장르를 불문하고 우리는 매년 새로운 스타일과 신선함을 가진 매력적인 신인을 기대하지만, 히트는 커녕 자신의 이름 한번 제대로 알리는 것조차 녹록지 않은 게 바로 이 바닥이다. 실력은 기본이요, 외모도 어느 정도 뒷받침해줘야 하고 충성도 높은 서포터들과 라디오에서 틀만 한 커머셜 싱글 한두 개는 필수, 거기다 적절한 시기와 운도 굉장히 중요하다. 이런 다소 복잡한 조건들을 갖추고 유명 레이블이나 소위 '힙합계 거성' 들의 노골적인 지원이 없이도 보란 듯이 성공한 청년이 있었으니, 위즈 칼리파(Wiz Khalifa)가 바로 그 주인공이다.
인디펜던트에서 메이저까지, 가장 정석적인 코스를 밟아 꿈을 이뤄낸 젊은 래퍼, 피츠버그의 스타, 테일러 갱(Tayler Gang)의 리더, “Black & Yellow” 리믹스 열풍의 주인공 등, 그를 수식하는 문구들이 계속해서 생겨나고 있는 것은, 최근 급상승한 위즈의 지위 상승과 무관하지 않을 것이다. 하지만 그런 신분 상승과는 별개로 위즈의 음악이 가지고 있는 가장 큰 미덕은 중용이다. 언더그라운드 시절부터 쌓아온 힙합 본연의 색을 유지하면서 트렌드에 뒤처지지 않고, 자신이 뱉고자 하는 내용을 때로는 거칠게, 때로는 유쾌하게 표현해 낼 수 있는 재능을 가졌다. 위즈가 가진 이런 매력들은 이 냉정한 힙합 씬에서 실력 있는 아티스트로, 목표를 향해 끊임없이 노력하는 멋진 청년으로 인정을 받기에 충분한 근거이자 그만의 무기가 되었다.
대형 신인의 탄생
'메이저 레이블 데뷔 앨범' 이라는 홍보 문구를 보면 알 수 있듯이, 위즈는 신인이 아니다. 상업적으로 크게 성공한 “Black & Yellow” 이전까지는 '유망주' 정도의 이미지가 강했지만 그의 이력을 자세히 살펴보면 웬만한 뮤지션에 버금가는 활동을 해왔다는 것을 알 수 있다. 어린 시절, 위즈는 군인이었던 부모님을 따라 여러 지역을 떠돌다 피츠버그에 정착하게 된다. 언제나 음악을 가까이해온 부모님에게서 영향을 받았다는 위즈는 15살 때 ‘Wisdom’을 변형시킨 단어 'Wiz'와 아랍어로 '계승자'라는 뜻의 'Khalifa'를 결합시켜 지금의 위즈 칼리파라는 이름을 사용하기 시작했다.
2005년 발매한 첫 번째 믹스테입 [Prince of the City: Welcome to Pistolvania]으로 로컬 씬에서 좋은 반응을 얻고 피츠버그 밖으로도 이름을 알렸다. 다음 해 발매한 풀렝스 데뷔 앨범 [Show and Prove]는 평단의 극찬과 더불어 워너 브라더스 레코드(Warner Bros. Records)와 계약이라는 큰 기회를 얻게 된다. 2007년, 디제이 그린 렌턴(DJ Green Lantern)과 함께한 믹스테입 [Grow Season], 그 외에 [Prince of the City 2] 등을 발매하고 첫 번째 메이저 싱글 “Say Yeah”를 발표해 빌보드 핫 랩 트랙스(Hot Rap Tracks) 차트 20위에 랭크 되는 등, 기대 이상의 좋은 평과 함께 사람들의 이목을 집중시키는 데 성공하지만 그런 성과에도 불구하고 메이저 데뷔 앨범은 계속 미뤄지고 만다.
워너 브라더스 레코드와 결별한 위즈는 다시 그의 고향, 로스트럼 레코드(Rostrum Records)로 돌아와 믹스테입 [Flight School], [How Fly], 그리고 커런시(Curren$y)와 함께한 [Burn After Rolling]을 내놓았다. 이어 발매한 앨범 [Deal or No Deal]은 아이튠즈 힙합 차트에서 1위를 차지함과 동시에 더 많은 이들에게 위즈의 음악을 알리는데 일조했다. 이어 위즈 본인도 성공의 발판이 된 앨범이라고 부르고 있는 믹스테입 [Kush & Orange Juice]는 발매하자마자 야후, 구글, 트위터 등에서 큰 이슈거리가 되었고 ‘2010 XXL Freshmen 10’ 에 선정되는 등, 각종 온라인 매체에서 폭발적인 반응을 얻게 된다. .... ....
