bros./Rostrum - released September 16, 2008

ingles

Further reading

*Amen, Rob (March 30, 2007). " [http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/living/events/s_500360.html South Hills hip-hop artist shows he's got nothing to prove] ". "Pittsburgh Tribune-Review". Retrieved on August 4, 2007.
*Frederick, Brendan (July 24, 2007). " [http://massappealmag.com/2007/07/24/lyrical-wizardry/ Lyrical Wizardry] ". "Mass Appeal Magazine". Retrieved on August 4, 2007.
*Jentzen, Aaron (October 5, 2006). " [http://pghcitypaper.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A19174 Prince of the City] ". "Pittsburgh City Paper". Retrieved on August 2, 2007.
*Lawrence, Omar-Abdul R. (November 14, 2006). " [http://newpittsburghcourieronline.com/articlelive/articles/35992/1/Wiz-Khalifa-keeps-it-poppin/Page1.html Wiz Khalifa keeps it poppin'] ". "New Pittsburgh Courier". Retrieved on August 4, 2007.
*Masley, Ed (February, 2006). " [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06033/648161.stm Music Preview: Allderdice student has a hot mix tape on the streets] ". "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Retrieved on August 2, 2007.
*Masley, Ed (July 24, 2005). " [http://www.pittsburghpostgazette.com/pg/05205/541634.stm A rapper on the rise] ". "Pittsburgh Tribune-Review". Retrieved on August 2, 2007.
*Mervis, Scott (July 18, 2007). " [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07199/802333-388.stm Warner Bros. signs local rapper Wiz] ". "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Retrieved on August 2, 2007.
*Robert, Josie (June 28, 2005). " [http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_348314.html The hip-hop pulse] ". "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Retrieved on August 2, 2007.
*Tady, Scott (February 15, 2008). " [http://www.timesonline.com/articles/2008/02/15/entertainment/doc47b4abb646dff009396731.txt Wiz Khalifa eyes stardom] ". "Beaver County Times". Retrieved on February 24, 2008.
*" [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/12683075/breaking_wiz_khalifa Wiz Khalifa] ". November 28, 2006. "Rolling Stone". Retrieved on August 2, 2007.

External links

* [http://www.wizkhalifa.com/ Official website]
*Myspace|wizkhalifa
* [http://www.warnerbrosrecords.com/artists/wiz-khalifa Wiz Khalifa] at Warner Bros. Records
*YouTube user|wizkhalifa|WizKhalifaMusic
*Allmusic|11:axfwxqwdldse
* [http://formatmag.com/features/the-daily-bread/wiz-khalifa/ Format Magazine interview]
* [http://www.brothaashproductions.com/WizKhalifaInterview.htm Brotha Ash Productions interview]
* [http://www.djbooth.net/index/interviews/entry/wiz-khalifa-interview-0328081/ DJBooth.net interview]

Persondata
NAME=Khalifa, Wiz
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Thomaz, Cameron
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Rapper
DATE OF BIRTH= September 8, 1987
PLACE OF BIRTH=Minot, North Dakota
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=