While he’s young, wild and free, Wiz still knows how to make it hot.
These are 3 of Khalifa’s fiercest tracks that still keep us mesmerized. We’re basing our choices on a mix of powerful beats, captivating production and the sublime delivery that Wiz brings to all his songs.
“No Sleep” (2011)
Despite a lot of delays in between their individual contributions, Benny Blanco and Wiz Khalifa created ‘No Sleep’ from spontaneous creativity. The track’s cheery pianos and distorted keyboards set the stage for carefree hangouts with friends. Wiz runs with this idea and sings about enjoying the weekend so much that you never actually rest. Blanco wanted to capture the spirit of Khalifa’s feel-good tracks, while bringing his own banging drums into the mix. Though it took some time to get the song right, it eventually debuted at number six on the Billboard Hot 100. Khalifa’s ecstatic performance still has us living it up to ‘No Sleep.’
“We Dem Boyz” (2014)
Wiz Khalifa rose from humble beginnings and always praises hard work, and ‘We Dem Boyz’ celebrates the riches he’s earned. The track mixes a banger beat and a bit of auto-tune for an aggressive track with accessible sounds. Wiz wanted a proper anthem in his backlog, but he was also searching for audiences beyond the rap world. He raps through all the fun his fame has brought him, along with people chasing his celebrity. The simple but effective hip hop production stood out immediately, prompting plenty of parodies online. By taking things back to basics, ‘We Dem Boyz’ became synonymous with Wiz and trap music.
“Black And Yellow” (2011)
From its first ringing bells, ‘Black And Yellow’ gets stuck in your head and never lets go. The song’s trap beats and repetitive hook gets people moving and chanting to each of Wiz Khalifa’s powerful choruses. As he shouts the colors of his native Pittsburgh, Khalifa talks about his local pride and what it means to others. He even names off black and yellow wines, while adding that his diamonds also follow the titular color scheme. As Wiz’s first number one in the U.S., it became both his calling card as well as proof that he had a long career ahead of him.
What’s your favorite Wiz track?