Wiz Khalifa just dropped ‘Kush & Orange Juice 2,’ and the rapper shares why he chose to make a follow-up album to the original ‘Kush & OJ.’ He discusses performing at Coachella, working with J. Cole and Gunna, what fans can expect from his tour, his thoughts on being compared to Snoop Dogg, not realizing 'Blacc Hollywood' went No. 1, his role in the legalization of marijuana in New York and more!
What do you think of ‘Kush & Orange Juice 2?’ Let us know in the comments below!
What do you think of ‘Kush & Orange Juice 2?’ Let us know in the comments below!
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MusicTranscript
00:00Black Hollywood went number one?
00:03No, it didn't.
00:04How drunk was I when that album came out?
00:06Bro, you're not even as talented or as cool as him,
00:09so don't be an asshole.
00:10I hate it, because Snoop is the coolest nigga ever.
00:13I travel, I do two-hour sets, I kickbox, I do hot yoga,
00:20I got kids, I got dogs.
00:21Normal niggas would be like, one of these gotta go.
00:24Yo, yo, what's going on, y'all?
00:30I am Billboard Deputy Director of R&B Hip Hop,
00:32Mr. Karl Lamar.
00:34Today, for Billboard In Conversation,
00:36we got the man, the myth, the legend,
00:38Mr. Cushion OJ, Wiz Khalifa.
00:42What's up, brother?
00:43It's Khalifa, man.
00:45You know, we're gonna talk everything
00:46from the new album, Cushion OJ, the world tour.
00:50If you still got that gym regimen going,
00:52still out here fucking up them weights.
00:54Stayin' last, we might do a little,
00:56might do a little, you know, weight competition.
00:59It's whatever, man.
01:00Push-ups, do functional push-ups.
01:03Ah, I see, you lost me to functional push-ups.
01:05I don't know what that shit's saying.
01:06What's a functional push-up?
01:08It's like a three-way, like, you do scat,
01:10then you do scat half, and then you do scat full.
01:12You see, you throwing words out there
01:14I never heard of before, bro.
01:16We gonna stick to this.
01:17Yeah, that's all some ROTC shit you had me with right there.
01:21But not real talk, man, congratulations.
01:23This is the 15th anniversary of Cushion OJ, man.
01:27Tell me some of your fondest memories making that classic.
01:31Um, really just, like, the mode that I was in.
01:33Like, tapped in with the fans, being on the road,
01:37buying Jordans, wearing chucks,
01:40wearing camo shorts every day.
01:43Um, literally, like, smoking Cushion and drinking orange juice
01:47and just, you know, putting the world onto a whole lifestyle
01:51that we were living.
01:52That was a fucking movement back there.
01:53Yeah.
01:54Mesmerize still be ringing in my head, bro.
01:56Yeah, thank you.
01:57What were some of your favorite cuts that you still love performing to this day?
02:00I'm curious.
02:01Uh, Mesmerize, Kid Frankie.
02:04Mm-hmm.
02:05In the Cut was a real fun one to perform.
02:07Yeah.
02:08Still blazing.
02:09That always goes on, especially at the weed festivals.
02:12Obviously, you decided to come out with the sequel.
02:15Mm-hmm.
02:15Sometimes when cats put out a sequel, it can be a little scary.
02:18Yeah, yeah, yeah.
02:18You know, but what made you decide if this was the perfect time
02:21to drop the sequel?
02:23Um, just really being tapped in with the fans
02:26and the people who, like, support the music the most.
02:28Mm-hmm.
02:29Um, I kind of just sat back and, you know, tried a few things
02:33and, you know, seeing what they were in the mood for
02:36and what they expect and really want from me.
02:39And that's what I went in on the most to deliver, you know,
02:42the best way that I could.
02:44I mean, obviously, you have a couple of classics under your belt,
02:46you know, Cabin Fever, Tale of All the Dice,
02:49but Cushion O.J. is something special.
02:51What makes up a Cushion O.J. album?
02:54Ha, ha, ha.
02:56Something player, something for the ladies,
02:59something motivational, and something to smoke to.
03:03I love, oh.
03:04Yeah, yeah.
03:04I like those elements, right?
03:05Yeah, exactly.
03:06I like that.
03:07Um, were you a little nervous, though,
03:09knowing the legacy that Cushion O.J. has to try to
03:13make sure that momentum is still up there for the sequel?
03:16Um, nah, I wasn't nervous at all.
03:18It was something that, uh, I felt like I could challenge myself to do,
03:22but something that also I would know if it was it
03:26or if it wasn't it.
03:27And there was a couple times, you know, during the process
03:30where I would get to be like, maybe I'm done.
03:34Maybe I figured it out.
03:35Maybe I did do it.
03:36But the fans and the people will always let me know
03:39which direction it really shifted in.
03:41Yeah.
03:41And when I finally got to the end of it,
03:44I'm like 100% confident.
03:45Like, yeah.
03:46So it wasn't scary.
03:48It was fun trying to figure it out.
