Wiz Khalifa stops by Shay Shay Club to discuss the current state of hip-hop. He’s an established star, as quick as Snoop Dogg’s rise and subsequent transformation into stoner celebrity. However, it’s easy to forget that Wiz Khalifa emerged during the same blog-rap era that also produced Drake, Kendrick Lamar and J. J Cole et al. He may no longer be as important as the “Big Three,” but he’s uniquely qualified to talk about their careers. It’s this qualification that makes his take on J Cole so interesting.
Shannon Sharpe asked Wiz Khalifa how he felt about Cole’s apology. The Dreamville veteran is infamous for his criticism of Kendrick Lamar, calling it the “weirdest shit” of his career. Wiz didn’t expect to be asked this question, but he answered cautiously. He admitted that as a rapper, he didn’t really like what J Cole was doing. “In hip-hop, by the rules,” Wiz Khalifa asserts. “No, hell no. You shouldn’t do that.” However, the Pittsburgh legend believes J. Cole’s approach was a smart move on a human level. “In real life, you can take back some of the crap you say,” he admits.
Wiz Khalifa calls J. Cole a ‘big shot’
Wiz Khalifa also believed that J. Cole proved that he is a “greater person” by apologizing. “Only a bigger man can really say ‘I don’t want any problems,'” he explains. “In real life, what the hell…I’ll let other people do hip-hop.” Wiz Khalifa is among the majority of rappers when it comes to commenting on J Cole’s apology. While Cole’s decision to apologize was generally frowned upon at the time, it was later praised as a mature decision. Charlamagne Tha God initially clowned J Cole, but later changed her attitude. “I’m a spiritual person and I have nothing but respect for what J. Cole has done,” he said.
Wiz Khalifa also weighed in on the third man in the “Big Three” discussion, Drake. He was asked what he thought of the Six Gods’ motion against UMG and Spotify. The rapper didn’t hesitate to say that Drake has always been the same person. “No, that sounds like a Drake move to me,” he quipped. Weisz did praise the rapper’s business acumen, though. “In my eyes, he’s a musician and a businessman,” the rapper added. “I mean, it’s a smart thing to do.”
About the author
Elias Andrews is the music and entertainment writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH in 2024 as chief night writer, which means he covers new releases every week. In the year since joining, Elias has covered some of the biggest, most tumultuous stories in music. He’s been covering Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s battle on the fly, especially with the release of topics like “Family Matters” and “Meet the Grahams.” He also detailed a list of ongoing allegations and criminal charges against Diddy. Elias’ favorite artists are Andre 3000, MF Doom, pre-808s Kanye West and Tyler, The Creator. He likes L.A. hip-hop, but not L.A. sports teams. The first album he bought was Will Smith’s “Big Willie Style,” which he thinks still sounds great.
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