Wiz Khalifa w/ Young Shotz

With a weed-mellowed flow reminiscent of a more alert, less introspective Kid Cudi, Pittsburgh rapper Wiz Khalifa has succeeded where most blog rappers have not: translating his early critical acclaim and underground buzz into genuine commercial success. His Stargate-produced Pittsburgh pride anthem “Black and Yellow” has been ubiquitous on both urban and pop stations for weeks, inspiring a slew of regional remakes, including the Packers rally cry “Green and Yellow” from Milwaukee rappers Pizzle and Prophetic. Now comes Wiz Khalifa’s next challenge: cementing a release date for his major-label debut on Atlantic Records.