Weed is ascendant. It’s on the cover of magazines at the grocery store. One could probably write a book about the artists and musicians who have helped to popularize and destigmatize recreational marijuana use over the last 75 years, but in 21st century hip-hop, a genre that’s already saturated with THC, Wiz Khalifa is high on the list of high, high-profile herbalists.
Wiz Khalifa’s latest album, just released in July, is “Rolling Papers 2.” It’s a sequel to his major label debut “Rolling Papers.”
Khalifa also is sponsored by a medical marijuana dispenser, and has his own strain of ganja named after him. As you can imagine, all of that weed can go to your head, and Khalifa’s rapping might suffer from the haze. On “Very Special,” off the new record, Khalifa rap-sings “I treat you special, ‘cause you very special.” It’s hard to know if the bone-headed tautology is a sign of genius or impairment. With elements of trap, like on “Holyfield,” Khalifa uses percussive grunts and single-syllabic utterances (“hey,” ‘uh,” “yeah” etc.) as accents.
Khalifa doesn’t break many molds at this point. He raps about getting baked, sex and fame. But in a genre filled with macho swagger, Khalifa has a tone that’s pleasingly nerdy. But on the new one he sounds strangely stiff for someone who’s got so many reasons to be chill. Also on the bill are deliriously weird brother duo from Mississippi Rae Sremmerd, who have made unlikely radio stars with their giddy tracks like “Black Beatles.”
Wiz Khalifa and Rae Sremmerd bring the Dazed & Blazed tour at Xfinity Theatre, 61 Savitt Way, Hartford, on Sunday, Aug. 5, at 6 p.m. $22 and up. livenation.com.
