Hip-Hop's New Wiz Kid: Wiz Khalifa Taking Over the Game

Even before he collected the Best New Artist trophy at the BET Awards last night (June 26), Wiz Khalifa had already pretty much cemented his place in the hip hop community.

It must have been a surreal moment for an artist to be named the best “new” artist when he has been steadily in the game for around six years now! His first real single, “Say Yeah”, was released way back in 2007, and he already had two albums under his belt before this year’s Rolling Papers. But the numbers (not to mention a major label studio album) can sometimes make all the difference – Rolling Papers hit Number 1 in both the R&B and Rap charts, and it peaked at Number Two on the overall Billboard 200.

And the fact that Wiz’s first two singles from Rolling Papers, the infectious “Black and Yellow” and the Euro-synthy “Roll Up”, both went platinum no doubt had a big influence on his victory at last night’s awards ceremony. 

Aligning himself with a nearly endless list of other award-winning artists doesn’t hurt either! The Pittsburgh-born Chuck Taylor enthusiast has been featured on a ton of other great tracks with equally gifted artists, such as Cee Lo Green, Far East Movement, Soulja Boy, Wale, Rick Ross, Chris Brown, Lil’ Kim, Tinie Tempah, Chiddy Bang, and… well, I could go on all day! Mix that kind of experience with nine mixtape releases, not to mention appearing in no less than 35 music videos, it was only a matter of time before the 23-year-old started collecting some serious hardware and recognition for his contributions to the industry. And how can you not love this guy’s easy-going attitude and contagious grin? He reminds me of Snoop in his prime.

I can’t wait to see what else this kid has in store for the genre. Now that he’s broken out of the background and into the spotlight, the sky’s the limit!

Check out his latest single, “On My Level” ft. Too Short (NSFW!).

Get Your Hands (and Pinkies) in the Air for Brit sensation Tinie Tempah!

There must be something in the water on the other side of the Atlantic, because the rate at which talented musicians are coming out of the U.K. is mind-blowing, and I can't see that changing any time soon.

22-year-old Tinie Tempah is the latest British phenom, hailing from South London, and he is a force with a microphone. It is not easy to picture him without one, although he is known to hold a mean cup of tea too (pinkies up, of course)! Tempah has definitely come out on top to secure his hold on the world of hip-hop music.

Since the premiere of his debut album Disc-Overy, and his first two singles “Pass Out” and “Frisky”, Tinie has collected multiple music awards, including two MOBO Awards (Music of Black Origin), four Urban Music Awards, and two Brit Awards (for Best Breakthrough Act and Best Single), which is not a bad start at all. Tinie is quickly becoming a familiar name, with a musical strategy to write in a familiar and relatable context. Tinie is determined to keep it at the next level, making sure his music stays relevant with the current generation and the world we're living in. He doesn’t even use a pen to write his lyrics -- according to him, “That is so '90s.” I guess it is true; people these days seem to text faster than they write anyway.

Tinie is on his way to fulfill his mission of making timeless music and aspiring to be “the voice of our culture." If he is talented enough to bring Prince William out to his shows, then he is fully capable of making his desired impact on the industry. After Tinie filled the Studio with his British charm and words of inspiration to live the dream, the thought of his inevitable success in the U.S. and around the world left me confident that I won't be seeing the last of him. He is poised to be a superstar and a well-known name here in America.

Check out my interview with Tinie in the Studio to find out who his fellow musically-inclined friends of the U.K. are and how to properly make a "cuppa" tea, Tinie Tempah style: