Why not YOU? Legendary words from Wiz Khalifa

I always envisioned myself, you know, being a rapper and being in the game and having success, but you never know what it really feels like or how you're gonna be when you're there. I don't think either of my parents, you know, thought that I was gonna go take it this far. I see myself as a pioneer in the game. That's the main thing. I don't really do too many campaigns to like make people do stuff or like gimmicks or anything. I just try to give them as much as possible, show them the love.

He's an American rapper, songwriter, and actor. He received numerous awards even before he launched his career and debut album, including including being one of Rolling Stone's artists to watch. His debut single, "Black and Yellow," hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. He's Wiz Khalifa, and here is my take on his top 10 rules for success. Rule number 2 is my personal favorite, and I'm curious to figure out which one you guys like the best. And as always, if Wiz is talking and says something really inspiring to you, please leave it in the comments below and put quotes around it so other people can be inspired as well. Enjoy.

I have been making music and writing and freestyling with my cousins and stuff like that, like rapping over other people's beats. But I guess I just got to that point where I was comfortable and I was really, really had a passion for it. So when I told my dad, he's like, if you want to do it, then do it. I don't think either of my parents, you know, thought that I was gonna go take it this far, but they supported me. They never made me feel like it was out of reach. And when it happened, it It was, you know, a dream come true. I had a dream that the whole world was staring at me. I woke up and wasn't no one there. Wasn't no one there. Yeah, same song to a different— The only time I would lose is if I give up who I am. You know what I'm saying? And as long as I stand up for me and what I believe in, I'll be straight. I see myself as a pioneer in the game. I see Drake as a pioneer in the game and people like Lil Wayne. And there's only certain people who who really come and define their generation other than being a part of their generation. And it's cool to be a part of it as well, but this is how I see myself, as a leader and somebody who changes things and doesn't just follow. My crowd and everybody that I talk to, they either dress weird, smoke weed, you know, drive certain cars, or skate. And it's like I've done all of these things and I've been into all of these things and I've learned them in different stages of my life. And it's just, I'm in that stage right now where it's like I really want to do something physical. I got a son on the way, you know what I'm saying? And learning how to skate is like something I always wanted to do, but with rapping and making money and providing for a family and stuff like that, you don't always get the time to just grab a board and go skate. So I kind of did it in reverse, but It's something I'm real passionate about and just passionate about having fun with it. I don't want to be the best skater in the world. I just want to, like, you know, be able to relax and cruise. Now, judging from the pictures, you're also not afraid to take a fall too. You can't be. You can't be, man. You're going to take some falls. I hit my chin. It's cool now. Like, so I'm all right. And like, being that I'm on TV and I perform, Everybody's like, don't do this, you don't want to get hurt, you won't get that. But you know, you got— everything is a risk, you know what I'm saying? So if you're not willing to take the risk, then there's no point in doing it anyway. So where did you kind of decide to draw the line? Because like in the UK, the problem is a lot of artists release a lot of free material, and then when it comes to like sort of retailing their material, it's like people still expect the free stuff. How was it for you to transition? Um, well, you just gotta make a difference between what the free stuff is and what the, what the stuff for sale is. And when you polish it up and when you give them great free music and great free stuff to a point where it's like, you know, they want to pay for it— like when I put out my mixtapes, I use all original beats, you know, I put so much thought and so much stuff into them, people are like, yo, I'm gonna buy the album. Like, you know, that's just— they feel like that's their job. So I think it's just making people feel involved and, and they want want to support, and that's the main thing. I don't really do too many campaigns to like make people do stuff or like gimmicks or anything. I just try to give them as much as possible, show them the love, and then if they want to support, that's what they do. Hands up! Hands up! I always envisioned myself, you know, being a rapper and being in the game and having success, but you never know what it really feels like or how you're going to be when you're there. The name Wiz comes from me being the youngest dude in my age group of people that hung out with. They would call me a young whiz, you know, like I was wise beyond my years. And the Khalifa is Arabic, it means successor, Leader of Shining Light. My granddad gave me that name. He's actually Muslim, so, you know, he used to see my path and what I was doing and how hard I was working, and he gave me that name, and I just put the two together. Of course I do rap music and I'm a hip-hop artist, but as an individual, as a personality, and what I give to people. I see myself as like the lead singer of a band or something. You know, when I go out there, I just— I'm a real performer. It's all about the vibe and the feeling. You got to be balanced. And it's like nothing that I have to put on. I really feel, you know, that energetic and that happy to be in front of the kids. I've actually had new management for the past like year and a half almost. I signed with Constance Schwartz and Smack Entertainment, and it's been really good because she doesn't even do rap. And she used to work with Snoop back in the day, but she does people like Michael Strahan and Tony Gonzalez and Deion Sanders and stuff like that. So when she took me under her wing and started managing me, it was, it was really good because it was, it allowed me to go to the next level and for people to look at me like I was doing bigger and better things. And my relationship with my old business partners and things like that, it's like It just, it comes to a point where, you know, I started really early with them when I was 16. I'm 28 now and it's like, you know, things change. So throughout that time I just had to boss up and man up and do my own thing. And some people are with that, some people aren't with that. And then sometimes it's easy, sometimes it's not. Part of bossing up is, you know, proving that you're a boss. So that's what we're going through now. I would teach how to be your own boss. They really don't teach you that much in school. They got like entrepreneurship classes and stuff like that, but they don't really teach you how to be your own boss. So I would like try to teach kids how to like really, really work for themselves. Building relationships with people inside the game, whether it be DJs or radio or promo people and just interviews or or whoever, because you, you meet and you always going to work with these people throughout your career. And, um, whether you're doing good or bad, they're always going to remember you and you want them to, you know, want you to do well. You work hard. Yes, sir. Uh, what's that, touring, studio? Yeah, touring all the time. Um, that, that came up more recently, you know. Um, my tours were a little bit more spread out before, but now, um, I'm pretty much always moving, always on the go. Yeah, yeah, since about, uh, November I've been like non-stop. What would Heat, baby. Yeah, exactly. I love it. Exactly. And, um, I'm always recording. I built a studio in my house. Um, I got studio buses on the road and stuff like that. So, um, I'm always putting in work. I'm not leaving. I'm gonna be here forever. So that's what people can expect, man. I'm gonna be an old-ass man. My hair gonna be down to here. It's gonna be gray. And when I feel like leaving, then that's what I'm gonna do. But About 180 years I plan on just sticking around.

Thank you guys so much for watching. I made this video because 50 Cent Uruguay asked me to. So if there's a famous entrepreneur that you want me to profile next, leave it in the comments below and I'll see what I can do. I'd also love to know which of the rules had the biggest impact on you and why. What did you learn from watching this video? Super curious to find out. Please put it in the comments below. And I also wanna give a quick shout out to Justin Morgan, Mr. New Future Builder. Thank you so much for picking up a copy of my book and that amazing YouTube unboxing video that you made. It really, really, really means a lot to me and I hope you enjoy, man.

Your one word. Evan Carmichael. Thank you. Been waiting for this, waiting for a while for this. Ordered this a long time, a long, by a long time ago, the moment that he announced that pre-orders were available. I pretty much hopped on this a couple weeks after that. And so, your one word.

So thank you guys so much for watching. I believe in you. I hope you continue to believe in yourself and whatever your one word is. Much love. I'll see you soon.