Wiz Khalifa

Rolling Papers

::READ THE FULL REVIEW OF ROLLING PAPERS

Rolling Papers is not Wiz Khalifa's first album by any stretch. He has had two independently released studio albums, a truckload of mixtapes across the web dating back 2006, and feature spots dating back to that same year. He was picked both as a XXL freshman and featured in the well respected BET Hop-Hop Awards cyphers in 2010. For rapper on the up and up, Rolling Papers is simply the start of a new chapter, a major label backed music career.

The album has already had hits in Australia, the US and various other territories around the world. The lead single, Black And Yellow went three times Platinum and hit #1 on the US Billboard chart. As a result, it spawned numerous remakes for other sports teams. What better support could you ask for a major label debut, than to have Lil Wayne make Green And Yellow for the Green Bay Packers, or Fabolous crank out White And Navy for the Yankees?

Track four (sequenced straight after Black And Yellow) is the second official single, Roll Up. Despite the strength of the track, it could struggle to muster support from radio outside the US. It is hard to tell if this unlikely love song is about a pretty girl or marijuana... or both ("Whenever you call baby I roll up, I roll up, I roll up"). Roll Up hasn’t had much love over here yet, but in the US it hit #6 on the Billboard Rap Songs charts and #28 on the Billboard Hot 100.



Another album highlight is No Sleep. It was obviously a hit with American fans, peaking at #6 on the Billboard chart without any radio servicing, or even a planned push as a consumer single. It is no wonder; the hook is smooth and memorable.

Rolling Papers is out now through ATL/WMA

In order to get the full picture and to appreciate Khalifa's talents, click below to download four of his early mixtapes.