O.N.I.F.C.

Wiz Khalifa is working hard

Following adventures of rappers in the world of music becomes more and more difficult. Apart from their own studio efforts, these musicians spawn mixtapes and compilations in great numbers, and making clear who the host is and who the guest appearances are is not an easy thing anymore. The outcome of an activity like that is a pretty complicated discography where between substantial solo albums there are two or three side project products. We do not mind, but taking part in secondary campaigns and joint ventures at times cause delays in solo careers. It is a common thing already to see albums coming out significantly late, but nobody gets upset: we all know artists are busy people. Wiz Khalifa in this regard is a typical representative of the hip-hop community. His fresh offer O.N.I.F.C, as is the custom, was released long after the announced date. Yet who will care, as long as the content of the new record satisfies the expectations of the audience?

O.N.I.F.C. is the musician’s praise to himself and his life

As a matter of fact, Wiz Khalifa’s album number four is called Only Nigga In First Class, but due to reasons of ethical and political nature it was decided to leave it as an abbreviation. This is just a second work that the rapper has released through a major label, and here he corrects everything he came to dislike in the previous long player, Rolling Papers. The stylistics of the fresh product comes up close to Wiz Khalifa’s early albums, where he used to tell in detail of the ways he liked to spend his free time, to unhurried relaxing beats. On the whole, a serious group of successful tracks off O.N.I.F.C., including The Bluff, Fall Asleep, Rise Above, and Plan, goes back to the same story and exploits the same music background. But what kind of rapper would not speak of his fame, especially if he did gain it, like Wiz Khalifa did, and now he knows the ropes. The highlight, the platinum single Work Hard, Play Hard, tops the list of the tracks touching upon this subject. Wiz Khalifa will hardly be remembered as the most moderate performer who would make a secret out of his achievements and advantages. The songs on O.N.I.F.C. remind us that he is wealthy (Paperbond), hard-working (Time) and fortunate in love (Up In It). It can go on and on.

Sheer amusement

Behind all the wordiness and eloquence, so widely and colorfully demonstrated in the lyrics of O.N.I.F.C. we will fail to find any truly profound and big confessions made by the rapper. Wiz Khalifa admires himself, occasionally bringing his fans into the spotlight too, like he does in Initiation. However, his style is not about heart-to-hart talking or going lyrical. The music of this album is a mirror of his lifestyle, the one the musician has, and the one that will always be nothing but a dream for an absolute majority of his listeners. And for the time being Wiz Khalifa seems quite content with the way thing are. There can be no questions to how the album is executed – the artist has his way with words, delivers one big chorus after another, as if he has a conveyer, and fits in seemingly any duet. On the other hand, he is unlikely to start teaching anybody anything or begin confessing how he has reconsidered his life views. From start to end, O.N.I.F.C., with all of its seventeen tracks, is a noisy and lively story, loaded with audacity and daredevilry, which can and must only amuse listeners. And it really does.