Calling Wiz Khalifa a legend made sense 10 years ago; in 2025, it feels like an understatement. Now 37, the rapper is a certified cultural figurehead and global household name.
Alongside his music, Khalifa has grown into an astute businessman and international weed icon. But despite his newfound comfort on April’s Kush + Orange Juice 2, there’s still plenty of gas left in the tank. “I definitely think it’s one of my best projects, definitely one of my best up to date,” he tells Rolling Stone AU/NZ, rolling a joint on the couch of his LA home.
Kush & Orange Juice 2 is the highly anticipated follow-up to Khalifa’s 2010 mixtape Kush & Orange Juice — a project fondly remembered for being the soundtrack for a generation of (then niche) stoner-rap fans. It led to his first record deal and a mainstream rise through his 2011 album Rolling Papers.
“When it comes to classics, everybody has their own project they connect with,” he says. “I try to encapsulate where I’m at in my life, and do a good job of explaining the things that are important to me, and the things that make me excited about everyday life or music. That’s what makes me really proud about Kush & Orange Juice 2. I felt like I did a really good job of representing that.”
When Rolling Stone profiled a 19-year-old Khalifa in 2006, it marked his arrival on the national scene after years of local mixtape grind and support from Pennsylvania label Rostrum Records. The following years saw a consistent flow of music, with Khalifa refusing to let a short-lived Warner deal derail his momentum.
By the time Kush & Orange Juice dropped, he’d established a strong brand, gaining a huge mainstream surge during the SWAG era — which was defined by the rise of brands like Obey and Supreme during a period when hip-hop’s cultural dominance peaked. Dubbed an instant classic, Kush & Orange Juice was quickly immortalised in the stoner-rap canon.
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Khalifa was soon scouted by labels, with “Black and Yellow” cementing his place on the global stage. After Rolling Papers, he co-starred with Snoop Dogg in Mac & Devin Go to High School, with the accompanying collaborative album birthing “Young, Wild & Free”.
“I think I’ve been able to explore all the sides of who I really am in front of everybody,” Khalifa reflects.
That journey continues on Kush & Orange Juice 2.
Modernising the original Kush & Orange Juice experience, Khalifa now embraces legacy and reinvention. Resonating with both long-time fans and newer listeners alike, Kush & Orange Juice 2 is built to age well, with features from day-ones like Chevy Woods, Curren$y, and Juicy J, alongside newer faces including Luh Tyler, Don Toliver, and Larry June.
“The way I felt when I made the first Kush & Orange Juice was really intentional. It definitely started something for a lot of people who connect those times and memories with the music,” he says. “When it came to doing the second one, I felt like I was able to do the exact same thing.”
Kush & Orange Juice 2 joins a long list of sequel rap albums — a space often taken up by nostalgia-fuelled cash grabs or bloated overpromises (see Eminem’s MMLP2 or Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday 2). But Khalifa’s version is one of the best releases of 2025; despite significant life upgrades since the original mixtape, Khalifa’s hunger remains unchanged.
On “My Influence”, he raps “This year gotta write a Grammy speech in case I win one.” While he doesn’t view his Grammy snubs as a sign of disrespect, Khalifa is well-practised in delayed gratification.
“I don’t feel underappreciated at all. I feel like people really do appreciate my contributions to the culture and industry, and people really appreciate my entire catalogue. I feel like it stands alone and it really doesn’t need too much explanation,” he insists. “I still have aspirations as a musician which keep me hungry and focused. I’m curious, and on a path of knowing that eventually the things I want are gonna come, even if they don’t happen immediately. That’s not a reason to shorten my story. This is gonna happen.”
“I’ve made classics for people who enjoyed my original stuff, and I’ve made records that have lived on the radio for weeks at number one. I’ve done stuff that satisfied me, but might not have been the biggest hit in the world,” he continues. “I’m really proud to be able to experience all of that and still be accepted, and still able to make new music and revisit things that people love — but also push the limits to things that people have never seen before. I just want the opportunity to create and to be really free. That’s a blessing for somebody like me.”
His upcoming Fridayz Live performance in October will mark Khalifa’s first Australian appearance in over a decade. Back in 2014, he was smoking out of water bottles in his hotel room while on tour with A$AP Rocky, playing Field Day.
His growth in between visits echoes the evolution from Kush & Orange Juice to Kush & Orange Juice 2, making his return to Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, and Sydney a must-see.
“The last time I was there was 11 years ago and people are still checking out the videos and seeing what happened and wanting to be a part of it. That means this next time we come is gonna last another 10–15 years. So it’s gonna be legendary,” he says.
While many Australian fans have likely never seen him live, Khalifa’s effortless relatability makes generation gaps irrelevant.
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“The most important part for me is just adapting, adjusting, and doing what comes natural. My stuff comes from my lifestyle and what I would actually do as a normal person. My life is my music.
“There’s a lot of things that I’m not willing to compromise just for the music aspect of it. I love music and I love what I do, but it’s a product of me being happy and me enjoying myself, which comes from me really feeling understood and comfortable in my own circle. Other people are able to enjoy that after the fact, so I just work off that.
“It’s my job to incorporate everybody and make everybody feel a part of it so we don’t lose the integrity, but we can still do this on a big scale.”
With a firm focus on what’s next, It’s unlikely that Kush & Orange Juice 2 will be Khalifa’s last sequel. “I’m focused on getting everybody ready for what’s coming next. It’s not gonna be one of those things where I drop and go away. You’re gonna get a consistent flow of stuff for me” he reveals.
Reflecting on his career, Khalifa’s grounded personality is likely what keeps him creating some of his best work. Still an unapologetically authentic industry trailblazer, Kush & Orange Juice 2 proves he’s grown into exactly who he always said he’d become.
Grateful for the ride with plenty left to give, Khalifa knows he’s come full circle.
“I take [my influence] as an honour. Hopefully the people who inspire me to do what I do, can hear traces of their style or inspiration, whether it’s clothes, attitude, sound, or subject matter. I see the benefits of it and all the good things that come with it, so I’m always happy to see that.”
Wiz Khalifa features on the Fridayz Live 2025 lineup alongside Mariah Carey, Pitbull, and many more. Ticket information for Fridayz Live is available here.
