#2: Wiz Khalifa

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Despite Pittsburgh hip-hop youngin’ Wiz Khalifa being signed to Warner Brothers Music since 2007 (he moved on to Atlantic Records in 2010), Khalifa went from an underground sensation to a mainstream radio hitmaker after the success of his song “Black and Yellow,” playing a number of music festivals, making magazine covers like XXL and winning MTV’s 2010 Breakthrough MC of the Year from artists like [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Nicki Mina[/lastfm]j and[lastfm link_type="artist_info"] J.Cole[/lastfm].

Khalifa has worked most notably with artists like [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Snoop Dogg[/lastfm], [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Girl Talk[/lastfm], [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Yelawolf[/lastfm], [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Wu-Tang Clan[/lastfm], [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]A Tribe Called Quest[/lastfm], [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Rakim[/lastfm],[lastfm link_type="artist_info"] KRS-One[/lastfm], and [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Slick Rick[/lastfm]. Known for his weed advocacy, many of Khalifa’s songs include references to partying, including a single called “On My Level” off his upcoming album, Rolling Papers.

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