INTERVIEW: Wiz Khalifa Talks Kush + Orange Juice 2, Raising His Kids, Coachella, Mac Miller, Max B + More

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Breakfast Club – Wiz Khalifa Interview

Release Date: April 18, 2025

In this engaging episode of The Breakfast Club, hosted by Charlamagne Tha God, Margie Murphy, and Olivia Carville, renowned rapper and entrepreneur Wiz Khalifa joins the show to discuss his latest projects, personal growth, family life, and entrepreneurial ventures. The conversation delves deep into Wiz's routines, creative processes, and his influence both within the music industry and beyond.

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1. Daily Routine and Career Management

Wiz Khalifa opens up about his disciplined daily routine, emphasizing the balance between his professional commitments and family responsibilities. He details his regimen, which includes martial arts, weightlifting, and hot yoga, highlighting the importance of maintaining physical and mental well-being.

Notable Quote:

Wiz Khalifa [02:10]: “I have like a routine. So I go to the gym five days a week. I do martial arts as well. So I'm like lifting martial arts. And I do hot yoga three times a week.”

2. Cushion Orange Juice 2: A Nostalgic Sequel

The conversation shifts to Wiz's latest musical project, Cushion Orange Juice 2. He explains his intention to recreate the nostalgic 1990s G funk sound that defined the original project, blending it with contemporary production techniques. Wiz emphasizes the importance of staying true to his roots while innovating to meet modern audience expectations.

Notable Quote:

Wiz Khalifa [03:23]: “I think that was like the original sound of Cushion Orange Juice for a lot of people it was like nostalgic for the 90s or G funk... It was really easy to just bring it back.”

3. Impact on Fans and Musical Legacy

Wiz reflects on the enduring legacy of the original Cushion Orange Juice, discussing how it influenced a generation of stoners and aspiring artists. He expresses his hope that the sequel will similarly inspire new creators to pursue their passions and build their own legacies.

Notable Quote:

Wiz Khalifa [34:41]: “It's bigger than the music. It's stuff like what you're saying, like, that's what make it what it is.”

4. Fatherhood and Balancing Family Life

Delving into his personal life, Wiz shares insights into fatherhood and the challenges of raising children in the public eye. He discusses his approach to parenting, emphasizing honesty and instilling values of resilience and confidence in his children.

Notable Quote:

Wiz Khalifa [16:03]: “We just keep it 100 with him, too. He's a smart boy.”

5. Mentorship and Legacy with Mac Miller

Wiz honors the late Mac Miller, acknowledging their friendship and Mac's significant impact on the music industry. He speaks fondly of Mac's talent and their collaborative efforts, underscoring the importance of mentorship and legacy in shaping future artists.

Notable Quote:

Wiz Khalifa [40:46]: “Mac Miller is an amazing artist... he gained his own identity, his own fan base, his own legacy.”

6. Entrepreneurial Ventures: Liquid Death and PFL

Beyond music, Wiz discusses his involvement in various business ventures, including Liquid Death, a popular water brand, and the Professional Fighters League (PFL). He highlights the strategic decisions behind these investments and his role in fostering innovative brands.

Notable Quote:

Wiz Khalifa [48:31]: “Liquid Death was yours. Yes, sir. And with Sovereign Brands.”

7. Personal Growth and Embracing Aging

Wiz reflects on his personal growth over the years, noting improvements in decision-making, patience, and creativity. He shares his positive outlook on aging, appreciating the wisdom and experiences that come with it.

Notable Quote:

Wiz Khalifa [35:35]: “Physically, I've gotten better decision making, I've gotten better patience wise, I've gotten better creatively.”

8. Coachella Experience and Festival Insights

Wiz shares his recent experiences at Coachella, offering his perspective on the festival's evolution. He comments on the focus on production quality over crowd energy, expressing satisfaction with his performances and the overall atmosphere.

Notable Quote:

Wiz Khalifa [13:59]: “I think it was really, like, what Coachella's all about. Yeah, I had a good time. It was cool. I don't think it was dead.”

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Conclusion

This episode of The Breakfast Club provides a comprehensive look into Wiz Khalifa's multifaceted life, from his disciplined daily routines and creative endeavors to his roles as a father and entrepreneur. Through candid conversations and insightful anecdotes, Wiz offers listeners an authentic glimpse into his journey, underscoring his enduring influence in the music industry and beyond.

For more in-depth discussions and exclusive content, be sure to listen to the full episode on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast platform.

Transcript

[Wiz Khalifa]

Taking control of your career is empowering. Just don't tell my boss I said that. Just kidding. I am the boss. This is Carlos Miller from the 85 South Show. And building a career isn't just about a job. It's about creating a path that impacts our community and future generations. Whether you're starting out or even making big moves, State Farm is here to support you with resources to help protect what you're working hard to achieve. They've got your back every step of the way. Because like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Find out more@state farm.com In 2020, a.

[Margie Murphy]

Group of young women found themselves in an AI fueled nightmare.

[Olivia Carville]

Someone was posting photos.

[Wiz Khalifa]

It was just me naked. Well, not me, but me with someone else's body parts.

[Margie Murphy]

This is Levittown, a new podcast from iHeart podcasts Bloomberg and Kaleidoscope about the rise of deepfake pornography and the battle to stop it. Listen to Levittown on Bloomberg's Big Take podcast. Find it on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Wake that ass up early in the morning.

[Wiz Khalifa]

The Breakfast Club.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yep, it's the world's most dangerous morning show. The Breakfast Club. Charlamagne, tha God, Lauren LaRosa. Envy's on his book tour, so he had to step out. Just hilarious. Is home. But we got a legend in the building. It's okay to call you that, right?

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, I'm cool with that. Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Wiz Khalifa is here. What's happening, my brother?

[Wiz Khalifa]

Just chilling. How are you?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I ain't seen you in a minute. Not in person.

[Wiz Khalifa]

I know it's been a while.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, yeah.

[Wiz Khalifa]

You've been working? Covid happened. I've been taking care of my kids. Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

How are you?

[Wiz Khalifa]

I'm amazing. Thank you. How are you?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You still doing the MMA and all of that?

[Wiz Khalifa]

Good. Absolutely. Every day. Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You wake up and do it early in the morning.

[Wiz Khalifa]

I have like a routine. So I go to the gym five days a week. I do martial arts as well. So I'm like lifting martial arts. And I do hot yoga three times a week. So I'll get up at like 6 with my kids, take care of my dogs and my kids. Then I eat breakfast, then I go to the gym. Probably around like 9ish. And then, you know, from 9 till about 1 or 2 in the afternoon, that's my program time. And then after that I got the rest of my day.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Program time mean what to smoke?

[Wiz Khalifa]

No, no, no. Program is like workout.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Gotcha.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, yeah, whatever. The program is for the day. That's what I do. So you work out high stoned? Yeah.

