The lanky hip hop maestro Wiz Khalifa achieved super stardom when "Black and Yellow", an ode to his car's unusual paint job from his third studio album Rolling Papers, rode to the #1 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. The triple platinum selling single would help earn Wiz Khalifa, born Cameron Thomaz in Minot, ND, Best New Artist at the 2011 BET Awards. But the rapper, who developed his smooth flow yet aggressive stance on mixtapes while still in high school, quickly proved that there was nothing fluky about his hard-earned success. His 2012 follow-up O.N.I.F.C. debuted at #2 on the top 200 and #1 on the R&B/Hip Hop charts and produced the platinum selling single "Work Hard, Play Hard." It also demonstrated that mainstream acceptance had done nothing to soften him. With a style that seamlessly combines West Coast, East Coast, and Southern influences into a sound that feels entirely reflective of the Pittsburgh scene he has come to embody, Khalifa has proved to be an ideal collaborator for the likes of Diddy, Snoop Dogg, Kelly Rowland. Miley Cyrus, and Adele. He thrives in all of these settings, thanks to the same braggadocio and easy charisma that has made his concerts, with frequent tour mates A$AP Rocky and B.o.B., must-see events even for the most casual hip hop fans.