03:50I love that.
03:50I mean, during this rollout,
03:52it's been a fire rollout.
03:53You've been dropping a shit ton of freestyles, some loosies.
03:56One included Billionaires with Conductor.
03:59Mm-hmm.
04:00Conductor and Ty.
04:01One, like, how did you link up with Conductor?
04:03Because he's been like a producer of the moment these last few years.
04:06Yeah, yeah.
04:06He's been, um, he's tough.
04:08Like, he's always, I've always wanted to rap over some of his beats
04:12because they're like soulful.
04:14And you know what I'm saying?
04:14They just have certain elements that my music carries as well.
04:18And then I did a song for his album that released maybe last year.
04:23Mm-hmm.
04:24So we've kind of always been in contact.
04:26And I just reached out to him.
04:28I was finishing up the album.
04:29I was like, yo, send a pack through.
04:31Mm-hmm.
04:31And it was really easy.
04:32He hit me up to the same day.
04:34And, you know, we just started working like that.
04:40I love that.
04:41Another person, uh, record just came out five-star with Gunna.
04:44Y'all had teamed up on the Tyler Yahweh record.
04:47Mm-hmm.
04:47But this is the first time y'all really linking.
04:49Mm-hmm.
04:49What was it like working with Gunna?
04:51It was really cool working with Gunna.
04:52I got to go to the studio with him and just vibe out.
04:55And I did a song for his album as well.
04:58Mm-hmm.
04:58So we kind of did like a, you know, a swap type thing.
05:01But it was just good to work with him and just, uh, get that vibe.
05:05Because he's on the same vibe too, but he's just from Atlanta.
05:08Yeah, yeah, yeah.
05:09He be on some player shit, so.
05:10I was going to say, he's on some P shit.
05:12It's kind of like, I feel like y'all could have a little joint collab the way y'all just vibe with each other.
05:17Yeah, for sure.
05:18Because it's just based off of the same vibe, man.
05:20Everybody kicking it.
05:21Everybody chilling.
05:22Some ladies around.
05:23Some good music.
05:24It's good vibes.
05:26And, you know, that's the type of energy that we want to bring.
05:30And y'all could be some gym rats, man.
05:31Oh, for sure.
05:32Yeah, we working out.
05:33I love that.
05:34Call me up.
05:35We get busy in the gym.
05:36You know what I mean?
05:37Exactly, exactly.
05:37I was telling you ahead of the interview, I love the rollout and how strategic you've been.
05:42You put out five to six different records leading up to the album.
05:47What made you decide to be this methodical?
05:49Because this is a rollout we haven't seen in a long time in hip hop.
05:52Yeah, I wanted to do something that made sense for now.
05:56Yeah.
05:56And just dropping the project wasn't good enough for me.
06:00I wanted to extend the experience.
06:03And in doing that, I actually gave myself time to drop the right type of album.
06:08Yeah.
06:08Because if I would have put it out, you know, when we started releasing the music,
06:12it would have been over with by now.
06:14But we're just getting started.
06:15Yeah.
06:16Yeah, yeah, yeah.
06:17We hooked it up.
06:18The Day One tale is they're going to appreciate the fact that you kept it authentic,
06:22as we spoke about before the interview.
06:24Bringing in Day One, Kef, like a Chevy, like a Juicy, like a tie on this project.
06:29One, talk about the chemistry that you have with each one of those guys,
06:33and why it's been able to stand the test of time for this long.
06:38It's really just about creating a platform, like rather than sharing it.
06:45Because some people say like, I'll share my platform.
06:47But we could have made any type of song for these albums, but for this album.
06:53But I wanted to make sure that their moment was the right type of moment.
06:57Yeah.
06:58And it has to make sense, and it's got to be significant to the story.
07:02And those dudes are always significant to the story.
07:04One million.
07:05So that's why we could, you know, go back 10 years or, you know, however many years.
07:11Me and Ty just got one of those plaques for a billion spins, I mean a billion streams for Or Nah.
07:19And he just brought me out at Coachella, like, you know what I mean?
07:27So it's cool to have, like, you know, rich friends.
07:31Shout out to the rich homies, man.
07:33Yeah, man.
07:34We love the rich homies.
07:35You brought up Coachella that just recently passed, man.
07:37You also came out for 3-6, man, did 23.
07:40Talk about having that moment on stage with 3-6 at Coachella, and again with Ty as well.
07:46Yeah, it's really motivational for me because I used to ride around.
07:51I still do, but, like, when I was, you know, 16, 17 and got my first car and had my system
07:57and my speakers, I'm playing 3-6 Project Pac.
08:00Oh, yeah.
08:00All dead just because of how the beat sound.
08:02Right.
08:03So to go from that to, like you said, really being friends with him to the point where he'll
08:08call me and have me come out on stage with him at Coachella and perform a hit record that
08:13we have together, you can't buy that type of stuff.
08:16So to be able to just do that, I think, is something to really appreciate, and I'm really
08:22grateful for that as well.
