My view of Wiz Khalifa prior to listening to Rolling Papers: I had tried to "get into" Wiz's first two albums, and some of his previous mixtapes. Here and there I found a song that was decent, but nothing ground-breaking.
Wiz Khalifa's September 2010 single Black & Yellow put him on the mainstream map. I did not have huge expectations for Rolling Papers. But with mainstream attention now, Wiz would get better than ever beats to rap over.
Track by track review:
When I'm Gone - Rolling Papers starts with over a minute of slow piano playing. After the beat starts to pick-up, Wiz starts rapping about how he is going to spend all his money now because its useless to him dead. An average song with catchy lyrics to start off the album. C
On My Level ft. Too Short - Outside of not being able to fully understanding what Wiz Khalifa's "level" was, On My Level is the best track on the album. The smooth beat sets the tone for the song right from the start. The chill-ness of the song can be summed up from the opening lyrics to the chorus: "See after drinking champagne all night, Never worry bout a damn thing - y'all might." A-
Black and Yellow - Like Khalifa said "You know what it is." This song has been overplayed by the radio, and "free-styled" over by so many other artists that there is not much else to say about it that has not already been said. A-
Roll Up - Contrary to what you would infer the track would be about from reading the title, Wiz goes a complete different direction. "Whenever you call, baby I roll up," Khalifa spits in the chorus. Despite being thrown off from the track's title, Roll Up is a fresh gap in-between Wiz's normal track subject. B+
Hopes and Dreams - Track number five is the worst score on the album. The beat is chill, yet the lyrics are "wack" beyond belief. "Oh we can go to my house or we can go to your crib; We can jump in your car, you can see how I live, but I’m still throwing money up." What the f*ck does that mean?! D
Wake Up - Wiz raps about how he does not want to "wake up" from the life he's living. Nobody wants to hear about a rapper's struggles once they've become part of mainstream rap and made millions. Khalifia went the right route by appreciating what he's got. C+
The Race - The best beat on the album by far. Khalifa continues his "I made it" attitude by rapping about the attention he gets from girls now compared to before he was hot. "Cause we are, young, gifted, not to mention out here making muthaf*cking millions," Khalifa spits in the third verse. B
Star of the Show ft. Chevy Woods - Khalifa puts his listeners in the shoes of the "star of the show" on this song. Its one of the only songs on the album that actually have a deep meaning. B-
No Sleep - Khalifa goes the complete opposite direction of his previous track, and gets back to rapping about partying. Currently (as of March 29th), No Sleep is the number one best seller in the iTunes music store. There is no doubt this song is fun to listen to, yet its definitely not "number one song on iTunes" special. B
Get Your Sh*t - This song has grown on me a lot since my first play through. Khalifa will relate to plenty of fans in this track by telling his girlfriend it's over. "I'm tired of arguing and fighting girl; Every night you keep calling me with the same shit: I'm goin insane, I swear I love you but this ain't right for us," Khalifa sings in the prominent chorus of Rolling Papers. B
Top Floor - A strange beat that catches your ear right from the start. The lyrics are all over the place in this song, which is a shame because Wiz's flow and the beat deliver nicely. C
Fly Solo - Elementary lyrics with a chorus that repeats "I fly solo" seven times. You start to get the feeling that the best of the album has already past. C-
Rooftops ft. Curren$y - Another "I made it" anthem. "Used to not be allowed in the building, but now we on the rooftop," Wiz sings in the chorus. A chill beat that Khalifa and Curren$y do a good job of spitting over, yet I feel like I already heard this song earlier in the album. C
Cameras - And yet another "I made it" anthem to finish the album. "Got everything you always dreamed and though about, and everyone knows who you are," sings Khalifa. Despite the "cameras" flashing, you'll still be able to fall asleep while listening to the repetitive end of Rolling Papers. C-
Final Verdict - Definitely an album worth listening to at least. However, due to the dramatic downfall of the album down the stretch, Rolling Papers is not worth paying $9.99 for on iTunes (unless you are a huge Khalfia fan). C+
Rooftops ft. Curren$y - Another "I made it" anthem. "Used to not be allowed in the building, but now we on the rooftop," Wiz sings in the chorus. A chill beat that Khalifa and Curren$y do a good job of spitting over, yet I feel like I already heard this song earlier in the album. C
Cameras - And yet another "I made it" anthem to finish the album. "Got everything you always dreamed and though about, and everyone knows who you are," sings Khalifa. Despite the "cameras" flashing, you'll still be able to fall asleep while listening to the repetitive end of Rolling Papers. C-
Final Verdict - Definitely an album worth listening to at least. However, due to the dramatic downfall of the album down the stretch, Rolling Papers is not worth paying $9.99 for on iTunes (unless you are a huge Khalfia fan). C+
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