The world knows Cameron Jibril Thomaz as Wiz Khalifa. The 30-year-old rapper is famous for tracks like See You Again, Black and Yellow and Letterman. As he heads to Goa for the Time Out 72 festival, we chat about his early life, new album, marijuana legalisation and his friend Snoop Dogg.
Wiz lived in Germany, the UK and Japan as a kid before moving to the mean streets of Pittsburgh. The 30-year old says it shaped who he is, “I travelled all over as a kid until I landed in Pittsburgh. And it was the people I met there that I connected to the most. Everything I have ever done or been through has influenced my music. I put myself into my music.”
Wiz dropped his debut album, Show and Prove, way back in 2006. But it was Rolling Papers in 2011 that established him as a star. Now, with six albums under his belt, he says his sound has evolved a lot from what it was, “My process changes here and there. Every song is different. I don't like to attack each track with the same method.”
The rapper is almost set to release his next album, called Rolling Papers 2 for now. “The title isn’t final but this next project is definitely a representation of my growth as an artist and person. The core fans will for sure connect to the music but I think the lyrics and topics have really changed as I’ve grown and experienced new things in my career and personally-- like being a father,” he says about the experience.
Talking of influences, he says he is influenced by a lot of artists old and young and from all different genres. “Ty Dolla $ign is a homie and we inspire each other all the time,” he says. But it is his friendship with Snoop Dogg that is special, “I love Snoop. I have always watched him growing up as an example of what rap should be. And then I think when I was coming up he was looking at me as an example of where rap is now. So to be friends with him and make some really dope music together has been a dream come true.”
Wiz is excited to get to India and listen to what's going on with the India rap scene. We asked him who he considers competition in the industry. “I only compete with myself," he signs off definitively.
Rs 1,999 upwards. At Vagator, Goa.
anagha@newindianexpress.com
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