[Jamie Foxx] I’m feeling good I’m having fun this is the best night of my life girl can i be real? I just wanna feel on your booty thats not a big deal shawty you drinkin gon that Martini I wanna see you in a bikini or better yet a thong baby what’s wrong? tryna tell your girls whats you purpose of this song ooh, I want you closer like a model of a poster I wanna get ya to the car to the crib up the stairs to the bed in the morning you’ll be cooking us set oooh baby, I love the smell of your perfume and if we were kids I’d be breaking curfew to stay up with you, you gon need a scarf? wrap your head cause it’s gon get wild if we keep lovin’ like this, we might make a child a daughter, a son, whichever one girl your second to none I’m feeling good I’m having fun this is the best night of my life we off the Patron and both of us gone girl this gon be the best night of my life you coulda been anywhere in the World but you’re right here with me girl and if we go home and make love this could be the best night of your life so girl let me ask you a question while we’re sipping bud are you going home with me after the club thats a yes or a no, I’m just letting ya know where this night can go and girl I’m hoping you could see things my way cause I just want your love to stay tonight, tonight [Wiz Khalifa] I could be your bartender, tell me what you’re sippin’ on girl, I’m not a travel agent so what you trippin’ on you say I think I could make it happen cause I’m famous nah, I’m just tryna get it cracking cause we faded get you to my crib, spend some time alone barely over 21 that mean you kinda grown ermm, and I’m tat tat tatted up come out to that bread I’mma stack it up where you born baby girl back it up [Jamie Foxx] you gon need a scarf? wrap your head cause it’s gon get wild if we keep lovin’ like this, we might make a child a daughter, a son, whichever one girl your second to none I’m feeling good I’m having fun this is the best night of my life we off the Patron and both of us gone girl this gon be the best night of my life you coulda been anywhere in the World but you’re right here with me girl and if we go home and make love this could be the best night of your life
[Wiz Khalifa - Intro]Yeah ah haYou know what it isBlack and yellowblack and yellowBlack and yellowblack and yellow(Repeated) [Chorus]Yeah ah hayou know what it isEverything I doI do it bigYeah ah hascreaming that's nothinWhen I pulled out of the lotthat's nothinStep up in my townwhen you see me you know everythingBlack and yellowblack and yellowBlack and yellowblack and yellowI put it downfrom my whip to my diamondsBlack and yellowblack and yellowBlack and yellowblack and yellowBlack and yellowblack and yellow [Wiz Khalifa- Verse 1]Uh black stripeyellow paintThe n-ggas scared of itbut them hoes aintSoon as I hit the clublook at them hoes facePut the pedal oncemake the floor shakeSuede insideengine roaring It's the big boy you knowwhat I pay for itAnd I got the pedal to the metalGot you n-ggas checking gameI'm balling out on every levelHear them haters talkbut there's nothing you can tell emJust made a milliongot another million on my scheduleNo love for em n-gga breaking heartsNo keyspush to start [Chorus] [Wiz Khalifa- Verse 2]Got a call from my jeweler this just inAnd b-tches love mecuz I'm f-cking with their best friendsNot a lesbian but she a freak thoughThis aint for one nightI'm shining all week hoeI'm sippin clicquotand rocking yellow diamondsSo many rocks up in my watchI can't tell what the time isGot a pocket full of big facesThrow it up cuz every n-ggathat I'm with tailored [Chorus] [Wiz Khalifa- Verse 2]Stay high like how I'm supposed to doThat crowd underneath them cloudscan't get close to youAnd my car look unapproachableSuper clean but it's super meanShe wanna f-ck with them catsSmoke weed count stacksGet fly and take trips and that's thatReal rap I let her get highif she want she feel thatConvertible drop feel'87 the top peel back [Chorus][End]
last night i let the party get the best of me waking up in the morning: two hoes laying next to me plus i heard an officer arrested me good weed and cold drinks: that's the motherfucking recipe nigga and we roll deep, so deep it's going down in this bitch: concrete we gonna party all night: no sleep tell the owner them is all my gang so tonight everything is on me
the drinks is on me the bitches, the hotel, the weed is all free get high, i mean so high we gon' see the whole suite
