Blacc Hollywood

Background

On June 24, 2013, Wiz Khalifa announced the title to his third major label (fifth overall) studio album, called Blacc Hollywood, and this project would be featuring some collaborations from American pop recording artist Miley Cyrus and his label-mate Juicy J. On June 30, 2013, Khalifa posted his Instagram account, with the cover art and release date for Blacc Hollywood, and he also announced that the album is officially set to be released on August 19, 2014. On May 25, 2014, after posting several "weedmixes" and teasers, and after getting out of jail for the marijuana possession. Khalifa released his twelfth mixtape, titled 28 Grams. In August 2014, in an interview with USA Today, he said that this album will be his best work yet.

Promotion

On February 11, 2014, Wiz Khalifa released the album's lead single, titled "We Dem Boyz". On April 14, 2014, Wiz released the music video for "We Dem Boyz". The song peaking at number 43 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and has since been certified platinum by the RIAA.

On July 15, 2014, the album's first promotional single was released for a song, titled "KK". The song features guest vocals from American southern hip hop rapper Project Pat and his label-mate Juicy J. On July 15, 2014, the music video was released for "KK" featuring Juicy J and Project Pat.

On July 22, 2014, the album's second official single was released titled "You and Your Friends". The song featuring guest vocals from his longtime collaborator Snoop Dogg and a new signee from Taylor Gang Ty Dolla Sign. The official music video was released December 23, 2014 and currently has over 34 million views. The song was later certified gold by the RIAA in June 2016.

On July 28, 2014, the album's second promotional single titled "Stayin Out All Night" was released. The song was produced by Dr. Luke.

On August 5, 2014, the track "Promises" was released as the album's third promotional single. On August 6, 2014, the music video was released for "Promises".

On August 12, 2014, the track "So High" featuring Ghost Loft was released as the fourth promotional single.

Critical reception

Blacc Hollywood was met with generally mixed reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 54, which indicates "mixed or average reviews", based on 16 reviews. Luke Fox of Exclaim! said, "Blacc Hollywood, an LP titled like it might bring some overarching theme, is the audio equivalent of the Transformers quadrilogy: a series of in-your-face, mass-appeal blockbusters that lure crowds and teach them nothing." Bruce Smith of HipHopDX stated, "While the misses hold Blacc Hollywood back from being great, Wiz still reminds listeners that regardless of what they’re looking for, he’s capable of providing." Jesse Cataldo of Slant Magazine said, "This sense of puzzled division remains the only really interesting thing about Blacc Hollywood, an album that's remarkable only as a ghostly portrait of a half-formed figure prowling the fringes of success." Jordan Sowunmi of Now said, "Blacc Hollywood peaks when Wiz reverts to the hopeful, aspirational tone that powered his initial rise: the Curren$y-featuring House In The Hills combines an up-by-my-bootstraps narrative with palpable incredulity at his success. It’s the hit-chasing emcee at his most compelling: personal, endearing and undeniably heartfelt."

David Jeffries of AllMusic said, "Stoned immaculate with a self-professed monthly weed bill of ten-thousand dollars, Wiz Khalifa isn't the type of rapper to make clear-headed, well-defined albums, but his fifth studio effort gets back to serious, sullen business often enough that it almost has a theme." Michael Madden of Consequence of Sound stated, "At a time when so many A-list rappers are looking to outdo each other creatively, Wiz is sticking to his guns, and they’re jamming up." Brandon Soderberg of Spin said, "Blacc Hollywood could be worse or lazier or just plain longer, but Wiz is a master of half-assed hedging. You're not going to expect more from him than you get here, and by standing for so little Wiz somehow remains relevant." Evan Rytlewski of The A.V. Club stated, "On “No Gain,” Khalifa misuses his favorite L-word again, insisting, “Man, I work hard, literally,” but there’s no evidence of hard work on Blacc Hollywood."

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 90,453 copies in the United States, making it his first album to take the top spot in its first week. In its second week, the album dropped to number 6 on the chart, selling 30,000 copies. In its third week, the album dropped to number 10 on the chart, selling 19,700 copies. In its fourth week, the album dropped to number 23 on the chart, selling 11,934 copies. As of January 2016, the album has sold 327,000 copies. In Canada, the album debuted at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart, selling 5,300 copies.

Personnel

Adapted from AllMusic.