08:23I love that.
08:24Yeah.
08:24Along with some of the singles you've been dropping, the Freestyles, whether it's been,
08:28you know, Squabble Up, you rapping alongside LaRussell, man.
08:33You have been on a fucking run right now.
08:36The level of motion is A1, man.
08:38Talk about just this reinvigorated spirit you have with rapping, or was it always there?
08:44Yeah.
08:44You know, because Cats have been saying this is like throwback ways we're getting right
08:48now.
08:48Yeah.
08:49I mean, I did it strategically where I started working on the album and then I kind of just
08:56removed myself from social media for a minute.
08:59And it was about like four months where I didn't even scroll.
09:02I didn't digest anything.
09:04Wow.
09:05But yeah, it was on purpose because I had to find myself.
09:09I had to figure out what I was going to do regardless of what was going on around me.
09:14And the moment I figured that out, I picked up my phone and I put my foot back on the gas.
09:20Wow.
09:21And shout out to my cameraman, DK, because we'll do some stuff that night and then we'll shoot
09:27it and we'll post it and just the consistency and the intent and the actual work and the scheduling
09:34that has went into it.
09:36That's what's paid off in the effect of what people see now.
09:40Do you find yourself unplugging more than usual, knowing how effective it was for your writing
09:45process?
09:46I see the importance of unplugging.
09:49Because, you know, I kind of got forced into it and then I do yoga and I was at one of my
09:56yoga classes and somebody was telling me that he felt completely fine not having social media.
10:03And it never really made sense to me before because I had done so much through social media.
10:09But at that moment and then coming out of the yoga class, you have like a certain clarity.
10:13So it happened and at that moment I was like, man, maybe I'm going to try that.
10:17And I was going to try it for like a week and I really benefited off of it.
10:21And I was like, wow, I'm just going to see how long this lasts.
10:24How long to go for it, yeah.
10:24Yeah.
10:25And it worked out for me and it didn't really, it didn't bring anything down because I wasn't
10:30trying to go after anything at that point.
10:33But as soon as I started to, you know, re, you know, integrate, I just seen the numbers going up
10:40and going up, they're going up, they're going up.
10:41I'm like, oh, okay, cool.
10:42Oh, so there's a good thing of taking a break and then, you know, getting back to it.
10:48You being able to benefit of you unplugging.
10:50One of the things that came out of it was the Cloud Dreaming.
10:53I roll another one and call it art or gummy.
10:56You can smell a smoke on my clothes.
10:58I keep O's on me.
10:59I taught you how to roll to smoke with me.
11:00Your ultimate goal, probably.
11:02Oh, yeah.
11:02We're cold, man.
11:03Yeah.
11:04Talk about how that came about and y'all teaming up for the first time in what years?
11:09Yeah.
11:09A long time.
11:10He has sent the clearance to Will.
11:14All of our team are like direct, directly talk to each other.
11:17So I was like, Will's like, because he was putting the song out and it had my laugh in
11:22it.
11:22And I guess he was just out of respect.
11:24He was like, can we use the laugh?
11:25That's love.
11:26Yeah.
11:26Out of respect.
11:27This awesome homie shit was like, can we use the laugh?
11:30I'm like, hell yeah.
11:32Let me put a verse on this motherfucker.
11:34There you go.
11:35I like this shit hard.
11:37And that's how I worked out.
11:38I did the verse and then I started previewing it before they were even ready to talk about
11:42it.
11:42But the previews that went, you know, like they went crazy.
11:46So they was like, okay, we got to figure out a way to drop this.
11:48I love that.
11:49Yeah.
11:50Yeah.
11:50So it was just organic and fun how it should be.
11:53You've been on monsters run with the touring the last few years, man.
11:57What can fans expect this iteration of Wiz?
12:00Um, I think that a lot of people have heard about me, but they haven't actually seen me.
12:07So I think this is a really good time to like set the bar or elevate the bar from where they've
12:15already, you know, put their, their idea of what music is or what their expectations are.
12:21This is going to raise that.
12:22And it's going to put the, the experience of music on a whole nother level for a lot of
12:27people.
12:28And it's going to revive a feeling that, that some people already had or already know about
12:33music, but it's going to change the way that people enjoy music for sure.
12:37That's what the tour is going to do.
12:39Is there a song that you still get hyped to perform to this day?
12:43Like it never gets old.
12:44Cause I remember 50 told me in the club, he fucking hates that shit.
12:49For real?
12:49But he does, he does it.
12:50Yeah.
12:51It's a fan favorite.
12:52So I wonder if that's like black and yellow for you.
12:54I love playing all my songs.
12:55Okay.
12:56Like I get hyped for everything.
12:58Cause there's somebody out there who that's their first time seeing that shit.
13:01Great point.
13:02Yeah.
13:02Or, or there's some, yeah, that's their first time.
13:04See, they might've rode around in their car for it with it for 15 years.
13:09They might've been broke their whole motherfucking life.