no driving, no sleeping what it look like? it's the weekend when the dj play the right song gonna drink, gonna party all night long
leaving from the club now she wanna stay with us wanna spend it all, don't care what i'm paying for used to be too young, now i'm out here buying the bar everytime i look up, it's another red cup bunch of niggas in the game but they ain't playing with us they ain't spending enough man them niggas ain't ballin they just laying it up saying they does, i'm just rolling hella weed on my way to the club i had to wait at the club but now i don't cause everything is on me
the drinks is on me the bitches, the hotel, the weed is all free get high, i mean so high we gon' see the whole suite
no driving, no sleeping what it look like? it's the weekend when the dj play the right song gonna drink, gonna party all night long
It's your anniversary isn't it? And your man ain't acting right So you packin' your Domiar luggage up callin' my cell phone, tryin' ta catch a flight You know one thing straight, I'll be there girl whenever you call me When you at home that's your man, soon as you land you say it's all me But shit ain't all G with him no more, you ain't entertained Since I meet you a couple months ago you ain't been the same Not sayin' I'm the richest man alive but I'm in the game As long as you keep it 100 I'mma spend this change,
Whenever you need me Whenever want me, You know you can call me, I'll be there shortly Don't care what your friends say, cause they don't know me I can be your best friend, and you be my homie I ain't gonna flex, I'm not gonna front You know if I ball, then we all gonna stunt Send her my way, she ain't gotta hold up Whenever you call baby I'll roll up, I'll roll up, I'll roll up Whenever you call baby I'll roll up, I'll roll up, I'll roll up Whenever you call baby I'll roll up
I try to stay out your business But on the real you're so obvious And if you keep fitting me in your plans and fuckin' up, your man's gonna catch onto us That white sand surrounding us He be handcuffing, he should work for them officers If you rolling I got a spot where I can put you on this medical, and send you home doctored up You wanna ride with me cause you say that he boring Wake up you rollin' weed, cooking eggs in the morning Ain't scared to spend this money I know I'll make more of it
First you was in the sky, now you say you in orbit
No matter where I am No matter where you are, I'll be there when it's over baby Cause I was there from the start No matter if I'm near Don't matter if your far All you do is pick the phone up lady And I'll be there when you call
Whenever you need me Whenever want me, You know you can call me, I'll be there shortly Don't care what your friends say, cause they don't know me I can be your best friend, and you be my homie I ain't gonna flex, I'm not gonna front You know if I ball, then we all gonna stunt Send her my way, she ain't gotta hold up Whenever you call baby I'll roll up
Whenever you need me Whenever want me, You know you can call me, I'll be there shortly Don't care what your friends say, cause they don't know me I can be your best friend, and you be my homie I ain't gonna flex, I'm not gonna front You know if I ball, then we all gonna stunt Send her my way, she ain't gotta hold up Whenever you call baby I'll roll up, I'll roll up, I'll roll up Whenever you call baby I'll roll up, I'll roll up, I'll roll up Whenever you call baby I'll roll up
I roll up, I roll up Whenever you call baby I roll up
I wake up lonely in the morning and it feels so good Smoking on some shit that you wish you could Jealousy in .. please don't feel bad This weed is mine get your own bag A sack full of og under locking key None for the homies this is all for me Got a .. looking like a .. tree Please roll by i got nothing on me Cause the smoke is already in the air I am .. two blades in my hair I'll start with the kaki sweet I'm gonna fuck around and take it to the classic suit On the east side standing on the vip Back when my only weed was the ... Used to .. and you're looking so fine I am sorry baby girl but tonight
Chorus
This weed is mine This weed is mine You can't have it This weed is mien
Get back to the episode sex ... Out of this world ... This church music listen to the .. To burn my kush you must use fire Dogg like never heard before Smoking that bomb like tic4 West coast .. sea shore to sea shore When is the last time you've seen the g in the g4 Don't worry i'll wait Time is ticking i'm tripping No sleeping i'll wait Into the zone where these whores ....
