Rapper Wiz Khalifa has been charged with possession of illegal drugs after his performance at a resort in Romania, the Agence France-Presse reported.
Romanian prosecutors claimed that the hip-hop star consumed cannabis on stage. Khalifa was headlining the “Beach, Please!” festival in Costinesti, located on the Black Sea shore, when he was caught with the drug early Sunday morning.
Wiz and a Romanian snafu
Cannabis is classified as a “risk drug” in Romania. If an individual is found in possession of it, it carries a 10-year prison sentence.
Videos posted on various social media platforms show the rapper being escorted by Romanian law enforcement officials from the venue.
The Romanian anti-organized crime prosecutors (DIICOT) said in a statement on Sunday, “During a performance at a music festival held in the resort of Costinesti, the accused was found to have possessed more than 18 grams of cannabis and to have consumed (on stage) another quantity in the form of a handmade cigarette.”
According to the AFP, a source close to the investigation said that Khalifa, along with other people, were taken in for questioning. The rapper was charged but not held in custody.
Prosecutors said that they are currently investigating the artist.
US legal cannabis companies have been receiving celebrity funding or endorsements from celebrities such as Khalifa and Snoop Dogg, as well as Seth Rogen and Mike Tyson. Khalif launched his own cannabis brand, Khalifa Kush, in 2016. In 2022, he expanded its release nationwide.
Khalifa has been public about his use and enjoyment of cannabis. He has claimed in many interviews that she spends approximately $10,000 a month on cannabis and smokes daily. Since 2014, he has been sponsored by The Cookie Company. The medical marijuana dispensary also sells his Khalifa Kush strain. The rapper partnered with RiverRock Cannabis to create the strain.
Just recently, rap superstar Nicki Minaj abruptly canceled her appearance at the Saga Festival in Bucharest earlier this month. She and her team cited safety concerns regarding the upcoming protests. A day after Minaj’s scheduled performance, accountants marched against the changes made to the fiscal legislation in Romania. The demonstration was peaceful.
Born Cameron Jibril Thomaz, Wiz Khalifa came to mainstream attention when he released the song Black and Yellow in 2010. It was a tribute to his hometown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The single topped the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for two Grammy Awards: best rap performance and best rap song. He has been nominated for 10 Grammy Awards.
In 2015, he collaborated with Charlie Puth for the song See You Again, which was a tribute to Paul Walker, who died during the filming of Furious 7. The song was also part of the movie’s soundtrack.
Khalifa’s last studio album was released in 2022, Multiverse. He joined Snoop Dogg for their High School Reunion Tour last year. The hip-hop star also appeared in a Super Bowl ad this year to pay tribute to Bob Marley for the biopic Bob Marley: One Love.