[Olivia Carville]

I was about to say he probably smoke in between all of that or during that.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, yeah, no, I smoke on the way to the gym and then on my way to the next event. Yeah, yeah, for sure. I stay stoned.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay.

[Olivia Carville]

How long have you been smoking now?

[Wiz Khalifa]

Like how many years? I've been high for longer than I've been not high. Okay. Yeah, consecutively. Yeah, yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You be doing the shrooms now too though, right?

[Wiz Khalifa]

Nah, I quit doing shrooms. I did it for a minute. So I don't really need. I don't feel like I need to keep doing them over and over.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'm glad you said need. Right. Because I was going to ask, what is your intention when you smoke weed nowadays?

[Wiz Khalifa]

I just love being stoned. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I like the way it makes me feel. I like the decisions that I make when I'm stoned. I like the way movies look when I'm stoned. I like playing with my kids when I'm stoned. I just love being high. Yeah. Off marijuana though. Just marijuana. Not anything crazy.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

The Cushion Orange Juice too.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Great project. I love the first half. Second half is dope too, but I really love the first half.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Thank you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But it got like a 1990 now G funk sound.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Uh huh. For sure.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Was that intentional?

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, yeah, definitely. I think that was like the original sound of Cushion Orange Juice for a lot of people it was like nostalgic for the 90s or G funk or, you know, just riding around in the car, going to house parties, getting fresh. It's just got that whole, you know, player vibe to it and a little bit of funk to it as well. Just like the way the beats slap and the way that the bass is there. So a lot of the productions, Cardo, Sledgeon and Edan and just the original people who, you know, put that sound together. So it was really easy to just bring it back. Yeah, I'm glad you like it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No, it slaps.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Thank you.

[Olivia Carville]

You had announced in 2024 that this project was done and now it's here.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah.

[Olivia Carville]

The release of it. So is it traditional release to streaming or like, how are you going to do it? Because Cushion Orange Juice won. It was like you did your own thing. You dropped. You kind of changed the way people were listening to music and mixtapes at the time.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Right now this one's going to streaming. We releasing it through BMG and they've been really, really cool at letting me kind of just curate the vibe and what the feeling of it is and they understand what the project is. And we've had meetings, you know, weekly just how we're gonna attack it and, you know, make it last and make it something real. So I've just really been really excited about updating, you know, the format. I think that's what's most important, especially for, like, being an OG in the game is, you know, releasing things with the times how they are now, but also still being innovative as well. And that's why you see, like in between, I've been dropping freestyles and doing a lot of stuff, like just entertaining my fans because I still have that freedom. I'm able to do that as we get ready for the album too. So just to put it all together and make it current. I think that was the idea for all of us.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You know, Yesterday was the 15th anniversary of Kushan Ari's Loose Part 1.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, I did hear that. April 14th.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You did hear that.

[Wiz Khalifa]

I dropped so many albums and stuff like that. Like every month is an anniversary of another project, but 15 years. Yeah, that's tight. And I think we're really lucky to be able. Well, I'm grateful to be able to drop, you know, the sequel as close as I did with the original one. I feel like that's like a. A sign. It just, you know, feels really.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So it wasn't playing?

[Wiz Khalifa]

Nah, it just worked out like that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But it's just divine alignment.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yep, it all worked out like that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Do you remember your mind state April 14, 2010?

[Wiz Khalifa]

I do.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What was it?

[Wiz Khalifa]

I was just getting off tour. I was in Miami. I was working on rolling papers, the album, but I already had cushion orange juice done and I had been hyping it up for a lot of months before. So my fans knew it was about to come out. And I remember just going to the hotel room. I was in a nice ass hotel on the beach and I was like, yo, I'm about to drop it. And I just released it from my computer that day. I was really, I still am super confident, but I was really, really like super duper confident about the music and just my connection with my fans. So that was the time to do it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Did it piss the label off when you dropped in?

[Wiz Khalifa]

I really wasn't signed at that point. They were kind of thinking about signing me, working on signing me, but it didn't piss them off at all. They knew how important it was for me to still curate that organic thing because at that time I was doing a lot More for myself than any label could do. And it's still like that. Like, I promote myself. I do my social media, I do my merch, I do my marketing. I do all. I just give you a whole package and then you could just, you know, you look like a genius.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Well, Cushionary changed everything, though. That was like your. That's like your section 80. That's your. So far gone.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yep.

[Olivia Carville]

That, like banded the Taylor gang all of the. We was talking about it before you came in. Like, I remember the feeling when Cushion orange juice came out and like, I was a senior in high school and, like, they would throw parties where you would literally come to smoke and only listen to Cushion orange juice. And, like, it was. It was such a movement.

[Wiz Khalifa]

I love that.

[Olivia Carville]

It was like, really such a movement.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah. Yeah, that's what it was for. So that's good that that happened. It was all intentional. And it was like. Like you said, that's like my, you know, or my doggy style or my illmatic. Like, I knew I had to make something that was like that and, you know, that was a good one to be attached to and. Yeah, it was just. I always tell people it's bigger than the music. It's stuff like what you're saying, like, that's what make it what it is. Like, even this album now, it's amazing music wise, but you can't just sit there and listen to it. You gotta experience that shit. You gotta go to a beach, you gotta go on vacation, you gotta kick it with the homies, you gotta hang out super duper late. You gotta hook up with somebody who you been, you know, or you gotta meet somebody who you never even understood that with you, that's what makes it what it is. And that's what I'm excited for people to experience as well as the music being good.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

People don't realize that, though, when you put out music, music just provides the soundtrack to whatever you're experiencing in life.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's why you can never argue with certain people about certain albums because that time of life they were experiencing during that album.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, you can't.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Like when somebody says, oh, this is. This is going to remind you of Wiz Khalifa. Cushion arguing. Nah.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'm on something totally different than I was in 2010.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Exactly. It's personal. Yeah. I think people do have those personal moments or those life decisions, and what you're listening to at the time definitely, you know, dictates, you know, what your memories of that are. So it gets deep.

[Olivia Carville]

Do you think that because I saw that you have like, it's 22 or 23 songs on the project.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, 20.

[Olivia Carville]

It's 22, I think.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So four bonus records? Four or five bonus records.

