Wiz Khalifa dropped his first full-length mixtape in nearly two years with “Laugh Now Fly Later.” Fans are still holding out for his sequel album, “Rolling Paper 2.” This simply served as music to tide fans over until that project comes out. A concise 10-track tape with only one feature from frequent collaborator, Casey Veggies, this tape may have looked like a return to classic mixtape Khalifa form on first glance at the track list. Unfortunately, this tape falls short of some of the classics Khalifa has put out in the past.
The production was a mix between Khalifa’s trap-heavy, “Cabin Fever” trilogy of mixtapes and the floating sounds of his classic, “Kush & OJ.” The lyrics consisted of the usual brags of the lifestyle of a rich and famous stoner with his own strain of marijuana to promote. Khalifa embraces his status as a veteran in the game, but this really seems like an attempt to put out some unreleased music to appease fans. Luckily, with a veteran such as Khalifa, some of the songs he thought did not make the cut are not only solid tracks, but they offer intriguing sounds. Unfortunately, the tape was not consistent enough to make it memorable, especially when held to the standards of the Pittsburgh rapper’s discography.
Khalifa starts the tape out by getting completely outdone on his own opening track. Khalifa’s only guest on this project, Casey Veggies, made the most of this exposure, despite already being a known commodity in hip-hop with a hook that bobs heads and a verse that outshines Wiz’s. It is not a bad song by any means, but the bars from Khalifa feel like they have been said before, and he had the spotlight stolen from him by Veggies.
The second track was supposed to be a hit with that trap-heavy, “Cabin Fever” sound, with production from 808 Mafia. However, “Letterman” was quite disappointing, with a repetitive hook from Khalifa in a singing fashion with a healthy dose of autotune. This song might be one of the more talked about ones from the project, but not for the right reasons.
Khalifa did not compile a project full of flops. He has consistently added to his catalog with every release, and this tape was not without its highlights. Khalifa uses beats that complement his laid-back flow, and that is what the fans want to hear. He is not a stereotypical stoner, and the tracks “Figure it Out” and “Long Way to Go” hold themes of inspiration, urging everyone to strive for their very best.
These two songs are the ones that will provide fans with hope for “Rolling Papers 2” to be a triumphant return to form for Khalifa. It feels like the rest of Khalifa’s career could hinge on the reception of his long-awaited album. A successful release would create an acclaimed album series. An unsuccessful release could be viewed as just another blip in a declining career.
Photo: by The Come Up Show (https://goo.gl/Vsqu2z) via flickr
