Wiz Khalifa

Cameron Jibril Thomaz, known professionally as Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, entrepreneur, and actor. Born on September 8, 1987, in Minot, North Dakota, to military parents, he lived in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Japan during his childhood. He settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, around 1996, attending Taylor Allderdice High School. He adopted the stage name Wiz Khalifa, derived from the Arabic word for "successor" and a childhood nickname based on "wisdom."

Thomaz began writing and performing lyrics before his teenage years. At age 15, he recorded regularly at I.D. Labs, where studio owner E. Dan mentored him. In 2004, Rostrum Records president Benjy Grinberg discovered Thomaz on a local mixtape, leading to a development deal. Thomaz released his debut mixtape, Prince of the City: Welcome to Pistolvania, followed by his debut studio album, Show and Prove, in 2006. Rolling Stone magazine declared him an "artist to watch" that year.

In 2007, Thomaz signed a joint venture contract with Warner Bros. Records. He achieved his first minor hit with the 2008 Eurodance-influenced single "Say Yeah," which entered both the Rhythmic Top 40 and Hot Rap Songs charts. After leaving Warner Bros. in 2009 due to album delays, he released his second studio album, Deal or No Deal, independently through Rostrum Records. His 2010 mixtape, Kush and Orange Juice, achieved significant online popularity, becoming the top trending topic on Twitter.

Thomaz signed with Atlantic Records in July 2010. His debut single for the label, "Black and Yellow," paid tribute to Pittsburgh and topped the Billboard Hot 100 while earning two Grammy Award nominations. In 2011, he won Best New Artist at the BET Awards and released his third studio album, Rolling Papers, which debuted at number two on the Billboard 200. His fourth album, O.N.I.F.C. (2012), also reached number two on the chart and featured the singles "Work Hard, Play Hard" and "Remember You."

His fifth album, Blacc Hollywood (2014), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, supported by the lead single "We Dem Boyz." In 2015, Thomaz released "See You Again" featuring Charlie Puth for the Furious 7 soundtrack as a tribute to late actor Paul Walker. The song stayed at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 non-consecutive weeks, earned a 14-times platinum diamond certification from the RIAA, and received three Grammy nominations. He released his sixth studio album, Rolling Papers 2, in 2018.

Beyond his solo recording career, Thomaz founded the record label Taylor Gang Entertainment in 2008, signing artists such as Juicy J, Ty Dolla Sign, and Berner. In acting, he starred in the 2012 comedy film Mac & Devin Go to High School alongside Snoop Dogg, appeared on television series including Dickinson and The Eric Andre Show, and provided voice roles for animated programs such as American Dad!, Duncanville, and Big City Greens. In 2016, he launched his cannabis brand, Khalifa Kush, which expanded to dispensaries nationwide in 2022.