13:11And that girl bought them a ticket.
13:13Yeah.
13:14And they do not want to see you perform that song lazy at all.
13:16They want to see some heat.
13:18They've been waiting for that shit.
13:20You know what song I feel like cats probably still break that.
13:23I feel like see you again.
13:24Like, I feel like you kind of like, yeah, yeah, they always cry to that.
13:29I could be at a corporate event.
13:31Somebody's going to cry to that.
13:32You really had though.
13:33Yeah, yeah, for sure.
13:35Hell yeah.
13:35Try to see you again.
13:37Yeah.
13:37See you again is a, is a smash.
13:39It's a monster.
13:39And it's good to have, you know,
13:42those hits to go along with the, with the mixtape stuff too.
13:46It's a good balance.
13:47There's a lot of people that sometimes they're like, man,
13:49I didn't even know he did this song.
13:50Mm.
13:51They're like, damn.
13:52Oh, word.
13:53All right, cool.
13:54This cat is nice.
13:55Yeah, all right, all right.
13:57You, you have this, uh, this mantra, of course, you know,
14:00work hard, play hard, dope record.
14:02Um, talk about like some of your business ventures
14:05and what you've been able to expand yourself to beyond like the weed line that people know.
14:10Yeah.
14:10Yeah.
14:10So there's Khalifa Kush, um, that's in dispensaries around the world.
14:17Yeah.
14:17Um, but I also, I'm involved with liquid death, uh, with the water company,
14:23PFL, which is a professional fighters league.
14:26Um, there's a lot of different things that just surround my lifestyle and things that I
14:32actually do in real life that we've opened, you know, legit businesses or gotten involved with
14:39legit businesses that, you know, turn into ownership or part ownership as well.
14:45What do you, what do you, what have you, what have you gained from the business side
14:49that may have helped you on the music side of things?
14:51Patience.
14:53Yeah.
14:53A lot of patience.
14:54How so?
14:55Um, just seeing a full project work out and come to fruition and then
15:02be something.
15:03Yeah.
15:03Um, there was a, there are, and was a lot of companies that we were involved with
15:09that hadn't even gone public, but we, you know, invested in them.
15:13And by the time that anybody was even interested in them, the amount that we're going to get
15:19from being invested in them.
15:21Right.
15:22Like it's crazy, but you just have to believe in it.
15:24You got to see it through and you got to, you know, be, you got to know what that looks like.
15:29Right.
15:29So I've learned a lot of patience and I learned how in front of your businesses, you really
15:37have to be for them to succeed.
15:39Because a lot of people think you can just put your name on it all the day.
15:42And yeah, and it's going to be like, no, I'm going to these places and I'm meeting with,
15:47you know, the sellers or the buyers or this, that I'm eating dinner with this person.
15:52I'm doing this person's birthday party because all of that stuff, it comes together in the end
15:57to make it one big thing.
15:59So if you're not out in front of your business, it's not going to be successful at all.
16:03Wow.
16:04Yeah.
16:04Wise words.
16:05Yeah.
16:05You know, we're, we're, we're not too far, like from age, you know, I recently have embraced
16:11my, my unk status, you know, and I'm curious, you know, is this something you have openly
16:17embraced?
16:17I feel like you have in terms of, you know, embracing the newer artists.
16:21Yeah.
16:21How has that been?
16:22I can't be, uh, but I'm not no YN.
16:25I'm an O N.
16:26Oh, Oh, I'm not mad at that.
16:28Yeah.
16:29So instead of calling you, uh, you might just be like, I'm an O N.
16:32You know what?
16:33I'm going to tell my boss, Hey, yo, refer to me as O N.
16:35You know what I'm saying?
16:36You know, she might fire me, but she's not.
16:38Cause YNs are cool, but we're the original YNs.
16:41So we O Ns.
16:42Yeah.
16:42But I love that O Ns.
16:44Yeah.
16:45Yeah.
16:45So, but yeah, I've definitely embraced it.
16:47I don't, I don't think I feel like that.
16:50Yeah.
16:50But knowing how the music industry is and how far removed some of my music is for some
16:57people or like how old they were when it was cracking.
17:00Yeah.
17:01That does make me an O N like for sure.
17:03Cause you know what's crazy?
17:04Like one of our past colleagues, we were talking about you on our show and it's funny, like back
17:10then, obviously Snoop is still that OG, but for the newer cast, it's kind of like you're walking
17:15in that Snoop lane.
17:16Yeah.
17:17In terms of being embraced, not just by hip hop, but by mainstream.
17:21Is that something you've noticed as well?
17:22Yeah, absolutely.
17:23And that's a blessing.
17:24And even just being around Snoop, he's always encouraged me and motivated me and let me know.
17:29Like he's like, you're Wiz.
17:31Mm-hmm.
17:32He's like, you're not the next Snoop.
17:33You're not none of that.
17:34You're Wiz.
17:35People love you because of you and what you do.
17:37You're going to do things different than what I did.
