Wiz Khalifa | B

Breaking in as a new artist these days has become harder than ever and for many, without a big name co-sign it is near impossible. Wiz Khalifa has been relatively unknown to the masses until his recent breakout year in 2010. With his breakout came a touring offer from Drake and a label offer from Rick Ross— he turned down both and decided to stay independent, which has worked well as he had a sold-out tour and the No. 1 single "Black and Yellow." All of this has led up to his major label debut — Rolling Papers, one of the most anticipated albums of the year.

The album, which takes its name from one of Wiz's favorite pastimes, is a departure from the sound that veteran fans have come to identify him with. It is a radio friendly album, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but the songs tend to sound the same. "The Race," "No Sleep" and "Roll Up" are sure to get heavy radio play but don't really show off any lyrical skill. They are rather simplistic and contain the theme of living a carefree lifestyle and partying all day.

What works for these songs and for the majority of the album is the sound that Wiz's producers created for his laid back style. Wiz begins to dig deep for some of the best tracks on the album, "When I'm Gone" and "Cameras," where he talks about his rise to fame and the struggles that he has encountered along the way. The lack of any big name features on his album displays his strong understanding of proving his individual talent, especially this early in his hip-hop career. However he has one track with a featured artist, titled "Rooftops," where he collaborates with long-time friend Curren$y. Together they work perfectly and complement each other well.

Rolling Papers may not be what longtime fans were expecting of him, but it is sure to draw in many new listeners. This early in his career, Wiz has ample opportunity to delve into different stylistic routes and that is just what his album does.