[Olivia Carville]

So normally with people who put that many songs on in one place, it's like you think people on listening start to finish, but like I in me listening to it, I don't have any doubt that people will. Do you think that the conversation that you're having at the beginning and then the conversation you're having at the end, is it cohesive or do you just throw songs on there? Like, how do you kind of flow in out of.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Well, with this project, the last maybe four songs we put out before the album came out, we use this method called the waterfall method, where you put songs out and then add them to the album later. And that was a conscious decision because I didn't know what people were going to want to hear. So those songs helped me dictate what I was going to do with the album. And I still like those songs, but they weren't exactly what you were going to get from the full album. So I used that as an opportunity to, you know, do some promo and get the idea of the album out there. But by the time you. You get the actual Real album, those 18 songs are brand new. Those are an experience that nobody has yet and that everybody's gonna get together. And that's where to me, the more of the conversation is. Is from the Intro to the 18th song. And yeah, it's pretty simple. The whole album is just about keeping it players motivational. It's get stoned and there's songs for the ladies and their songs to ride around to. So as long as I'm in that pocket, yeah, the conversation is good, in my opinion. I know what my fans want and what they expect, so I didn't go outside of that at all.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Why a sequel after all of these years though? Cause that. That could be hit or miss too. That's a. To put cushion orange juice on something.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah. Just again, listening to the fans, man, everybody was telling me like how much they missed that sound or that pocket of what I was doing at that time or how much they enjoyed it. So it's nothing for me as an artist to like, you know, dig in my bag and get with the producers that I trust and really not recreate that, but do what that sounds like now. But it's the same feeling though, like, you know what I mean? And I'm not scared to do that. And it's all about the fans, it's all for them, and it's what they want. You know, like, a lot of nostalgic stuff is coming back, and my era, like you said, is 15 years ago, so it's way. Yeah, it's way further removed than it is close. So why not just go ahead and just revisit something that was, you know, big to us and that people appreciate?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

The problem with fans, though, is they fickle, and they don't want you to grow. So you. So you. So even though you've grown, like, you're a father now, like, your life might be totally different than it was 15 years ago, they like, no, I want 2010 Wiz. Yeah, that's impossible.

[Olivia Carville]

The song's feeling.

[Wiz Khalifa]

I don't think it's impossible.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Really?

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, because I think they just want the best. Like, I can experiment, and I can sing, and I can do country songs or pop records. But they like, yo, we like when you rap. Or I could wear, you know, high fashion and, you know, Runway stuff. But they're like, we like when you wear streetwear. And it's not hard for me to just get right back into that. It's like, okay, I'm trying what I like, and I'm still gonna do that in my off time, or if I get an opportunity to do it, I'm gonna throw a suit on and I'm gonna do a pop record. But it's not gonna be my song. It'll be somebody else's. And I could still chart and perform it all over the world, but for my fans, I'm gonna give them what they want.

[Olivia Carville]

But you are dad now. Dad of two. And making this music and putting this project together like, it does still sound like it's new and it's innovative, but it's still the same feeling. How do you. Because you are different. Your dad is so different now.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah. Yeah. I think I'm just, like, a little. I mean, I just keep it 100. Like, that's what I always did. I always just talked about my life. I talked about my day. I talk about my week. So, like, I never run out of bars.

[Olivia Carville]

What's it like doing this whole run? I see you got your Coachella band on you doing this whole run. Coachella.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You been figuring Charles since Coachella, bro.

[Wiz Khalifa]

These bands, they don't go nowhere, man. I need some scissors. Y'all got some scissors, right?

[Olivia Carville]

Get some scissors.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But Saturday.

[Olivia Carville]

You were. And you did stage. You did a stage, right?

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah.

[Olivia Carville]

You did a performance. You came out with.

[Wiz Khalifa]

I came out with Juicy with Three Six Mafia. And I came out with. With Ty on Sunday, Ty$.

[Olivia Carville]

And now, though, when you're running around, you got to make time to get back to family, too. So how is that going to be? Cause you about to go on the tour.

[Wiz Khalifa]

It's cool, like, with me, because I feel like I do a great balance of each. So I've spun spunt. I've spent so much time at home and, you know, having my regular schedule. It's okay for me to step away and do this for now because this is what I've been planning, this is what I've been working towards. So, you know, it's all part of the same process. Like, it all goes together.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It felt like Coachella was quiet this year.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Nah, it wasn't quiet this year. It was pretty rowdy. I think they're trying to just take it back to the essence of, like, what Coachella is about. So they getting rid of, like, all the hype and all the parties and stuff, and it's really about going to the festival. And a lot of people ain't down to, like, you know, go in the desert and get dusty like that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

How was the energy out there to you? Because I saw people complaining that the crowd was. Crowd was dead. Not. Not for your. Not just for yourself, but just in general.

[Wiz Khalifa]

In my opinion. I think Coachella is all about, like, the production and stuff like that. It's not really about, like, seeing a crowd go crazy because they've been out there all day, hot as hell, on drugs, sleeping in tents and stuff like that. So you can't really expect, like, too much. But I think it was really, like, what Coachella's all about. Yeah, I had a good time. It was cool. I don't think it was dead.

[Olivia Carville]

I saw you were. You and Amy were dancing on the side of the stage.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah.

[Olivia Carville]

Why was people so mad at you? That's your girlfriend. Why they mad at you dancing with your girl?

[Wiz Khalifa]

I don't think people were mad. I think people just need clickbait. Like, that's what the world we live in these days. But I don't live my life based off of that. I'm still gonna. If I'm hearing some music, like, I'm a dance.

[Olivia Carville]

But you never have, like, kind of leaned into all of that stuff, though. Like, you've always kind of, like, just. Even if it was happening, you did your own thing. But leaned into what, like, people. The clickbait stuff. So, like, even when you were dating Amber Rose, now with Amy, just people are really invested in your life because you're such a big star and now your kids are growing up and they're on social media as well, too. People just want to know things, and they throw things on stuff.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, I know. I'm in control of all of that, though. I give them enough to. You know what I'm saying? Like. Like I said, I don't live my life based off of it.

[Olivia Carville]

Yeah.

[Wiz Khalifa]

But I know that people are nosy. Like, you haven't even seen my daughter, and she's almost a year old.

[Olivia Carville]

Right.

[Wiz Khalifa]

So I can keep some stuff quiet, but this is the entertainment industry, so at the end of the day, people are going to have their perception of whatever. Whatever. But as long as my intentions are good, I know I'm out here doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. And nobody who really knows me and loves me is ever going to be embarrassed by my actions when I'm outside. So they can say whatever they want to.

[Olivia Carville]

Yeah, you won't be doing nothing. You literally really don't. How do you talk to, like. Because Sebastian's older, Getting older now, which is crazy, because it's just crazy to.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

See him get older.

[Olivia Carville]

No, but it's. It's literally like when you think about when he was first born to now, and just being a fan and watching him grow, there's probably so much things that you guys decide when to talk to him about or not talk to him about, but you're celebrity, so it's different. How do you kind of, like, what is your discretion on, like, here's what I allow him to know or see or whatever. Because you can't guard kids from everything.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, we just keep it 100 with him, too. He's a smart boy. And these kids are. We were, you know, grew up fast, but they're growing up way faster on the Internet and everything. So it's just about keeping it real and, you know, just allowing him to make his own decisions as well. It's like, I can tell you what to do, but, you know, what's right and wrong and just instilling that in him. And also his friend group, too. That's a real big thing now, is his friend group. But I feel like just him being a kid, he's a normal kid. He goes through the same things that normal kids go through. He gets in trouble at school. We have to get on zoom calls with his teachers, like, all of that.

