Authorities in Romania on Sunday charged American rapper Wiz Khalifa with drug possession after he allegedly consumed marijuana while performing at a music festival in the European nation. Per DW, the incident occurred at the “Beach, Please!” festival that was held in the popular village of Costinesti.
The 36-year-old rapper, born Cameron Jibril Thomaz, was billed to perform as the headliner. Romanian anti-organised crime prosecutors (DIICOT) in a statement said that the See You Again rapper was “found to have possessed more than 18 grams of cannabis and to have consumed (on stage) another quantity in the form of a handmade cigarette.”
Prosecutors also said they are yet to conclude their investigations into the incident. Police reportedly escorted Khalifa out of the festival, and videos of that were circulated on social media.
RELATED STORIES
The rapper later took to X (formerly Twitter) to address the situation, stating that he did not mean to be disrespectful. He also said the officers were “respectful”, adding that he was ultimately released.
“Last nights show was amazing. I didn’t mean any disrespect to the country of Romania by lighting up on stage. They were very respectful and let me go. I’ll be back soon. But without a big ass joint next time,” he shared.
Khalifa is very outspoken about smoking marijuana, and he often raps about consuming the recreational drug in his songs. Twenty-four states in his home country have also legalized cannabis consumption while 14 other states have approved its use for medical purposes, per DW.
But cannabis is labeled as a “risk drug” in Romania and people found guilty of being in possession of the drug can be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.
As previously reported by Face2Face Africa, Khalifa in 2016 partnered with RiverRock Cannabis based in Colorado to create his own line of marijuana products including concentrates and even a personalized strain of marijuana called Khalifa Kush. It has since made its way to dispensaries across the United States. The rapper also has a media company dedicated to marijuana projects as well as a mobile app on 4/20 called Wiz Khalifa’s Weed Farm.
