Wiz Khalifa Releases 15th Anniversary Edition of ‘Kush & Orange Juice’

Wiz Khalifa Releases 15th Anniversary Edition of ‘Kush & Orange Juice’

Before he was a Grammy-winning, Diamond-selling recording artist, Wiz Khalifa was just a kid from Pittsburgh trying to make his dreams of rap stardom come true. The biggest milestone in the Taylor Gang chieftain’s evolution from everyman to A-Lister was Kush & Orange Juice, released in April 2010 to massive buzz and acclaim.

Today, Wiz takes a fond look back at that career milestone, releasing Kush & Orange Juice (15th Anniversary Edition), available on all platforms via Rostrum Records. The new edition of the blog era classic arrives with two unheard Wiz Khalifa songs from the era: “Champagne” and “Over Here,” each of which arrives with new visualizers featuring archival footage from the era.

Produced by GRAMMY-nominated producer T-Minus, “Champagne” seamlessly blends Wiz’s laid-back stoner stylings with the speaker-knocking trap that ruled the charts at the time. The song has a celebratory feeling that evokes classic Khalifa anthems like original Kush & OJ highlight “Spotlight,” and “Rooftops” ft. Curren$y, from Wiz’s major label debut, Rolling Papers.

A lost stoner classic, “Over Here” teases the ear with a slinky keyboard riff, courtesy of producer E-Dan for ID Labs alongside Big Jerm. E-Dan also produced “The Statement” from the tape’s original tracklist. Wiz luxuriates in the instrumental with his signature sing-song flow, taunting haters for being jealous of his high-flying lifestyle: “I take a pound of a week and put it where it’s supposed to be/Right in the paper, cause that paper always close to me/Counting this paper, n****s hatin’ on ’em locally.”

Featuring early-career contributions from the likes of Curren$y, Big K.R.I.T., Cardo Got Wingz, and others, Kush & Orange Juice was one of the first mixtapes to catch fire on social media, becoming a #1 trending topic on Twitter and Google in the days after its release on April 14th, 2010. The tape was the biggest of Wiz’s career, with 4 million downloads on Datpiff, including 2 million in just its first two months of release, making it one of the best-performing releases in the history of that iconic mixtape platform.

Keeping a unified vibe with a wide variety of sonic elements, the tape features fan favorites like the Frou Frou-sampling “In The Cut” and laid-back mission statement “Mezmorized,” as well as genre experiments like the reggae-inspired “Still Blazin‘” and the ’80s R&B-inspired “The Kid Frankie,” featuring producer Big Jerm’s brilliant flip of “Hangin’ On A String” by Loose Ends. This past April, Wiz celebrated the 15th anniversary of Kush & OJ by releasing Kush & Orange Juice 2, his latest album and the long-awaited sequel to the mixtape.

Fifteen years later, the tape still sounds fresh, its eclectic soundscapes and ultra-laid back vibes growing more necessary as the outside world grows more chaotic. Pop a bottle, get the weed rolled up, and press play: Kush & Orange Juice is the perfect way to start your day.