[Olivia Carville]

Wiz. On a zoom call with a teacher, how is it, like, how do the teachers react? I mean, they're probably Used to celebrity.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Parents, but they be cool, they be chill. Like, I think it helps him a little bit more, too. They're like, oh, shit, we get to see Wiz here. You can pass this class.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

How is it being a father of a daughter now? I got four daughters. All I got is daughters, so I know daughters bring out a different energy.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, man, it's super duper sweet. She's real young still. She's only eight months. She'll be nine months. So her personality hasn't come out yet. But it is a little bit different having a little girl. And I'm older now, too, as a parent. I was 25 when I had Bash. I'm 37 now. So it's just like a whole different mind state. Like having a new child and it's a girl.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It was crazy to watch y'all all get older, yo. Yeah, because I remember that whole.

[Olivia Carville]

Not kids get older.

[Wiz Khalifa]

No, no, no.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'm so doin. Because you know what it is? And I don't know if it's because of the Internet. I don't think we've had another movement like that. Like, when I think about the you and the Kendricks and the.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, I feel like, like the 2016, like Uzi and Cardi and them, they. They. They held it down.

[Olivia Carville]

They had a movement. But I will say, because I know what you talking about with Uzi especially. Cause I'm from Delaware, he's from Philly. But it was. It's still just different. Like, I can't really describe it. Like, the way that the whole Taylor gang and like, how we were dressing, it was really different.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But the kids are doing that to Uzi. Them, though.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, yeah. We were the blog era.

[Olivia Carville]

Yeah.

[Wiz Khalifa]

And then I would say, like the SoundCloud era. Like Trippie, Redd and all of them. Like SoundCloud. And then now it's more like the TikTok, like the viral. You know what I'm saying?

[Olivia Carville]

The dancers.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah. And then streamers as well. Like, you know. So, yeah, we've had some good errors, man.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I guess we don't know when the temperature changes now. Cause back in the day, you could see it on tv, you could hear it on radio. Now the Internet kind of makes everything seem like it's all together. So you don't really see when it's Wiz season or Drake season.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Nah, see, I don't mean to keep disagreeing with you. Okay. I like it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It's more.

[Wiz Khalifa]

I think you just gotta be tapped in. But that's how it was back then. Too. Like, you had to be tapped in to know who the new up and coming blog era rappers were. And then the older dudes didn't really understand. They like, man, these dudes got on tight pants and book bags. Like, that ain't rap music. So we look weird to them. It's just always the next generation looks weird to the other generation. So you really don't, like, see them on their way up. You really don't understand it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Tight pants was crazy, though.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Back then, bro.

[Olivia Carville]

Your waist is cinched right now.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Back then was insane.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Those pants were tight. H m. And like American Apparel getting, like, really tight pants.

[Olivia Carville]

You had the people going and doing it.

[Wiz Khalifa]

I remember they were tight.

[Olivia Carville]

But the. With the. The. The. Not the vans. The Chucks. Chucks, yes.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Still got my Chucks on.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Like, I'm shocked you had kids how tight they were. Type of. Those were real.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Those pants were tight, bro.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

How often do you revisit the first cushion rsg?

[Wiz Khalifa]

I say a lot before I answer a question. I got to stop doing that now.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You thinking that's smart?

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, you right. I can't give it away, though. Now I listen to it a lot because we perform it a lot.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah. There's a lot of, like, festivals and places where they're like, can you come through and perform the whole catalog or give us three songs off of there or something like that. So I listen to it, and I listen to it for inspiration, too. Sometimes. I, like. I sampled a couple songs on this new one from the old one. I, like, threw it in there. You wouldn't even know, but just to, like, keep the DNA there. Yeah.

[Olivia Carville]

Can you get. Can you tell me so I can go back?

[Wiz Khalifa]

Nah, you'll figure it out.

[Olivia Carville]

Now I gotta do it again.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, exactly. And again and again.

[Olivia Carville]

Cause it feel. Literally, I said that earlier. It feels like the original cushion orange juice. Even though it's new music, but. And a lot of artists can't do that. Not this far apart, right?

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah. Yep. It's not obvious stuff. It's nothing that you would be like, oh, this is that. But if somebody told you, you'd be like, duh.

[Olivia Carville]

But what is it that you do to. Is it the beat or the melody? Like, what is it that you hid in.

[Wiz Khalifa]

There's so many ways to manipulate music. These got you. Yeah, we just. We just really, like I said, we updated it. Like, we use new formulas for the same thing that we already have. Like, and then my producers, Cardo, his sound never went out of style. And even with him producing with Like Carti and all of that. He still has his original drum kits and stuff like that, so he's just getting right back in his bag. Sledge Room. I work with Mike and Keys and Problem and DJ Quick and just like, throwing a lot of ideas around to make something that, you know, like you said, reminds you of the original.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

How much is LA an influence?

[Wiz Khalifa]

I would say the la, like, the lifestyle of LA is an influence. I love la, but I'm not from la, so I didn't grow up, like, wanting to be a West coast dude. Like, that's just how I am, you know what I mean? And being from Pittsburgh, we would probably resonate the most with someplace like LA or the Bay or even like Detroit and Chicago. Like, we have a lot in common with them too. But I wouldn't necessarily say, like, I'm LA influenced, but I'm definitely embraced in LA like a mug, just because of the similarities, like, in the production and the way that we talk and the way that we dress. Like, a lot of people associate me with being a West coast artist. Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And then the. The Snoop affiliation as well.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, the Snoop affiliation too. But that wasn't even. Just, like, I wasn't like, yo, I need to be best friends with Snoop Dogg. He heard my music and was like, man, this dude is tight. He embraced me, you know what I mean? Like, so that was like, that. I'm grateful as heck for that. Like, you know what I mean?

[Olivia Carville]

Like, did that ever get on your nerves, though? Because, like, you're not from. Like, did you ever feel like I need it? Okay. Cause we. I think we all thought you were from LA for a very long time.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

The Chuck Taylors.

