Wiz Khalifa was Really Blazin'

Who would have ever thought the best meal to go with orange juice wasn't breakfast at all? An artist who would go on to be known worldwide made one of his works together before he even had the big record deal. A mixtape that would be released to the listener for free became one of the most successful moments in his career.

Wiz Khalifa
Kush & OJ
April 14, 2010

Wiz Khalifa, a young artist on the rise at the time, found a way to make the perfect bridge between good music and a way of life. I remember being 18 years old at the time and in my first year of college when this came out, and I had never smoked marijuana so I couldn't exactly relate to what he was talking about.  But I could still feel his happiness that he was experiencing when he made this tape through the music that was being played in my 1989 Acura Integra. So when I came across this tape the other day, it gave me that nostalgic feeling and reminded me that this work is timeless.

​Twitter was created in 2006 but really started to take off around 2008-'09, and Wiz Khalifa used this as his main platform to reach his fans. As one of the first artists to use Twitter as their main way to promote and stay connected to fans, he released the link to this mixtape which led to him being the top trending topic for days straight and was number one in Google's hot-search trends. Timing was perfect as he released it one week before 4/20 so that it could be enjoyed by everyone who participates in the annual unofficial holiday for weed smokers. The first single from the mixtape was "The Kid Frankie" which was a cover of an R&B song that was number one in England, with a life is good ​vibe.

Ain't nothin' to a G
Let your hair blow in the breeze
Roll some bomb-ass weed
Get high, cruise out at jet speed
Do it like I do it for TV

Before I ever picked up a joint, that was my favorite track. But as I got older and was introduced to marijuana, I was able to view things from the perspective of a young man who had seen a lot of things in his life but saw even more for his own future. This tape was created for anyone who just wants something to relax and appreciate the life you have for what it is. With some deep tracks that open up his emotions to the listener, he created a window that allows us to look into the past of an artist who now has millions of albums sold and fans all over the world. The track "Still Blazin" gives us a peek into the thoughts of a young artist who just wanted to make music and chill out.

Why can't everyone just smoke like me?
Just get up out my face and lemme roll my weed
Where ain't nobody in my business, don't nobody gotta know
Lets all learn how to roll and blow it by the O
I'm here but my minds gone

As someone who has listened to this tape before even knowing what Kush was, and has also listened to it years after its release while enjoying Mother Nature's sweetest scent, I can tell you that you can enjoy this music either way. If you're tired of hearing the same style of rap music that every single rapper is using now, put this tape on and relax your mind and think about that first car you ever had and how it made you feel when you played your music at any volume and nobody could tell you to turn it down. The weed may be loud, but the music doesn't have to be to vibe out.

Here's an old video of Wiz smokin' and rappin'