I .. and they download my ring zone And she is hypnotized by this pimp poem What i got here is mien go get your own I put this to rhymes get piece of mind Oz to dye this weed is mine
Chorus
I hear niggas talkin about what they rollin up Smell what i smoke before the bag open up Good chance you can see me there im smokin one License to get it from the man who grow the shit Real nigga blowin weed before i was old enough If im in the building its hard not to notice it Hit up will he said dog i got some hos to fuck Im a fall through with a ounce of that potent shit Dont trip Bitch we gona all sip blow the whole zip Let you hit mine plus you supplying your own little bit My nigga get high and let the hos twist Say you dont fuck wit joints what kind you roll then They aint smokin like ours Im rollin up papers they be burnin for hours And if its fair im smokin the whole thing entire
Chorus
I got a roll for you Do you wanna smoke with me I wanna smoke with you Do you wanna smoke with me (repeat)
It's the champagne pourin' Big joint rollin' Bombay sippin' No blunt smoking Bad bitch gettin' Thick and she got some friends with her I take 'em out pourin' shots of liquor Drinkin' out the bottle, smiling in all my pictures The marijuana loud so them hoes follow like twitter nigga, you know everything Taylored Don't rush to the bar fool, if you ain't got no paper That's the rules, high as fuck, sloppy drunk when I'm passing through Rollin' doobies up, ya hoe who we pass 'em to Hit the club spend this money up, roll another one, drink, act a fool That's what I have to do [Chorus] See after drinking champagne all night Never worry bout a damn thing, y'all might Homie I'm on my level (yeh) I'm on my level (yeah) I'm on my level (yeh) I'm on my level (yeaah) So let me take one shot to the brain And I order three more shots I'm going in, ayy I'm on my level (yeh) I'm on my level (yeah) I'm on my level (yeh) I'm on my level (yeaah) Spent a couple dollars on my engine motor roaring when I back out the garage Gin got me drunk as fuck stumbling out the bar Plus I'm struggling tryna find the keys to my car Cause I be going hard, roll the camera Life just like a movie, I'm the star Wish you was in my position You too broke to play the part Of course I keep some bad women with me in the back Sippin' Rose with some hash twistin' All about a dollar, my team in the cash gettin' Straight out the burb, we drinking we smash niggas So when I say I'm balling, that don't mean that I'm playing mate All my diamonds talkin', you can see what they sayin' mayne [Chorus] See after drinking champagne all night Never worry bout a damn thing, y'all might Homie I'm on my level (yeh) I'm on my level (yeah) I'm on my level (yeh) I'm on my level (yeaah) So let me take one shot to the brain And I order three more shots I'm going in, ayy I'm on my level (yeh) I'm on my level (yeah) I'm on my level (yeh) I'm on my level (yeaah) In the middle of the night, early in the mornin' From the streets to the sheets with some freaks, I ain't yawnin' I'm wide awake, we ain't eatin', we ain't sleepin' These bitches so high man, we ain't even speakin' We just freakin' You rollin' with short dog baby She was high on that pill so I fucked yo lady Come to my house I give 'em everything they want I might not dot it, but I give to ya women Cocaine, mushrooms, ecstasy, GHB, Marijuana She can suck it if she wanna I got tequila, Ciroc and two freaky friends and this a Wednesday night, this ain't the weekend [Chorus] See after drinking champagne all night Never worry bout a damn thing, y'all might Homie I'm on my level (yeh) I'm on my level (yeah) I'm on my level (yeh) I'm on my level (yeaah) So let me take one shot to the brain And I order three more shots I'm going in, ayy I'm on my level (yeh) I'm on my level (yeah) I'm on my level (yeh) I'm on my level (yeaah) Man I'm high as fuck Man I swear I'm on my level Man I'm sloppy drunk Man I swear I'm on my level I finna pass out man I swear I'm on my level A nigga get smashed out Man I swear I'm on my level Man I'm high as fuck Man I swear I'm on my level Man I'm sloppy drunk Man I swear I'm on my level I finna pass out man I swear I'm on my level A nigga get smashed out Man I swear I'm on my level [Chorus] See after drinking champagne all night Never worry bout a damn thing, y'all might Homie I'm on my level (yeh) I'm on my level (yeah) I'm on my level (yeh) I'm on my level (yeaah) So let me take one shot to the brain And I order three more shots I'm going in, ayy I'm on my level (yeh) I'm on my level (yeah) I'm on my level (yeh) I'm on my level (yeaah)
I roll up I roll up I roll up Shawty I roll up I roll up I roll up I roll up
[Wiz Khalifa - Verse 1] Its your anniversary isn't it And your man ain't acting right So you packin’ your Domiar luggage up callin’ my cell phone, try and catch a flight You know one thing straight, I’ll be there girl whenever you call me When you at home that's your man, soon as you land you say that's all me But shit ain't all g with him no more, you ain't entertained Since I meet you a couple months ago you ain't been the same Not sayin I’m the richest man alive but I’m in the game As long as you keep it 100 Imma spend this change,