[Olivia Carville]

The Chuck Taylor. Just the whole look, the whole vibe, like, that's on the East Coast. Like, we. I feel like the way you sound, your look, everything. I didn't know that people over this way at all could look or emulate that. Like, I thought you had to go to LA to look.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, and that's the thing. I wasn't even emulating nothing. That's just how I am. Like, that's just what I be on. Like, there's pictures of me in high school on the same vibe. Like, and I listen to Dipset. Like, that's my favorite group. Yeah. Like Cameron, my favorite rapper. So, yeah, I just love. I mean, like, I think it's just my demeanor, my swagger, remind people more like west coast smoking weed, for sure. Being tatted. You know, a lot of those things. Like the Chucks, like, you saying, like, you Associate that with people from the West Coast. And then my beat selection, too is real funky. Like, it's more like top down, ride around type of music. And I think that came more into play from me hanging out with Currency. Like just being in New Orleans, we would just be more on some smooth vibey type stuff rather than like really turnt up or trapped out type of music. And that just became the, you know, the style of beats that, you know, we both kind of went after.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I love how you keep Max B's name alive.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah. Yup.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He's on the new project.

[Wiz Khalifa]

He's also one of my favorite artists as well. Yeah. Yep.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

How often do you speak to him?

[Wiz Khalifa]

You say, how often do I. Yeah, here and there. Yeah. Especially now that the album's coming out and he's coming home too. Yeah, we talk here and there. It's nothing too crazy. Just be like, I see you, big bro.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

How'd y'all get him on the project over the phone?

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That shit sound good as hell to be a full record.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yep. Yep. Well, the voice notes, it's easy to do it on voice notes now and then. Just line it up. Like I told you, we manipulated music these days. Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So you take the vocal, then put the beat behind us. He's not rapping.

[Wiz Khalifa]

I guess. I don't want people to start getting their friends in jail on their records, getting them in the truck, because you can get out of here.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Tory Lanez just did a whole album.

[Wiz Khalifa]

I don't know how much I don't know, but don't do it. Stay out of trouble.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

The other thing I was gonna say too, man, do you see the. Hey, what up, y'all?

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[Wiz Khalifa]

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[Margie Murphy]

Find out [e-mail] In 2020, a group of young women in a tidy suburb of New York City found themselves in an AI fueled nightmare.

[Olivia Carville]

Someone was posting photos.

[Wiz Khalifa]

It was just me naked. Well, not me, but me with someone else's body parts on my body parts that looked exactly like my own.

[Margie Murphy]

I wanted to throw up.

[Olivia Carville]

I wanted to scream.

[Margie Murphy]

It happened in Levittown, New York. But reporting the series took us through the darkest corners of the Internet and to the front lines of a global battle against deepfake pornography.

[Olivia Carville]

This should be illegal, but what is this?

[Margie Murphy]

This is a story about a technology that's moving faster than the law and about vigilantes trying to stem the tide. I'm Margie Murphy. And I'm Olivia Carville. This is Levittown, a new podcast from iHeart podcasts Bloomberg and Kaleidoscope. Listen to Levittown on Bloomberg's Big Take podcast. Find it on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Moments in your life when, like, your career just went up. Like, for example, like when you put out we them boys, that's another level. You put out. What was the other Black and yellow. That's another level.

[Olivia Carville]

Oh my God.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And then see you again is. Come on. That's every white person in America's. Favorite funeral anthem.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Favorite funeral it is, though. Yeah. No, I think I have. I look at my career like. Like a basketball player or something like that. Like me being signed to Atlantic, I did really well, like being a major artist. So I look at it like that.

[Olivia Carville]

You just recently sold your home in Pittsburgh too.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, I did.

[Olivia Carville]

The decision to do that. Why? Just because it was time or like. Because I know it's, you know, that was a. That was when you were on your come up and, you know, like letting that go.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah.

[Olivia Carville]

Why?

[Wiz Khalifa]

Because I just had my daughter and I wanted to move my mom out to la. She was tired of. She was staying in that house. She was just tired of being there. Yeah.

[Olivia Carville]

Wow.

[Wiz Khalifa]

It wasn't like a bad house. It was a nice house.

[Olivia Carville]

No, it's a nice house. But I just can't believe she hasn't already moved to LA at this point now. Because, you know, you got.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It's hard to get older people to move out of there.

[Olivia Carville]

It is.

[Wiz Khalifa]

I mean, yeah. Just being from Pittsburgh, like, you know, she moved around a lot when we were younger cause of the military. So when she got back to the burg, she was just there, like she was set up there. And when I left, that was me leaving as an adult. But we hadn't lived in the same city in a long time. So when I had my daughter, she wanted to move out to LA and it just made sense. Just go ahead and, you know, move on to the next chapter.

[Olivia Carville]

And she with y'all now, living with y'all in LA and kind of.

[Wiz Khalifa]

She doesn't live with me in la. She has her own house.

[Olivia Carville]

Got you.

[Wiz Khalifa]

And you know, we're. We're in a good distance from each other where we see each other all the time.

[Olivia Carville]

Oh, okay. Because I know people do that when they first have babies, like just to get the extra help, have mom there and just kind of step in with her.

[Wiz Khalifa]

It's pretty much like that. But she has her own spot, you know what I'm saying? And it's super duper convenient because like I said, I haven't lived in the same city as my mom in like 15 years. So I'll be driving out of my house and she'll be coming through the gate. So it's super cool to just see my mom like randomly during the day.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And she gets to be with her grandkids.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, she loves it. Yo, she's like full time og.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

How do you feel about your children being open to public scrutiny like motherfuckers on social media? Commenting?

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah. Nah, it is what it is. Like, I feel like they gonna go through that anyway at school. Like, they got Snapchat and they be doing all that stuff at school. So that's just the world that we live in now. And, like, back in the day, we used to rip on each other, too, so we just didn't have the computer to do it. But it builds tough skin, and it is what it is. I've always been able to still be confident in myself and function and not crash out, you know, due to what anybody says about me. So I feel like they'll be all right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Is it the weed? Like, whenever you feel yourself about to crash out or, like, do you roll?

[Wiz Khalifa]

No, no, no, no. It's not the weed. It's the confidence, man. I breathe. I do yoga. I believe in myself. I got a higher calling. Yeah. And sometimes they might be right. I do look funny. Sometimes my feet are ugly or not ugly, but messed up. But, like, you can't get mad at, like, you know, people pointing out your flaws. Cause we're not perfect. So if you point out a flaw, you might be right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So you practice yoga?

[Wiz Khalifa]

I do hot yoga, too. It'd be 130 degrees in there.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I did that shit a couple of. A couple. I did, like, a week and a half ago with my wife. I couldn't. I did it, but that shit's tough.

[Wiz Khalifa]

It is tough.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Hot yoga. I did hot yoga.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah. It's like some old ladies in there. They go every day. I'm like, y'all are gangster. They might do it three times in one day. I'm like, that's really gangster.

[Olivia Carville]

That and Pilates.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah.

[Olivia Carville]

They don't play.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But see, the thing I didn't like about it, they don't give you no tutorial. Like, you gotta.

[Wiz Khalifa]

It's like you just jump straight.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It's like double Dutch. Word up. It's just like, yo, hold up. What you mean? Do this, do that. Like, give me some.

