American rapper Wiz Khalifa, one of hip-hop’s most recognizable voices, has received a nine-month jail sentence from a Romanian court in a case that has surprised fans on both sides of the Atlantic. The ruling stems from an incident during a summer music festival in Romania and highlights how sharply drug laws abroad can differ from cultural norms many U.S. fans are used to.
According to Romania’s national news agency Agerpres, the Constanta Court of Appeal delivered the final decision on Thursday, convicting the Pittsburgh-born rapper of possession of dangerous drugs for personal consumption. The ruling comes more than a year after Khalifa appeared at a popular seaside music festival in Eastern Europe.
What Happened at the Beach, Please! Festival in Romania
The case dates back to July 2024, when Wiz Khalifa performed at the Beach, Please! Festival in Costinesti, a coastal resort in Constanta County. Romanian authorities later stated that the rapper was stopped by police after allegedly smoking cannabis during his on-stage performance.
Prosecutors said Khalifa, whose real name is Cameron Jibril Thomaz, was found with more than 18 grams of cannabis and that some of it was consumed during the show. While such an act might barely raise eyebrows at many U.S. music festivals, Romanian law treats cannabis possession very differently.
Under Romania’s strict drug legislation, possession of cannabis for personal use is a criminal offense and can carry penalties ranging from fines to prison sentences of up to two years. This legal context played a major role in how the case unfolded.
From Fine to Prison Sentence: How the Case Escalated
Initially, the legal outcome appeared relatively minor. In April, a lower court in Constanta County issued Khalifa a criminal fine of 3,600 lei, roughly equivalent to $830, for illegal possession of dangerous drugs.
However, prosecutors were not satisfied with that decision and appealed, seeking a harsher penalty. The appeal resulted in the Constanta Court of Appeal imposing a nine-month jail sentence, a decision that Romanian media reported as final.
It remains unclear whether Romanian authorities will pursue extradition, as Khalifa is a U.S. citizen and does not reside in Romania. No public statement has indicated whether he will serve the sentence or whether further legal or diplomatic steps may follow.
Wiz Khalifa’s Global Fame Meets Local Law
For American audiences, the case stands out because Wiz Khalifa’s public image has long been associated with cannabis culture, especially since his rise to fame with the breakout mixtape Kush + Orange Juice. During the Romania performance in question, he was seen smoking a large hand-rolled cigarette while performing his hit song “Young, Wild & Free,” a moment that reportedly drew cheers from the crowd.
From a U.S. perspective, where marijuana laws have relaxed significantly in many states, the situation underscores how artists touring internationally must navigate vastly different legal landscapes.
Cameron Jibril Thomaz Wiz Khalifa
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