Wiz Khalifa’s ego soldiers on
Local rapper’s inflated ego is little help to Pittsburgh’s music scene
Pillbox |
Pittsburgh needs a music scene. Not just a “music scene” in the sense that touring bands grace Pittsburgh with their honorary presence, but also a “music scene” in the sense that the city can become a breeding ground for up-and-coming artists. Although the city is overflowing with creativity and talent, few artists become successful outside of the city limits — if they even make it that far.
Enter Wiz Khalifa, the city’s answer to the lack of native artists. Khalifa, whose real name is Cameron Thomaz, is a Pittsburgh high-school MC signed to Rostrum Records. He has a mixtape, entitled Welcome to Pistolvania, that is gaining recognition from local newspapers and radio stations.
A mixtape differs from a traditional record because it is much more focused on the rapping than on the music. It is meant to create buzz about a certain rapper before his or her legitimate CD is released. Less money, advertising, and general publicity are devoted to a mixtape, because record executives expect word of mouth to be the most powerful initial distributor. Once the mixtape has been well-hyped and distributed, the record labels release a bigger and better CD.
So, when Khalifa’s mixtape landed in my hands late last week, I had high expectations for the young rapper. I expected infectious flow, supportive-yet-simple beats, and, most importantly, intelligent, educated rhymes.
I got very little of what I expected. The beats were dark and heavy, with the stereotypical rap/gangster/street attitude. The rapping itself was no different. I thought, “A high school senior rapping about how good he is and the rough life on the streets? Am I the only one who’s confused here?”
“[The streets] don’t want to hear commercial, poppy stuff,” said Benjy Grinberg, who signed Khalifa, in an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette earlier this month. “They want to hear what you have to say.” Fair enough, I thought. But unfortunately, Khalifa has very few interesting things to say. In “Me,” Khalifa wastes 4:13 of his audience’s valuable time glorifying himself — a high school senior — and his God-given talent: “Who is on the grind?/ Me/ Winnin’ all the time/ Me/ ’Bout them dolla signs/ Me.”
Sorry Wiz, Kanye’s already got enough ego for the music world... and at least he deserves to brag. In the opening track, “Oh No,” Wiz raps over a hackneyed beat of digital claps and synthesized strings about, yep, his glory: “Yeah, you hot in your hood, I’m burning towns down ... Wiz Khalifa got that fast to that slow flow/ Cash-gettin’ mojo ... play it back they like, ‘oh no.’”
I mentioned that Kanye deserves to brag. Even though Kanye himself doesn’t have many interesting things to say, he makes up for it with fabulous music behind his raps. Who else can sample blues legend Ray Charles, jazz icon Lester Young, and pop singer Adam Levine of Maroon 5 all on the same record, and make catchy and danceable beats? Khalifa and his DJ, DJ Huggy, have done the opposite. They assembled 20 tracks of stale rhymes and unoriginal beats that make me remember why I used to hate rap so much. Regardless of how important the music is in the mixtape, it’s important for the beats to encourage originality and substance in the rapping.
One track out of the 20 just barely caught my attention. In “Soldier,” Khalifa shows off his true strength — his flow — when he raps over the catchy bass-line-driven beat. With a touch of keyboards and strings, the beat brings back the brilliant simplicity that Dr. Dre’s legendary Chronic 2001 record once coined. The hook, sung by Gene Stovall, adds just what the rest of Khalifa’s music lacks: a catchy, soulful chorus that the mainstream audiences can grab onto. However, if you actually listen to the words, you’ll realize that this really isn’t a great hook: “I’m a soldier/ Wiz been the best/ brush your shoulders...” But, when Khalifa opens his best song with, “I will never sell myself short, I’m too cocky ... I think dudes is mad ’cause you not me/ So you get a pen and a pad and you copy!” that’s about as good a hook as he’ll get.
If Wiz Khalifa gets over his ego and realizes that his flow is just about the only thing going for him right now, he may still have the potential to become a respected rapper. The music industry has enough larger-than-life rappers (like Ludacris) to look at Khalifa and toss his mixtape in the trash. If he channels his talent more carefully and puts himself in the position to say something respectable (let’s face it, Mr. Khalifa’s rap skills are not the most pressing issues in America today), he may be able to become the Immortal Technique or Common of the future. And hey, he just might be able to carry Pittsburgh back to the top of the nation’s music scene... where it deserves to be.
Joe Ferens
Yeah this writers honestly pretty dumb, talk shit on his rap skill all you want my dude thats why wiz is one of the hottest names in the game right now, when you go platinum on an album maybe you can talk shit
this writer clearly has a stuck up taste for hip hop..i hate when a writer bashes an artist the whole way through the article then trys to get off by sayin he should take pittsburgh to the top..wiz is the truth and his music is chill..writing articles about artists and music and pointless because you can't win your point..either you like it..or you don't. period. clearly you don't like it and i doubt wiz cares to read what you typed there..he's doin his thing now and goin to the top. check out deal or no deal and shutdafuck up. 4one2
Luke
this writer dont know hip hop when he hears it, welcome to pistolvania is one of my favorite mixtapes wiz's flow is so impeccable. i love every single one of his songs hes come out with and no other artist can do that for me at least
Reppin tha 412!!!!