[Wiz Khalifa]

It's more of a flow. Yeah, it's a flow. So you watch everybody around you. You can look at the instructor. You can look at whoever makes you comfortable in the room. Like, you said you was with your partner, so she probably went a couple times so you could fill it out, but it just helps you let go. And there's a lot of stuff that you probably won't be able to do for a long time, but you'll start to see progress. And that's what it's about, too. It's just about learning yourself.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Why don't you talk about stuff like that, Mo Wiz.

[Wiz Khalifa]

I do. I said it in my song. I was like, she working out. We doing yoga and hiking. I say it in my music, in the new music.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Hiking.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I say it. But, like, there's ways to do it in rap music, because at my age, people will quickly call you Unk.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And you say that on the album, too.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah. No, no, no. I think Ty said it. He said, don't call me Unk. Call me Big Dog.

[Olivia Carville]

That's the song with Gunna.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Nah, you Unc, Ty.

[Olivia Carville]

Y'all are not giving Unk. He gives Unk. Y'all don't give Unk.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Nah, I'm not Unk. I could be Unc. But if I'm Unc, then I'm calling you nephew, and you don't. And you don't want me to do that. You.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Three years. The uncle is. Once you hit 40, you officially uncle.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Well, them is gonna be my nephews, then.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's cool.

[Wiz Khalifa]

You raised a lot of people. That's what I'm saying, though. But, like, they want to be. They don't want to be nephews, so don't call me Unk but the mute. There's no wrong with being Unk'cause Unk is a sign of respect. But the derogatory term of it is just, like, out of style, out of date. We don't want to hear that slow, you know, too, like, not. It's just in a way that they're like, all right. You know what I mean? It's not, like, advice that they really want to live up to. And that's what I'm putting it in a form and in a way where I'm packaging it where you still can see yourself doing this in the next couple years. You could be 23 and listen to my music and be like, I'm just a little bit more advanced. I'm not Unk. I'm just. You know what I mean? I'm on. I'm on a different vibe. I'm on another level. And then a lot of the stuff that I say, too, is personal to me. So it's not even really for you to actually go out and do. I'm just explaining, you know, the things that are important to me, and I hope that inspires you. So, you know, all kids respect, though.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

When they don't respect it, they just be like, old nigga, old head. Yeah, old head. Old head still.

[Olivia Carville]

Oh, head og. Old head still. Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Old is slam it.

[Olivia Carville]

Depending on how you say Old head. Like, if you like, yo, oh head, that's. That's disrespectful. It's like, yo, oh head, this, whatever.

[Wiz Khalifa]

But that's. Yo old head is like, that sounded real fragile. Like, either you fragile or you like.

[Olivia Carville]

Kind of like a crackhead. It's like, yo, old head, get out the way before I hit you.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, like, you know what I mean?

[Olivia Carville]

We laid out in the street or something like that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Does that scare you to get older?

[Wiz Khalifa]

No, no, no. I love getting older. I think certain people get better when they get older. Like, they start to, you know, different stages of their life reveals things that their 20s and 30s never have. So I think that, you know, I'm pretty much on my way to that and I'm enjoying myself, like, at the age that I'm at. I love being this age. I love telling people my age and then being like, damn. Cause it catches a lot of people off guard. But it is what it is, though.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But that's what I like about you opening up about the yoga and the hiking and whatever other mindfulness things you may be into. Because you talk about how the first Christian orange juice influenced the generation of stoners. I'm like, well, damn, what's this part two gonna influence?

[Wiz Khalifa]

See, that's the thing about the first Christian orange juice. It did inspire a lot of stoners, but it created a lot of bosses too. A lot of people bossed up and did things on their own and put their teams on and they're successful now based off of listening to Cushion Orange Juice or that era. A lot of people was like, yo, I'm gonna grab a camera or I'm gonna start promoting shows, or I'm gonna start a clothing line or I'm gonna start a blog or whatever, whatever. And they're still, like, they're successful. So, like, that's what cushion orange juice too, is gonna do as well, is positive thinking. It ain't unk. So it's gonna spark, you know, a lot of bosses, a lot of young players, and a lot of women who boss up as well and expect, you know, the same from. You know what I mean? So it's just gonna create a really. A really cool energy for people to create in. That's what I want.

[Olivia Carville]

You said getting older, you getting better at things. What have you gotten better at?

[Wiz Khalifa]

Physically, I've gotten better decision making, I've gotten better patience wise, I've gotten better. Creatively, I've gotten better. And just as an all around, like, human being, like, that's. That's my main focus. Like, when I was younger, I was focused on being the best artist or the best performer or the. The flyest nigga. Like, now I just care about being a dope human being, like, and being happy for that day. Like, that's all I care about. As long as I'm happy at this moment, in this day, I'm good. And I try to live every day like. Well, not try to live every day. I do live every day like that.

[Olivia Carville]

Since you, like, there are people that are younger than you just in music that I'm sure call you about different things because creatively, your music does inspire people. Like you mentioned. But, like, just as a dad and in a relationship, a lot of your stuff is public. Like, I saw a conversation, an interview where I think it was Amber she was talking about. You guys had to sit down, Sebastian, have a conversation. He found her only fans or something like that. How do you guide, first of all yourself and have that conversation with your son, but when your friends, your peers are calling you, like, yo, my girl's doing this online, or like, whatever, what's your conversation with people? Because you handle things so well and so gracefully.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, I think I don't. I don't expect everybody to handle things the way that I do. So my advice is. Sometimes it's like, man, shit be up, dog. Like, that's. That's just how it is.

[Olivia Carville]

That's real.

[Wiz Khalifa]

But you have to accept it, and you have to understand that that's a part of it as well. And it be like that sometimes. But we make these decisions based off of what we think we can handle and what we can't handle, so. Or you're given a lot of responsibility based off of what you can handle, and you don't even know you're ready for it like that. So if you really want this, you're gonna deal with the good and the bad. Like, I'm built for it. I know how to smile. I know how to, you know, put on a face in front of people who I know might have talked shit on me or tried to cut my throat or one up on. You know what I mean? But it is what it is. Well, I don't get no further by exposing all of that. I get further just by being me. But a lot of people ain't built for it like that. So, you know, you really. You. You really got to be like that.

[Olivia Carville]

As a parent, though, are you ever really ready to have those, like, really public conversations with, like, that's such a public thing to have to talk about in your child to see. And then in private you have to deal with it. But then also in public, you have to deal with it. Because then y'all talk about the fact that it happened.

