8 Things You Need To Know About Wiz Khalifa’s O.N.I.F.C. - Page 2

Last night in New York City, Wiz Khalifa played his highly anticipated sophomore album, O.N.I.F.C. for a big crowd of onlookers. 

Although O.N.I.F.C. lacks the powerful hit single like “Black And Yellow,” which set off his debut album, Rolling Papers, this album is still highly (get it) anticipated. Wiz’s fan base has been encouraged with strong offerings from songs like “It’s Nothin,” The Bluff,” and “Remember Me”  as well as  the critically acclaimed mixtape Taylor Allderdice.

Last night, the album was played in its entirety, as Wiz was surrounded by Chevy Woods, Lola Monroe, Sledgren, Tuki Carter  and many more members of the Taylor Gang and an unusually large joint. “It opens you up and trips you out, along with what i’m saying too and that’s what’s really important,” Wiz says about his album. “The music sounds good, and everything is beautiful, but what I’m saying is kind of like…it makes sense too.”

To get an in depth preview of Wiz Khalifa’s sophomore album, O.N.I.F.C., check out the pages after the links.

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Photo: JDotShots

“Bluffin” ft. Berner (Produced By Drumma Boy)

This is the third record on the album, and a smooth record with a nice bounce to it. This is a little bit of a departure from Drumma Boy’s usual hard hitting joints. This one brings the producer with the big trap background to Wiz’s world and slows him down. “This one of the first songs I made off of the album. This was when I was in my mode and felt like I have to make some hard s**t and just let it all go,” says Wiz. “I just gotta f**kin, go in, go hard, and don’t even think about nobody, so this is that cocky swagger that I felt the album needed.”

“Let It Go” ft. Akon

This is one of the favorite records on the album. Akon’s trademark howling opens up the track as he states, “Let it go, let it go homie. We see through the traps and the lies homie.” Wiz’s rapid fire flow meshed with Akon’s chanting throughout the song makes this song extremely catchy. Although Wiz Khalifa never actually confirmed that it was Akon on the record, there is no mistaking that voice anywhere.

“Got Everything” ft. Courtney Noelle 

This was probably the most radio-ready song you’ll hear on O.N.I.F.C. As Wiz described, it’s an emotional song with someone he’s known since he started recording music. For fans of the Taylor Gang, Courtney Noelle isn’t entirely a brand new name. She’s appeared on songs from mixtapes essential to Wiz Khalifa’s rise such as Burn After Rolling and Star Power. 

This record is lady-friendly and if pushed right will undoubtedly be that mainstream single that Wiz was organically looking for.

Rise Above ft. Tuki Carter, Amber Rose & Pharrell Williams (Produced By Pharrell Williams)

This is another smoothed out record that has a vintage Neptunes sound. Wiz doesn’t really overpower himself on this song, as he lets his melodic voice and excellent production do the heavy lifting on this record. It almost sounds like something you’d hear Jay-Z on The Black Album.  “I’m pretty sure he got a contact high when he made this beat,” Wiz said about Pharrell. “These songs, I’m not really trying to use the verses to really just rap your a** off. It’s about the music as I always say. It just makes sense if you like music, or you like getting stoned, or you like both.”

“Initiation (This Is For Them Taylors)” Produced By Sledgren 

If you are looking for a record with that slap, this is the one that is for you. The album for the most part is a pretty smoothed out stoner album until this song. This record might blow the speakers out of your headphones as Sledgren really goes to work on this one. This song almost gave you the same feeling the first time you heard “Clique.” You are going to want to grab your closest homies when this comes on and jump around and act like a damn fool. The catchy hook recites that “this is for the boss n***as that be getting paper, this is for the real n***as this ain’t for them fakers, this is for the taylors!”

 “No Limit” 

Wiz Khalifa’s 70s-inspired style and music is not lost on anybody lately. He’s made it quite obvious that his hippy-lifestyle has translated in more than just his clothes, but now in his music. In “No Limit,” he takes those inspirations to the limit in this very trippy record that is the longest record of the album. He says that he listened to a lot of Pink Floyd and Marvin Gaye while making this record and it was obvious here.

Zone out music is putting it lightly here. Especially in surroundings that already put most of the onlookers in a daze, this song put it into overdrive. It would be an experience to hear this song on headphones.

“Medicated” ft. Juicy J and Chevy Woods 

This twinkly-sounding record is classic Wiz Khalifa. If this record landed on Prince Of The City it would be hard to tell the time between the time periods. Although it sounds spacey, it still has that bounce that you like to hear Juicy J on. The Juiceman doesn’t disappoint as well as he rides this beat on his double time flow that we’re all used to hearing. “I like to end every album on a good note, on a high note. Gives you something to look forward to for the next album,” says Wiz.

Overall

Everyone that is a big Wiz Khalifa fan will always ask you two things: is it like Kush And Orange Juice or is it like Rolling Papers? Well we will tell you this much, this album sure isn’t Rolling Papers. We are on the fence on if that is a good thing of a bad thing. Whereas Rolling Papers had no-brainer and sure shot singles, O.N.I.F.C. has almost no obvious singles. We think that is what he meant to do.

O.N.I.F.C. is a smokers paradise. Maybe it was the contact high talking, (which everyone in the shindig experienced) but it sounded like a great long listen. O.N.I.F.C. has very good songs on it, but sound a lot better when played in succession. If you grab a random song off of the album and just play it, it’ll sound cool. But if you play the album from front to back, the songs sound a lot better because of its synchronization. O.N.I.F.C. is mood music, no Joey. Outside of “Initiation,” and “Paperbond,” the album is best played at a house party with the homies, and that’s cool.

The growth in Wiz is evident. He’s more aware an assured of himself than ever and is creatively a huge step up from Rolling Papers. Will that translate to album sales given that he hasn’t hit a “Black And Yellow,” or “Roll Up,”-like homerun? Well, that’s up to the Taylors. It’s hard to count out a cult following, and if it is anything that Wiz has going for him, it’s that. O.N.I.F.C. is worth your eight bucks.

Tracklist: 

01. Intro
02. Paperbond
03. Bluffin’
04. Let It Go
05. The Bluff f. Cam’ron
06. Work Hard, Play Hard
07. Got Everything f. Courtney Noelle
08. Fall Asleep
09. Time
10. It’s Nothin f. 2 Chainz
11. Rise Above f. Pharrell, Tuki Carter and Amber Rose
12. Initiation ft. Lola Monroe
13. Up In It ft. Berner
14. No Limit
15. The Plan feat. Juicy J
16. Remember You f. The Weeknd
17. Medicated ft. Juicy J & Chevy Woods