Wiz is the next lil wayne!!!!and thats all i have to say!!!
Wiz Khalifa is Hip-Hop's future. The business is always seeking someone fresh to jump into the rap game. I think Wiz is ready to take his hsow on the road and be the new face of commercial hip-hop. So, like many people on here, I disagree with this article. Not objective at all. Give his fans a chance to see that he can make a name for himself in this business. "Say Yeah" is a hot track regardless of what anyone says. It's a smart move to pick a beat that everyone is familiar with.
vonnie
I read this article and was very upset and I am glad to see so many other people felt the same way. Pittsburgh will never have a music scene if haters like you (the writer) keep hatin. You should do your homework before you try to slander and bad mouth someone just to get your name in the school paper. Wiz is one of the best performers the burgh has to offer he is so laid back and very humble and soft spoken when you speak to him in person, hopefully the kids at your school brush pass this article because you have really made Wiz out to be something that he is not. Obviously your not to good at what you do because noone even seems to know your name. Get ya game up before you talk about somebody elses.
Killa
Prob the worst review ive ever heard as J-Hov once said "do you fools listen to music, or do you just skim through it"
I'm just getting to this review, but I totally agree with the last person, "Too much hatin, not enough reviewin!" lol...nice try
subversivethoughts
Wow. What a terrible review. As a journalist and freelance writer who has taught at 2 major universities in the US, I am truly disappointed in Matt Sifferts obvious inability to write a review. Since when has review writing been about creating an editorial? There is absolutely nothing here that gives the reader any sort of glimpse as to what the album could present to a new listener. There isn't ONE single source, or even quote. If you don't like the album, that's fine, but shouldn't you leave that up to your audience to decide? Your role as a journalist is to present the facts and hope that your audience is intelligent enough to develop their own opinion.
Aside from the fact that your editor should have a finger shaken at him for allowing this to go to print, the opinion seems unfounded. Your knowledge of hip hop and the culture is apparently lacking. Next time you may want to consider:
Interview someone, anyone. Don't take your information from other news sources.
Everyone has an opinion, but a strong writer has the ability to share hers without spoon feeding (i.e. insulting your audeinve) Perhaps you should funnel your focus to the meat of what you are reviewing. Use your words to evoke senses and create emotion in your reader.
Do your research. Kanye is able to use samples of people like Ray Charles because he can afford to. DJ Huggy and the rest of the staff at ID LABS are incredibly talented, and many high ranking industry insiders would roll their eyes at your claims against them.
Hip hop is beyond the main stream audience that you seem to reference with your ode to Kanye. Check out allishiphop.com or from what has been buzzing around new york as a review about him on okayplayer.com.
Lastly, it's great that you took the time to listen to the cd, and write about what seems to be a young man with a ton of potential. I do agree, his track with Gene Stovall is the strongest the album has to offer, but in a pop music sort of way. Hip hop goes beyond top 40s hits, and if you listened to what Kanye has to say you would also know that he is disappointed in what the industry has done to the black community. Turning hip hop into a commercialized and capitalized industry has been destructive in many ways. So isn't it refereshing when a young and seemingly intelligent voice starts turning heads because he's not immediately trying to cash in all of his chips.
I happened to catch his show last night at New Evolution Studios, and was incredibly impressed at his ability to flow like one of the legends. I was so impressed that I plan to see him on Sunday at Mr.Small's for the show. Who knows, perhaps this could be Pittsburgh's "Kanye"!
Peachie
Wiz is honored to be compared to Kanye and Luda.
This commentary is part of the larger problem of men who have disdain for outspoken African American men. This artist's flow is self-confident and unapologetic for it. Wiz speaks to the disenfranchisement of young black men, police brutality, good kids getting in "the game" for lack of opportunity,the carelessness that educators have for "their" future,hopelessness and finally hopefulness. It is obvious this writer never interviewed Wiz Khalifa, ID Labs, ID Labs Management or Rostrum Records.
Ms Paradise
Apparently the article's writer is no down with the hip hop world and what we the average peeps like to bang when we ride or when we are "just chillin".
I own a copy of the cd and love it! It's hot and funky and it's sounds that I would be on the dance floor to in the club.
Wiz has definitely got flow! The youngster gots flow like Jigga and Nas. Simply a wordsmith who can tie words and phases together, not necessarily rhyming (most of it does) but bringing words together to create a visual image in one's mind when listening.
in additon, i love the fact the Young Brotha is well read and well versed, something you catch at a live performance, intelligent beyond is time.
When the time is right and he really comes out, Wiz is gonna have 'em saying "Kanye, who"?
Go ahead Wiz, get it crackin like a Pakistan!
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