True Colors: 3 Things To Look Out For On Wiz Khalifa’s ‘KHALIFA’
The new LP is here.
NEW YORK — Wiz Khalifa’s Rolling Papers 2 is on the way, but before that happens the tatted emcee hosts a bake sale of sorts on the fitting album prelude, KHALIFA.
The album was previewed on Wednesday (February 3) at Bar Naná in the Big Apple’s Meatpacking District, where Wiz hosted a KHALIFA listening party that welcomed in everyone from industry big wigs to media outlets, as well as celebrities like Michael Strahan and yes, of course, Amber Rose.
At 13-tracks, the project gels as a whole and has hints of Kush & OJ-and-Taylor Allderdice’s sonic magic. KHALIFA is available now on iTunes. But in the meantime, we compiled a few things you should look out for on Wiz’s album-before-the-album.
1. KHALIFA features a batch of unreleased and leftover material from previous albums.
Describing the project for everyone in attendance, Wiz said KHALIFA features a “collection of songs” that were lying around from his previous recording sessions. “Being that I didn’t drop a project last year, I wanted to make up for it,” he admitted. Some of these records lived on the cutting room floor of albums like Blacc Hollywood, O.N.I.F.C., and more.
2. The album is personal.
“It’s really coming from me and from my heart,” said the “Bake Sale” rapper about the release he calls a “personal” effort. Focusing on narratives that he hasn’t really disclosed on his previous albums, Wiz experiences plenty moments of introspection throughout the LP, especially on tracks like “BTS,” “Cow Boy” and “Zoney.”
On “Cow Boy,” the “See You Again” rapper puts his storytelling skills on display, detailing the rise of a certain “Midwest cowboy, Pittsburgh nigga.” On “Zoney,” Wiz and Amber’s son Sebastian steals the show, providing one of the album’s clearest standouts.
3. The 13-tracks are all bangers.
While he keeps it personal, Wiz also balances out the introspectiveness over inescapable anthems. From the slick intro that is “BTS” to the smooth and buoyant “Call Waiting,” the made-for-springtime “Lit” (w/ Ty Dolla $ign), and the eardrum fixture in “No Permission,” there isn’t a song that deserves a skip.
Cleary, Wiz created this project with the intention of giving TGOD fans something to hold on to until Rolling Papers 2.
Simply put, what Cabin Fever was to Rolling Papers and Taylor Allderdice to O.N.I.F.C., Wiz’s KHALIFA is another perfect appetizer. It’s lit!