[Wiz Khalifa]

I think, like me, I just keep it pushing, like, as long as I'm good. Like in the household, you're gonna have to deal with that or things like that. Regardless if it's not even directly involved with you, you're still gonna have to have some type of conversation like that with your kid. And it's not easy for anybody. So as soon as they start finding that stuff or looking at that stuff or hearing things about, you know, it might be their parent, it might be their sibling, it might be. You know what I mean? It could be whatever. There's no age limit to that either. It happens through their teens, it's gonna happen in their 20s. Oh, I heard your son is out here. Da da da da da, Right? I don't even know what that's like yet. But we go through the stages. Every parent's gonna go through the stage. But as far as publicly, I don't live my life for the public. So I don't even, like, I don't even consider that when I'm making my moves. I don't care. Like, I don't hear it, I don't digest it. It's not. It ain't real to me. And if it pops up, then it's something that I could. You know what I mean? I'll deal with it in a moment. But it's like, I ain't tripping on none of that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Are you gonna keep secrets from your kids?

[Wiz Khalifa]

What kind of secrets?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Just in general. Like, you know, I always tell people that, you know, you should always have conversations with your parents. Cause you'll find out that they had a life before they were your parents.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, I think having. How old are your kids?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

16, 9, 6 and 3.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah. Having a 12 year old, it's like I'm finding out that they know way more than you actually think that they know. So it's hard to keep secrets when they're telling you shit that they know that you thought that they didn't know. So it's like, damn, there ain't no secrets. Like, for real. For real. I didn't even know I was gonna have to explain that to you. But it's just part of it. Because I think the benefit of that is them not having to hear it from somebody else. Like, I was raised by my cousins and you know what I mean bunch of 18 year olds and 20 year olds when I was his age. So I was learning things a little bit differently. Like, the filter was totally different. So I would rather be able to give my kids that knowledge than like the streets. Yeah, yeah. Hell yeah. Cause it's gonna happen.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What is a Drake move? Wizka.

[Olivia Carville]

What's up, Drake?

[Wiz Khalifa]

What's a Drake move?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What is a Drake move?

[Wiz Khalifa]

A very smart business decision.

[Olivia Carville]

I know that's right.

[Wiz Khalifa]

That's what a Drake move.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You know what? I want to ask you too, man. You've been a mentor to a lot of great people. And I recently saw this thing called the Mount Rushmore of white rappers, and the good brother Mac Miller was on there. You know how. I don't know if you saw it, but how did that make you feel knowing that you was a mentor to him? He's the greatest rappers of all time. It was Eminem. It was Mac Miller.

[Wiz Khalifa]

They shouldn't be separating white rappers and black rappers. They're all rappers. And Mac Miller is an amazing artist, bro. Like, I watched him, you know, come from just being a kid in the studio to, like, really changing how people digest and listen to music, like, on his own. And of course, we started. He. He started, like, kind of after I was doing what I was doing. So it was. People associated me and him together. Like, like, I was doing that for him or something like that. But he was just inspired by what he was around. And as soon as he, like, branched off and started doing his thing, he. He gained his own identity, his own fan base, his own expectations of what his music is and his own, you know, love and legacy for what his music is. So I love. I love that kid.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I don't even know if this is a question you can answer, but. What are you and Mac, what do y'all mean to Pitchburgh, you and Mack in particular? Cause I can't think of anybody else who was big as either one of y'all from Pittsburgh.

[Wiz Khalifa]

There's a lot of people, like, big on. On a street level, like Jimmy Wapo. Like, there's a lot of people. But I think to Pittsburgh, I don't even know. I mean, we're just macking Wiz. That's it. Yeah. I mean, yeah, that gotta be inspiring.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

The whole city in some way.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah. Yeah, man.

[Olivia Carville]

I think you're the first. Who else would I've known from Pittsburgh? I think it, like.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, as far as music and as far as on that level, like, traveling the world doing collabs with major artists. Yeah, me And Mac, for sure. Yeah. Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It's been seven years since Mack passed. Do you have those moments where you, like, yo, Mack not here.

[Wiz Khalifa]

It kind of still bothers me just because, like, he's not here. You know what I mean? And that's the part that sucks. Cause it happened, like, close to my birthday. So every time it's around my birthday, they celebrating. Well, you know, celebrating his life too. So I'm always reminding. I'm like, damn, bro. Like, that one. That one's just like. It's like sometimes when people pass, it's just like, yo, that's fucked up, bro. Yeah. You never really. It never really sits well, you know what I mean? So that's one of them.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Did it shift anything in your life?

[Wiz Khalifa]

Nah, not really. Cause I knew him personally, so we would have conversations and, you know, he was like, I think out of respect, everybody don't speak on, like, how. What he was dealing with. You know what I'm saying? So we just, like, talk about his legacy. But it was a lot to see him go through that. Yeah, yeah.

[Olivia Carville]

Just legacy conversations wise. What were some of, like, what conversations still stick out to you that y'all had?

[Wiz Khalifa]

You and Mac Miller, really, just how talented he was. Like, just playing all the instruments and, like, in the studio, creating, like, he created totally different than I did. And just watching him, like, put stuff together or, like, bring his ideas to life, that was really fun for me. And, like, seeing him on stage, too. He's a really good performer as well. Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Just to see you smile. Was that a difficult record?

[Wiz Khalifa]

No.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

To make. Okay.

[Wiz Khalifa]

No, I like to make, like. I like to make real songs. Yeah. Yep. It was like I said, it was in the moment. And I talk about my mom on there. I talk about the original. What was going on when I first started making music and I brought it till now. And then I talk about my sibling who passed away on there as well. So. No, it's not difficult for me.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Is it therapeutic in a way?

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I would say that. I think it's just like, for me, I have to talk about everything. Like, I can't just. I can't just give you, like, one side of, like, what's going on. And a lot of people, they may or may not want to hear that, but for the people who do, I make sure that that stuff is there, and I make sure that it's current and that is real for them to go through, too.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

The thing I like about you, Will, is, like, you don't. I've never Seen you do no goofy shit in 15 years, and that's hard. Being an artist of your caliber, how do you keep from doing goofy shit.

[Olivia Carville]

And of your age, too? You were young.

[Wiz Khalifa]

I think, being from Pittsburgh, I'd done all my goofy shit before the camera was on. So, like, I didn't need to, you know, get to my 20s and, you know, learn those same lessons. I was on some boss shit, and everybody around me. You gotta be on a boss level. Or, like, we can't communicate. And that was the main thing is, like, you know, not only elevating my mind, but elevating the minds of the people around me and just taking it to the next level and continuing to take it to the next level. Cause I could have got to a point where I was satisfied, but I was like, nah, I'm gonna keep working. I'm gonna keep going. And even at this point now I see things that people don't even see for myself. So these are the things that I'm going after while I'm doing what I'm doing.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Even the team I see, Will's still around. You got Chevy woods on the album. Juicy's on the album. It's Ty.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yep.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It's like, does that all keep you grounded in a way?