17:40But I think like you, what you're saying, people related to that because Snoop is just loved
17:46in general.
17:47Beloved, yeah.
17:48Yeah.
17:48Like everybody loves Snoop.
17:50And I think when you have a career based off of that, you know, it's something that can
17:55last you forever beyond your music.
17:57It lives beyond the music.
18:00I mean, 2036, we could see you at the Olympics holding the torch.
18:03If you waited.
18:04For sure.
18:04100%.
18:05You know what I'm saying?
18:06You and Martha Stoo do a little, you know.
18:08Snoop not kicked the door down.
18:09I'm coming through running in.
18:11Hell fucking yeah.
18:12Speaking of Snoop, man, obviously y'all relationship goes way back.
18:18Any favorite moments or stories like you can share about your relationship with Snoop?
18:24My favorite moments is, well, always, whenever I see him, that's my favorite moment.
18:29But I'm so much different than him.
18:33Like I got like a different energy.
18:35Snoop is like, he's chill.
18:36Like he's super duper.
18:37I'm wild.
18:38Like I like to have, like, I like to, you know what I mean?
18:40Turn up a little bit.
18:41Yeah, yeah, yeah.
18:42Yeah, exactly.
18:43So I always love seeing Snoop because I get him to relax and just, you know, like enjoy
18:49everything that's going on based off of my energy.
18:52Right.
18:53So those are my favorite moments just anytime I see him.
18:56But the moments that stand out the most is when I first met him because he was the introduction
19:04to what I thought and not still, not thought, but still think anybody in his position is supposed
19:11to be like, if you're, you know, got a lot of power, a lot of influence.
19:14If you're good at what you do, Snoop carries himself.
19:18He's so nice to everybody.
19:19He's so cool.
19:20He's so chill.
19:21He's so peaceful.
19:23He's so enjoyable to be around.
19:25If he's doing business, he's probably a little bit different.
19:27He's probably way more stern, but to the people around him or to the average person, he's
19:32really, really caring.
19:34And he embraced me.
19:35And when we shot high school, the movie together, I got to spend a lot of time with him just
19:40chilling in his trailer and just, you know, kicking it.
19:43We listened to the same types of music.
19:45There was one time where they were like dumping some, some feathers on me.
19:50And he was like, man, don't get no feathers in his hair.
19:52Like y'all going to have to get that shit out of his hair, blah, blah, blah.
19:55And he actually like helped people get feathers out of my hair.
19:58I'm like, bro, Snoop is so nice, man.
20:00That's love.
20:01So everybody that I met after that, I'm like, bro, you're not even as talented or as cool
20:05as him.
20:05So don't be an asshole because Snoop is the coolest nigga ever.
20:09Yeah.
20:09So yeah, he set the bar for like behavior, in my opinion.
20:13I love that.
20:14Shout out to Super Owen.
20:16Yeah, yeah.
20:16Uncle Snoop, man.
20:18You have proven to be a billboard savant when it comes to these charts, man.
20:22Number one, you know, Black and Yellow, See You Again, multiple top tens.
20:26At this point of your career, are numbers still a thing for you?
20:30Is that something you still chase or are you past that?
20:33It would be nice to have a number one album at some point.
20:37Versus a single?
20:39The single was cool.
20:40Yeah.
20:40I like that.
20:41But I want to be able to drop an album and it go number one.
20:44Why?
20:45Just because it would be cool as number one.
20:47Yeah.
20:47I mean, listen, you know, like I said.
20:49There's no other number one.
20:50Hall of Fame career at this point.
20:52I'm not in no rush, you know what I mean?
20:54But I'm not going to unrush it either whenever it's supposed to happen.
20:58I do think that my fans deserve for one of my albums to go number one because they support
21:05me so much.
21:06Of course.
21:06And there's a lot of stuff that that's based on that's not even just the fans.
21:11But for the people who support me, I think that would be really dope for them to know
21:16that their support got their guy to number one.
21:19I love that.
21:19Yeah, yeah.
21:20I love that.
21:20Number one or question.
21:22Super quick, actually.
21:24You have a number one album.
21:27What?
21:29Was it rolling papers?
21:30Nah.
21:31Black Hollywood debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 September Stakes.
21:34It did.
21:36It did?
21:36It did.
21:38It did.
21:40I remember that actually.
21:41Yeah, it did.
21:42Black Hollywood went number one.
21:44No, it didn't.
21:45It did.
21:46How drunk was I when that album came out?
21:49All right.
21:49Well, we good then.
21:51Let's celebrate that day.
21:52Yeah, let's go.
21:54What do you remember most of making Black Hollywood?
21:55Because I was, what, 2016?
21:57I don't remember.
21:57Shit.
22:002014.
22:01Do you remember anything from making that album?
22:03I don't remember.
22:03Nah, I remember when I did the session with Detail for We The Boys.
22:09I knew it was a hit instantly.
22:11Classic.
22:11As soon as I heard that record, I knew it was a hit.
