Rolling Papers | ||||
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Studio album by Wiz Khalifa | ||||
Released | March 29, 2011 | |||
Recorded | 2009–11 | |||
Studio | Downtown Recording Studios Lotzah Matzah Studios Roc The Mic Studios (New York, New York) I.D. Labs (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) The Treehouse (Los Angeles, California) Circle House Recording Studios (Miami, Florida) |
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Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 57:51 | |||
Label | Rostrum, Atlantic | |||
Producer |
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Wiz Khalifa chronology | ||||
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Singles from Rolling Papers | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
The A.V. Club | C |
Entertainment Weekly | B+ |
NME | 5/10 |
Now | 3/5 |
Pitchfork Media | 7.2/10 |
PopMatters | 2/10 |
Rolling Stone | |
Slant Magazine | |
Spin | 6/10 |
Rolling Papers is the third studio album by American rapper Wiz Khalifa. It was released on March 29, 2011, by Atlantic Records and Rostrum Records. It is his first album under a major label after his independent releases, Show and Prove and Deal or No Deal. The album features guest appearances from Too $hort, Curren$y and Chevy Woods. Rolling Papers was supported by five singles: "Black and Yellow", "Roll Up", "On My Level", "No Sleep" and "The Race". The album has been noted by music writers for having a pop rap style.
Rolling Papers debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 197,000 copies in the United States. The album has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for combined sales and album-equivalent units of two million units. Upon its release, the album received generally mixed reviews from music critics, who complimented its hooks, but criticized its subject matter.
Following the release of his independent second album, Deal Or No Deal, Khalifa released his mixtape Kush & Orange Juice, which immediately became widely praised as one of the best hip hop mixtapes of 2010. After generating buzz from the mixtape, Khalifa not only won MTV's "Hottest Breakthrough Hip Hop Artist of 2010" award, but he also became the center of a bidding war between various labels, including Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group label. He also came to the attention of fellow rapper Drake, who offered him the chance to co-headline his album tour. After declining both rapper's offers, he announced that he was signing with Atlantic Records live on July 30 on MTV's "RapFix 34 Live," and confirmed that he had begun work on his debut on the label. His first official single, "Black and Yellow", produced by Stargate, became one of the highest selling hip hop singles of 2010, eventually selling over two million digital downloads.