Although rapper and label relations haven’t always been ideal—In 2010, Chicago lyricist Lupe Fiasco even went so far as to plan a picket outside of his label home. Taylor Gang founder and Atlantic Records artist Wiz Khalifa says his label has come to understand him as an artist.
The Pittsburgh lyricist spoke briefly on Atlantic Records when asked why it’s taken him so long to release his fifth studio album. Wiz’ last album, O.N.I.F.C. was released in late 2012.
“It had a lot to do with just getting the whole vision in order,” he said during an interview with Vlad TV. “And just making sure that when this came out that it’s really pushing me forward in my career and in my life. And not just putting music out to put it out. And Atlantic they really understand me, you know, as an artist. They want the best for me, so we just had to really come back and rearrange some things and just make sure that the visual’s clear. So, when it does come out we can kill it how we’re supposed to.”
In regards to the title of his upcoming album, Blacc Hollywood, Wiz says he had the creatives and masterminds in mind when he came up with the title. He also revealed that he wanted to get the attention off of color by choosing to title the album Blacc Hollywood as opposed to Black Hollywood.
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“Just to get everybody to—Like all the real creative people and the masterminds behind the shit that people see,” he said. “I just wanted them to embrace their mind state and really have somebody telling them that their game plan is cool enough for the world. Cause I come from that whole underdog and that whole behind the scenes and then to the front of the scenes era. So, I just want people to know that I got em. I’m holding it down…I wanted to get away from the color of it first of all because a lot of people associate black Hollywood with like the blaxploitation movies or just black actors in general. So, I just wanted to get away from the color and just more aiming towards an attitude and the more general purpose for everybody.”
During an interview with Billboard in February of this year, Wiz spoke on the status of Blacc Hollywood and revealed that pop star Miley Cyrus would be featured on the album.
“The music is pretty much there for the album. It’s called Blacc Hollywood. It’s not all the way put together, but a good bit of it is finished,” he said.
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