[Chorus] Whenever you need me Whenever want me, You know you can call me, I’ll be there shortly Don’t care what your friends say, cause they don't know me I can be your best friend, and you be my homie I ain't gonna flex, I’m not gonna front You know if I ball, then we all gonna stunt Send her my way, she ain't gotta hold up Whenever you call baby I roll up, I roll up, I roll up Whenever you call baby I roll up, I roll up, I roll up Whenever you call baby I roll up
[Wiz Khalifa - Verse 2] I try to stay out your business But on the real you’re so obvious And if you keep fitting me in your plans and fuckin up, your mans gonna catch onto us That white sand surrouding us He be handcuffing, he should work for them officers If you rolling I got a spot where I can put you on this medical, and send you home doctored up You wanna ride with me cause you say that he boring Wake up you rollin’ weed, cooking eggs in the morning Ain't scared to spend this money I’ll make more of it First you was in the sky now you say you in orbit
[Chorus]
No matter where I am No matter where you are I’ll be there when its over baby Cause I was there from the start No matter if I’m near Don’t matter if your far All you do is pick the phone up lady And I’ll be there when you call
Whenever you need me Whenever want me, You know you can call me, I’ll be there shortly Don’t care what your friends say, cause they don't know me I can be your best friend, and you be my homie I ain't gonna flex, I’m not gonna front You know if I ball, then we all gonna stunt Send her my way, she ain't gotta hold up Whenever you call baby I roll up
Whenever you need me Whenever want me, You know you can call me, I’ll be there shortly Don’t care what your friends say, cause they don't know me I can be your best friend, and you be my homie I ain't gonna flex, I’m not gonna front You know if I ball, then we all gonna stunt Send her my way, she ain't gotta hold up Whenever you call baby I roll up, I roll up, I roll up Whenever you call baby I roll up, I roll up, I roll up Whenever you call baby I roll up
I roll up, I roll up Whenever you call baby I roll up
Shades on, polo white t, Me leavin' here alone that's unlikely Not a stoner bitch but she likes me Trying to get that final cut like Spike Lee I check them whose, direct them whose, Take them home and let them whose ... about their fantasies, they popping pills I'm rolling weed We been got a couple bad bitches over seas Out the back this ain't no ... When I'm shopping and my bag filled with ... ass What it cost, I'm in the Maseratti ... call me so fast That I lost her and my bitch has so much swag That this bad bitch on this, ah... killing them ...get a calling
Call it Yoko Ono, ono, only ride solo, solo , solo Mission for the dodo, dodo, dodo One to get her eyes, telling you a lie, she a man eater Scheme man diva, she might of believe ... you can never leave her You will never have so you will never keep her Tripping on the ... he can't have it either Call it Yoko Ono
Hustle couple benz, blow a hundred fast I just made a hundred of a fifty bag Word I'm bad agent bitches holding down my city ... On them girls with that ... with that pretty face Round thing yeah I'm on that loud thing Pop another bottle shootin' ...at the crowd Dang, yeah, I'm a stunner but nah, I ain't baby though Young do, with the lazy flow Watch all these ladies go Crazy when I pull up right beside them I do a buck 30 yeah, I'm just in the flying
I smell like dirty money plus it's cookie that I'm likin' Big buckets full of ice with bottles on fire inside them, ah
Call it Yoko Ono, ono, only ride solo, solo , solo Mission for the dodo, dodo, dodo One to get her eyes, telling you a lie, she a man eater Scheme man diva, she might of believe ... you can never leave her You will never have so you will never keep her Tripping on the ... he can't have it either Call it Yoko Ono
... kush it up in right there, way you send the messages Talking about a night care She tell you she like ... You tell her you might .... She pretend you she a jam, really you quite well She just bought a nice bed Wrist game, ice pad, ... price tag, ... put her in the game Cause you hope that she a high bid So you can go along on the beat, catch a spike there You can never ... there, never ever hide there ... enough to make her settle down, she like ... Punch a nigger in the mouth, yeah nigger fight there Rolling nigger weed up...ask him what a lie there
Call it Yoko Ono, ono, only ride solo, solo , solo Mission for the dodo, dodo, dodo One to get her eyes, telling you a lie, she a man eater Scheme man diva, she might of believe ... you can never leave her You will never have so you will never keep her Tripping on the ... he can't have it either Call it Yoko Ono.
.... 