[Wiz Khalifa]

I mean, that's Deuces. Yeah. That's really. Who's in my phone. Like, all the homies. Like, I don't hang out with, you know, new people. I don't hang out with a lot of artists. I don't hang out with, like, people who do things in their city that is, you know, like that. I don't be in hoods like that. I just. I be with my. My team, my dogs. I create content. I be in the studio. I be with my kids. I be in the gym. So, like, them is the people who do that stuff with me. And that's why the album is what it is like with the group of people who it is. And even with Gunna on the album, like, Gunna is.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He's on Firestar.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah. He's partners with some of my real homies. So, like, we just never got in the studio and recorded, but we felt like, you know, this would be a good time to do something like that. But it wasn't. It's never, you know. You know how the industry is. Yeah. It's not like that with me.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

People can't. First of all, Gun is super talented.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Number one. And. And you. You're not. You're not a street artist.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Never happens.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Exactly.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So they can't give you no flack for that.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, I don't. I don't associate with all of that. That stuff. I don't. That doesn't dictate anything when I'm making my decisions, so I'm. Yeah, we not on that.

[Olivia Carville]

Have people tried, though? Because I. I didn't see that.

[Wiz Khalifa]

What?

[Olivia Carville]

Tried to give you flack for working with GUN on the project?

[Wiz Khalifa]

If. If they did, I didn't see it either. Okay.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Is that a baby bottle on you? That tattoo?

[Wiz Khalifa]

A baby bottle? No, it's a spray can.

[Olivia Carville]

Oh, God. You might need to go get that. Let me see. Yeah, it doesn't look like a baby bottle.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Definitely.

[Olivia Carville]

The unknown.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It's covered up. The koi fish.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Nah, it's still on there. The other side. It's still there.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You remember when you was here back in the day?

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Wiz Khalifa]

You trying to. You trying to go viral again? No, wait, I wasn't here.

[Olivia Carville]

What happened?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It don't matter.

[Wiz Khalifa]

He made an old joke. Get some new period.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Hey, Wiz, man. Keep doing what you do, man. You are a blueprint.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Thank you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Whether people realize it or not, appreciate it. You know what I'm saying? From the music aspect, even to the entrepreneurial aspect. You got strains of weed, you got mushrooms, you got Liquid Death. Liquid. Liquid Death.

[Olivia Carville]

You involved in that?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Get the fuck out of that.

[Olivia Carville]

That is so on brand for you. Oh, my God.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Liquid Death was yours.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yes, sir.

[Olivia Carville]

Explain that. How did you get involved early, before.

[Wiz Khalifa]

They even took off? Like, it was like, hey, boom, boom, bam. And the whole business thing and the whole. You be a part of this. We do that. And Liquid Death.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I knew about the gin.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Olivia Carville]

With Sovereign Brands.

[Wiz Khalifa]

This was. Yeah. I've been. I've been a part of this company almost 10 years now.

[Olivia Carville]

Liquid Death.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah. Yeah. Wow.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You see that shit everywhere.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yes.

[Olivia Carville]

That is so everywhere. The first time I saw it, I was like, what? Why are you drinking that? And then they explained that it was water.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah.

[Olivia Carville]

And I was like, oh, okay. But even the can and the way that it's branded, it just fits your whole aesthetic.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yep.

[Olivia Carville]

What else do you do business wise, on the back end at, like. I mean, if you want to talk about it, but, like, there's a whole portfolio back there that the people might not know.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Like you said, McQueen. But we part of that whole company, though. The whole Doucet and Bel Air and all of that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

The violent frog. That's the same thing, right?

[Wiz Khalifa]

The fog. Yes.

[Olivia Carville]

When you say part of the.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Not a frog.

[Olivia Carville]

When you say a Part of the company. There's ownership there. Are you. Because I know you have the. The. The alcohol brands.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, that's what we're talking about. Yeah, there's ownership there. It's like. It's like with business and. And being a part of companies and having some of these companies aren't even, you know, public yet. So you buy into companies, you have ownership, you have percentage. There's a lot of different ways to, you know, become a part owner or just be a part of a business without starting it. And that's where, you know, the best decisions come in. And it's all about timing, too. Oh, PFL as well. I don't know if you guys ever heard of Professional Fighters League, but I'm involved with them too. We just bought Bellator's and ufc. And then there's pfl.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I heard pfl.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yep. I'm down with them, too.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And you gotta fight in one of those.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Nah, I don't think I'm a fight. I don't think I'm gonna.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Little amateur match. You built for that?

[Wiz Khalifa]

I'm definitely built for it, but I don't wanna do it. That's not what I train for. I just train to feel good. I don't train to risk my life. Those dudes risk their lives in there, somebody could die.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's true.

[Wiz Khalifa]

And what's the point of me getting in there and risking half of my face not working, just to, you know what I mean, entertain everybody. What I do is on stage, and I'm good with that. Like, you feel me?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What about celebrity squabbles, though? Like, just to keep people out of trouble. Like, I saw two. Damn, who was it? I just seen two rappers square up.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Yeah, I think, like, rappers should meet in the gym and they should fight for sure. Like, with gloves, mouthpiece with a clock, you know, like, you should set it up. Like, if you really got a problem with somebody. And that's the thing about, like, training martial arts or just any type of, you know, combat sport is like, you don't want to do it randomly. You feel me? Like, if we really gonna do this, if you feel like that tomorrow or next week or next month, then, like, by all means, please come down here, let's meet up and let's get it cracking. I think that more people would benefit off of that for sure.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Last time you've been in a fight?

[Wiz Khalifa]

I don't fight, bro.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, I'm just talking about even in the sparring, like.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Oh, I spar all the time. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't. I don't fight in the streets, though. That's. That's. That's out.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Wiz Khalifa, man. Kushing Orange juice.

[Olivia Carville]

I made it through. Say yes like I made it through.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Come on now.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It's easy for Wiz.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Y'all cool. I came to see y'all cushion Orange juice.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And y'all about to go on tour. The Taylor Gang world tour.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Taylor Gang? Yeah. Taylor Gain the World Cushion Orange Juice 2. Follow me on all socials. TikTok Wiz Khalifa. Instagram. Wiz Khalifa X. Wiz Khalifa.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, it's Wiz Khalifa. The Breakfast Club.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Wake that ass up.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Early in the morning.

[Wiz Khalifa]

The breakfast club.

[Margie Murphy]

In 2020, a group of young women found themselves in an AI fueled nightmare.

[Olivia Carville]

Someone was posting photos.

[Wiz Khalifa]

It was just me naked. Well, not me, but me with someone else's body parts.

[Margie Murphy]

This is Levittown, a new podcast from iHeart podcasts Bloomberg and Kaleidoscope about the rise of deepfake pornography and the battle to stop it. Listen to Levittown on Bloomberg's Big Take podcast. Find it on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.