22:14And I told Will, I was like, hey, I'm willing to do whatever we gotta do to get this song.
22:23Whatever, who we gotta rough up to get this beat?
22:26But nah, I was like, whatever we gotta do, make sure that this beat doesn't get sold or that this idea doesn't get put off to the next artist.
22:38I was like, I really want this and I can see where this is going.
22:42So I believed in that record like from day one and it's still like a really global record.
22:48Yeah, it's a staple.
22:49Yeah, sports for sure, but just like going overseas and like an Asian country or something like that.
22:58They're not gonna know the whole song, but they're gonna know that We The Boys part.
23:02And that's always been like a strong point of mine is like being able to travel with my music as well.
23:08And that one's taken me all around the world.
23:10Man, I want to say you had a remix. Was Nas on the remix?
23:14Yeah, it was like the chill, like the Cushion Orange Juice side remix.
23:17Yeah, I remember that. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
23:18Nas, Schoolboy Q and Rick Ross.
23:20See, what was it like putting that remix together?
23:23It was cool as hell because when Nas came to the studio, I was tripping.
23:27I was like, bro, and we recorded in New York.
23:30Oh, that's fine.
23:31I think I like made that. I was like, yo, I gotta go to New York and get Nas's verse.
23:35I gotta go to Miami and get Ross's verse.
23:39I gotta go to L.A. I was on one.
23:41You made it a real thing though.
23:43Oh, classic record.
23:44Hey, the album went number one.
23:45We love that. Shout out to Ebb.
23:47Yes, shout out to Ebb.
23:48Bringing up that stat.
23:49Thank you for reminding me.
23:52I want to go back like to the business side of things.
23:54Obviously, you know, with Khalifa Kush doing what it's doing.
23:58Like how important has it been for you to make sure you can legalize marijuana all across the board?
24:03Yeah, that's been pretty cool because I never just come starting where we started at.
24:10I wouldn't have seen it to where it's at now, especially like a place like New York where it's just
24:15recreational and you can just burn anywhere and everywhere.
24:18Looking for the shits and gas.
24:19Yeah, it's crazy.
24:20Yeah.
24:21So it's something I'm very grateful for.
24:24It's something that I'm happy to have played a role in and I'm able to make weed look less
24:30threatening to people.
24:31Yeah.
24:32You know what I mean?
24:33So I'm cool to be a part of that.
24:35I love how you brought it up.
24:36Like being in New York, obviously the shit is different.
24:38When you first came out here, I bet it was a whole shit show.
24:41Oh yeah.
24:41It was crazy.
24:42But we still we still do what we had to do.
24:47Yeah.
24:47So, you know, in our minds, it was legal.
24:49We just had to make make the world see it right there.
24:53A lot of cats may not know this, but your parents, they were in the military when you were young.
24:57I wonder, like, did anything did you take anything from how, you know,
25:02they raised you and incorporate that in your life or even, you know, fatherhood?
25:08Let me think.
25:13I guess, yeah, because like the earlier part of my life came from that type of structure
25:19and that type of discipline.
25:20Yeah.
25:21Yeah.
25:22It left.
25:25But when I needed it, it returned.
25:29And that was like, you know, when you're a teenager, you're going to go and rebel a little bit.
25:35But a lot of the stuff that I was doing, it wasn't that bad.
25:38It just wasn't socially accepted.
25:40So when it came to me, like being passionate and putting my work in, I could definitely say
25:45like the discipline and the structure and even just traveling and, you know, being able to pick
25:51up and go here to here from here to there or being able to meet new people and establish myself.
25:57I always traveled a lot when I was a kid, so I was always a new kid.
26:00So I developed just that sense of security and who I am being able to speak up for myself and
26:07and things like that.
26:08It definitely came from the structure that my parents provided for me growing up.
26:12You know, it's crazy.
26:13My dad, he was in the Vietnam War and I never had any sense of discipline up until recently.
26:21It kicked in.
26:22Like I didn't understand why he would fix the bed when he woke up or why he would clean
26:25every day.
26:26Like did that sense of discipline like you were just talking about, does it creep up
26:30now more than ever?
26:32It does for sure.
26:33Yeah.
26:33And I think it's just because it's the right thing to do.
26:37Right.
26:38Yeah.
26:38It just feels right.
26:39It's not nobody standing over me telling me to do it, but it's like, that's what I should have
26:44been doing.
26:45And this is why they stand over you and tell you to do it for sure.
26:50Yeah.
26:50Yeah.
26:50But you want to do it now.
26:52It's effortless.
26:53Yeah.
26:53It just comes.
26:54I mean, bro, you have a level of mastery that I think a lot of hip hop cast would love to
26:59possess in the sense of, man, you are able to co-parent so well and still maintain your
27:06relationship.
27:07That is not easy.
27:08Yeah.
27:09How have you been able to strike that balance so well?
27:13Uh, just by being genuine.
27:15Yeah.
27:16Um, there's no games being played.
27:18There's no minds being fucked.
