Wiz Khalifa Talks Kush & Orange Juice, Record Labels, Success & Your Girl…

14 years ago view-show 3,285,216

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Wiz recently sat down with the good people over at Complex Magazine and touched on a few subjects. He spoke about the success of his latest Kush & Orange Juice, how he got his start in the rap game, his feelings on record labels and much more.

Complex: How were you able to build the anticipation for the project?

Wiz Khalifa: I took it from a real fan perspective because more than anything, I’m a fan of music. The mixtape game—and just the game in general—is all fast paced. A lot of artists just make their tapes and drop it or everybody is like, “Yo I’m doing a mixtape every month of the year—every week of the month!” I was just like, I’m going to do the exact opposite of that. I made them wait ’cause it was real risky. People were like, “Oh you’re never gonna drop it, and Kush & Orange Juice is gonna be like Detox“. People were doubting me a lot. Some people were frontin’ on it but they went from being impatient for a second to being patient because they thought I was waiting to drop it on 4/20. So I decided to drop it in between then and just catch everyone off guard. It was a good move.
Complex: I read that you started rapping when you were really young with your Uncle. How old were you would you say?

Wiz Khalifa:
I was in like…third grade! I was hella young. When I was younger I always knew that I wanted to rap or do something in front of people. I think it was more around the time where I was like 13 or 14 when I realized that I wanted to do this for real. That’s when I started to go hard.

Complex: When the deal with Warner went sour and you left the label, did you have any fears of failing?

Wiz Khalifa:
I knew the reality of the situation when I signed with Warner. I knew that wasn’t going to change my life. When I did sign with Warner, I felt like I was going to do bigger stuff other than that, and I didn’t feel like it was over. I always had my mind ready to do what I had to do and when it came to that point I was already prepared for it. It didn’t overwhelm me and it didn’t make me fall back and not want to work. So really I never got to the point where I was like, “Aw man,” or got scared and thought something was going to happen. I definitely got frustrated because I was young and it was my first little situation, so I felt like there was things that should’ve been going on that wasn’t going on. In the end, it taught me how hard I work for myself and in the end that’s what’s going to show through me and not anyone else. So when the situation was over, it wasn’t a huge thing for me. I was already working on other things. Not working with other labels or anything like that, but just working on just building my plan, getting in touch with my fans and doing things that no label or anyone else could do for me.

He also touches on his XXL Freshman feature, working with producers Jim Jonsin and Drumma Boy and hooking up with other dudes girlfriends. Make sure you check out the full interview here. Also be sure to cop that Deal Or No Deal and if you don’t have Kush & Orange Juice already, then Taylor Gang or Die.

Complex: When you compare yourself to the other people on the XXL cover, do you feel you’ve accomplished more with less support than they have?

Wiz Khalifa:
I think it’s fair to say that without that major push-just based off of a real grass root organic following-I’ve been able to sell out shows across the country. And not only just small markets, but huge markets like New York, Atlanta, Tallahassee, DC was sold out. When I left the label, I was better off really, because I knew how to market myself. It was just me making the music, making my videos, and doing what I do with my fashion thing and it really all came together. Man, it’s really all just a blessing. I got great fans who not only support on the internet and download music, but they made Deal or No Deal number one on iTunes, and they also buy tickets two weeks before the shows so I sell out the show before it even happens. That shit makes me look good to other people.

Complex: What was the studio session like with Jim Jonsin?

Wiz Khalifa:
Well with Jim, he don’t really like smoke. He doesn’t mind smokers but he doesn’t like the smell. So like every five minutes I’d have to go away. I got to smoke by the pool and the hot tub. We was in Miami on a resort type thing, me and my homies, so we drinking Bombay and lemonade, coolin’. Working with Jim was great. I got like six songs done with him.

Wiz Khalifa: I met Drumma when I was with Warner. So when he heard that I was in town and I was doing my thing looking for a single and he’s got Jeezy’s single and a couple of other people’s songs on the way. Drumma is always gonna be there. The experience was real loud, lot of weed. He smokes blunts, I’m trying to get him to smoke papers, but he won’t do it!

Complex:
Why do you only rap about hooking up with other dudes’ girlfriends? You don’t mess with single girls?

Wiz Khalifa: Oh, man! This is the topic of the day! [Laughs.] I’m not like the other-guy-bitch-taker. I’m not going to go up and take anybody’s girl. I almost had to punch this dude in his mouth because he was like—first off I didn’t do nothing with her, but he was like, “Yeah, all my girl listens to is you, Wiz, and I’m pretty sure you’ve smoked with her and I love your music but I’m pretty pissed about it!” So I’m like, well, what do you want to do? Like why are you approaching me, dog? Don’t talk to me about it! Talk to her about it!

The truth of it is, these girls have boyfriends and they be out trying to act like they don’t have boyfriends, but they do! So like that’s just my own way of being like, you chicks think you’re slick. You’re coming to my hotel room and you’re staying here and you’re smoking this weed and you know you have a boyfriend.