Khalifa releases 'Rolling Papers' and builds his case:

Let's just admit it: we're probably a little excited for Spring Fling – thoughts of golden days brimming with guaranteed sunshine; music surging from open windows and make shift doors, and maybe, just maybe, you were part of the majority of student voters who called for Wiz Khalifa to perform this May. So let's admit it: as a campus, we may occasionally let our bias seep into our thoughts and critiques concerning the newest main stream rapper to make more money than our U.S. President. But with Wiz's newest album, Rolling Papers, released by Atlantic/Rostrum records this past March 29, the album is brawny and progressive enough to honestly merit a strong (but not extravagant)  review.

Rolling Papers is an album that, for me, is torn between two worlds of hip-hop. Khalifa's fame has been perpetuated by the endorsements of two musical cultures: the rap we've heard before that professes a loyalty to one's roots while flaunting a sense of street credibility ("Black and Yellow", "On My Level", "Top Floor"), but Khalifa also embraces a progressive Hip-Hop/Pop stance on the game with indelibly catchy tracks like "No Sleep", "Fly Solo", and "Cameras". The album meets many audiences in the middle; it pleases two genres of fans without distancing either base. 

This album is best enjoyed with warm weather and smooth champagne. Unfortunately, as college students in the midst of a resurgent winter, we can't get the real deal – but the album does offer us a close alternative. The catchiness of the album is rich with a feel-good mentality that is apparent on his tracks that showcase his pop influence. Still, Wiz maintains a loose grip on the growing archaisms of mainstream rap while he also embraces a progressive sense of pop-rap. Frankly, it's refreshing to hear a mainstream rap album like Rolling Papers manufacture "new" sounds. His stoner/gangster label is apparent in his work but not all consuming. 

The most prominent example of pop/rap on this album is how he uses simple guitar elements to ground tracks. "Fly Solo", "Get Your Sh-t", "Cameras" all feature guitar elements that work effectively to change the dynamic of these songs. Similarly, he employs the growing "indie" sound of synth layering in his songs "Cameras", "No Sleep", and "When I'm Gone". Combined, these elements establish a progressive sense of rap that goes beyond the monotonous sounds in circulation today. 

Khalifa is blessed with having a naturally minor-key tone in his voice, which helps his sounds to merge with the pop genre so effectively. Throughout Rolling Papers, his voice anchors the major bass-line tones that the producer emphasizes.

Rolling Papers is yet another Khalifa album that demonstrates talent and potential. This isn't his album that makes a move to take the reigning spot in the hip-hop game, but Lil Wayne's crown has shown cracks in the past year and audiences are now in the market for finding rap's next leader. While Rolling Papers isn't the album that achieves this, with Wiz's prolific recording style and promise, 2012 could be another huge step for Wiz Khalifa.