27:22That's important.
27:22It's just all real.
27:24All authentic.
27:24100 is about the kids.
27:26Yeah.
27:26The kids are safe.
27:27The kids are happy.
27:28We hold each other down.
27:30Um, it's equal.
27:32We alternate on, on favors because we, we both need each other at different times.
27:37So you can't shit on somebody who you're going to need later.
27:39That's a fact.
27:40And, um, it's just really about just being 100.
27:44Yeah.
27:44Yeah.
27:45We just keep it 100.
27:46We keep it solid.
27:47You're a girl dad.
27:48Yeah.
27:50Talk about how that has played such an impact on your life.
27:53It's good, man.
27:54It's amazing.
27:55I love it.
27:55Yeah.
27:56Um, I already have like a soft side, you know, like a, you know, a little lover boy side.
28:04Yeah.
28:04I just get to pour all, all the love into my little baby girl.
28:07Yeah.
28:08Yeah.
28:08And it's good too, because, you know, Sebastian's 12.
28:12Mm-hmm.
28:13So it's been a long time since I had a little baby like that.
28:16Yeah.
28:16So just enjoying like a little, you know, those stages all over again.
28:21It's, it's amazing.
28:22And then it's my baby girl.
28:23So it's even better.
28:24How has he been enjoying the role of big brother?
28:26He loves it.
28:27He's really protective and really caring and he just, you know, takes the responsibility
28:34super duper serious.
28:35Like even if it's just holding her and, you know, bonding with her or he's just, he's just,
28:41you see the responsibility kick in with him.
28:43I love that.
28:44Yeah.
28:44Yeah.
28:44We were talking about it earlier, um, as far as with training and conditioning, obviously
28:49you're going on the world tour, you know, you're getting older.
28:53How much is training like as important as it was before when you first started?
28:58Yeah.
28:58I see it more as a mental thing than a physical thing now.
29:03Cause I started, uh, as soon as I turned 30 and I'm 37 now.
29:07Yeah.
29:08And in that fitness journey, it was crazy cause I kind of just kept my head down and then
29:14I looked up and I'm seven, eight years in the game and I'm like, damn, bro, I've been
29:18really doing this shit for almost 10 years.
29:22And now I'm just now starting to understand some things like breathing, like, you know
29:28what I mean?
29:28Certain postures or certain, uh, mind, body connectivity is just now starting to happen.
29:35So when I have a long week coming up, instead of resting, I'll push myself.
29:42Like I go hard because I know that I'm going to benefit from, you know, what I've learned
29:48and what I put myself through that week.
29:50Yeah.
29:50And then I use that time that I'm actually doing stuff as a time to recover and things
29:55like that.
29:56You mentioned earlier how yoga has been a big component and has it trumped like the
30:01martial arts and the weightlifting altogether, or is it like a fair balance?
30:05I think it brings it all together.
30:07Okay.
30:07Because it's a challenge.
30:09Yeah.
30:09Yeah.
30:09A lot of people don't know it's cardio.
30:11It's all of that.
30:12Your heart is racing in there and it's like you against 130 degrees.
30:19Yeah.
30:19You're doing these poses and you got an old lady over there who's barely even drinking
30:24her water.
30:24Light work.
30:25Yeah.
30:26She's not, she's not tripping.
30:27You like, yo, I got to run out of here.
30:30So it definitely, it centers me and it brings it all together.
30:34Um, as far as, like you said, the balance, but they all go hand in hand.
30:39You can't do one without the other.
30:41And then the main thing about it is, is breathing and that goes through life.
30:46Yeah.
30:46So that's what it is.
30:48Like it's life practice at that point.
30:49I think a lot of people, they still feel like there's a misconception about how
30:53weed can affect one to athleticism.
30:56Mm.
30:56Like, have you ever experienced that?
30:58And if not, can you like debunk those?
31:00Yeah.
31:00Hell no.
31:01I've never experienced weed affected my athleticism.
31:05People won't believe you until you smoke a joint and spar 12 rounds.
31:11They'll be like, damn, this motherfucker's not tired yet.
31:13Yeah.
31:14Like, yeah, I'm going to go hit a bong after this.
31:16Yeah.
31:17I think that makes it better though.
31:19It's like, when you see somebody who you think can't do what you do outperform you.
31:26Mm-hmm.
31:27And I'm smoking weed.
31:28Mm-hmm.
31:29You feel me?
31:29Like, I travel.
31:31I do two, two hour sets.
31:34I kick box.
31:35I do hot yoga.
31:37I got kids.
31:37I got dogs.
31:39Like, you know what I'm saying?
31:40Yeah.
31:40Like, that's the shit like, that would, normal niggas would be like, one of these gotta go.
31:45And you still do them all?
31:47I'm doing all of them.
31:48And smoking weed.
31:50Damn.
31:51And in the studio.
31:52Damn.
31:52And doing social media.
31:53Damn.
31:54And smoking weed.
31:55Damn.
