The tasty treats may have been the first spotting upon entering The Marcel at Gramercy Hotel in New York City. But it wasn’t mini burgers, jumbo onion rings, mozzarella sticks, or bowls of pink and red Starbursts that drew in the crowd. It was hip-hop phenom Wiz Khalifa, who entered the room wearing a jean jacket, camouflage BBC hoodie, navy Chuck Taylors, and a backwards cap. The “Black and Yellow” rapper wasted no time introducing himself before taking flicks and chatting with well wishers.

Wiz has more than one reason to be flying high. Rolling Papers, his Atlantic Records debut, is in stores now. With production from Stargate and Jim Jonsin, and appearances from Too $hort, Chevy Woods, and Curren$y, the Pittsburgh MC quells his detractors, especially those who say he’s gone pop. “Everything takes time, so with time will come the healing…for those who think that. Everybody else thinks it’s great!” he says with a smile.

Sitting down with Rap-Up.com, Wiz fires off answers to questions including who he’d most like to smoke with, which actor would play him in a biopic, the rapper that left him starstruck, and the craziest rumor he’s heard about himself. He does so carefree because these days, he has two types of paper to roll.

1. How many tattoos do you have, and which is your favorite?
I have too many to count… And this is my favorite [points to wrist]. “Self made.” It describes your boy.

2. If you could smoke with anyone, who would it be?
I would smoke with Charlie Brown, the grown version though, because we’d probably have some fun stuff to talk about.

3. Do you have any nicknames aside from Wiz?
Nope. Just the short version of my real name [Cameron], Cam. That’s it though.

4. Name a song that you wish you had recorded.
[The Notorious B.I.G.'s] “Mo Money Mo Problems” is definitely a song that someone else did that I wish I would have done. That’s a great song.

5. Have you ever been starstruck?
Yeah, I was just starstruck today. I met Cam’ron. That kind of blew me away.

6. If you could cast any actor to play you in a movie, who would it be?
I would get that lil’ homie from “Everybody Hates Chris” [Tyler James Williams]. He would play me.

7. What is the craziest rumor you’ve heard about yourself?
That I was 5’6”. Somebody said they had seen me and I was 5’6”, which is outrageous—I’m taller.

8. Some have criticized Rolling Papers for being too commercial sounding. What do you say to those critics?
Just wait, you know? Everything takes time, so with time will come the healing…for those who think that. Everybody else thinks it’s great!

9. What’s one thing you want to do before you die?
Skydive.

10. Describe your life in three words.
Fu cking awesome!

–Tanya Remekie

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