31:57I am, you know, I admire like, the way you're able to make all that work, bro.
32:03Um, are you thinking about, you know, obviously you mentioned being, you know, co-owner PFL.
32:09You just stepping out of the ballroom and just, you know, full-time competitive vibe.
32:13Not even like for one match.
32:16It would be fun as fuck to do, like, a real match.
32:20If I did it, it would be for fun.
32:22Got it.
32:22It wouldn't be like a pay-per-view.
32:24Yeah, yeah, yeah.
32:26Me training, like, looking mean and shit like that.
32:29Like, do you know the posters where they look mean?
32:31Yeah, it would be medicine.
32:33I couldn't do that.
32:33Yeah.
32:34Like, it would be for fun.
32:36Oh, my God.
32:36Yeah, yeah, yeah.
32:37It would have to be for fun.
32:38That's it.
32:39And then lastly, I got to ask, man, the art of giving back.
32:43You've always been super altruistic, man.
32:46Are there any causes or charities that you find yourself giving back to right now?
32:51Yeah.
32:52That's true.
32:52Um, anybody who needs help.
32:57Any and everybody.
32:57I don't care if I need their student loans.
32:59Hey, yo.
32:59Oh, he's got you.
33:02Need some help.
33:04Do a little scholarship real quick, you know?
33:06No, that's love.
33:08Mr. Wiz Khalifa, what is your favorite Billboard moment?
33:11Um, well, I guess now I have a number one record.
33:15Going number one.
33:17Finding out 11 years later is great.
33:18I like the Billboard Awards, honestly.
33:20Yeah.
33:21What was it about the Billboard Awards that you enjoyed?
33:22It's just, like, real.
33:23It's super chill.
33:24Everybody's laid back.
33:25Like, security's not pushing you.
33:27Yeah.
33:28The performances are good.
33:29The songs that win, you actually like them and want them to win.
33:34It was just, it's like fair.
33:36How about that?
33:37Shout out to us.
33:38Yeah.
33:38Doing our job.
33:39The awards is dope.
33:39I love the Billboard Awards.
33:41Yeah, shout out to us, man.
33:43Before we go, we're going to do a very fun, quick rapid fire game.
33:48Cool.
33:49So, in this game, you're going to have 60 seconds to answer a series of questions.
33:53Your goal is to answer the most within that minute.
33:56So, if you're ready, we'll get the timer going.
33:59Ready?
33:59Yeah.
34:03Oh, let's go.
34:04Yo.
34:05East Coast or West Coast?
34:06East Coast.
34:06Oh, shit.
34:07I can't say I live on the West Coast.
34:11Oh, I'm from the Midwest.
34:12Midwest.
34:13I'm right.
34:14Yeah, there we go.
34:14Coffee or tea?
34:15Coffee.
34:16Morning person or night owl?
34:18Morning.
34:18Sativa or indica?
34:20Indica.
34:20Football or soccer?
34:21Football.
34:22Pre-game or after party?
34:23Pre-game.
34:24Arm day or leg day?
34:25Leg day.
34:26Cushion OJ or Cushion OJ 2?
34:28Cushion OJ.
34:2990s or 2000s?
34:3290s.
34:32Hits or deep cuts?
34:34Deep cuts.
34:34Party or waits?
34:36Waits.
34:37Dining or takeout?
34:38Takeout.
34:39No sleep or black or yellow?
34:41Black and yellow.
34:41Going out or staying in?
34:43Staying in.
34:43Winter or summer?
34:45Summer.
34:45Protein shake or protein bar?
34:46Shake.
34:47Early bird or night owl?
34:49Early.
34:50Sweet or spicy?
34:51Sweet.
34:52High top to low top?
34:54Low.
34:54Drums or flats?
34:56Flats.
34:56There we go.
34:58You have passed, Mr. Wiz Khalifa.
35:00Yeah.
35:01I've never been a flats guy.
35:02I don't get why.
35:03You gotta get on the flats, man.
35:04I feel like the drum, like, y'all all flats?
35:07I'm drumming.
35:09There we go.
35:10There we go.
35:12You never hear anybody go from eating flats to drums.
35:16There's a reason.
35:17But there's less on the bone.
35:19People go from drums to flats.
35:20I'm just saying.
35:21That's all.
35:22Oh, man.
35:22So we'll see you on the other side.
35:24I will see.
35:26You'll get more sauce on a flat, too.
35:28Like, when you got a drum, like, you just spin it,
35:31and there's, like, hella shit still on there.
35:34I mean, does it fill you up?
35:36That's why you eat a lot of them.
35:38This is true.
35:39Gang of flats.
35:41With them bad boys down the middle.
35:43I ain't mad at that.
35:44Mr. Wiz Khalifa, we appreciate you.
35:46Yes, sir.
35:46Kicking it with us on Billboard News.
35:49Yep.
35:49So thank you for your time.
35:52Christian OJ2 is out.
35:53Thank you for having me.
35:54Of course.
35:54Make sure y'all cop that ASAP.