Why doesn’t Wiz Khalifa sell-out in his hometown?

In the last year I have been to three concerts in Pittsburgh, all at the First Niagara Pavilion.  The three major headliners I saw at these concerts were Drake, Lil Wayne, and Wiz Khalifa, Wiz being the most recent.  All of the concerts appeared to be sold-out, with the exception being the concert I just saw yesterday, Wiz Khalifa, but how could this be?  Wiz Khalifa is a Pittsburgh product, receiving his greatest fame from the song titled “Black & Yellow”; which is the colors for all three major sports teams in Pittsburgh.  “Black & Yellow” became the anthem for the Steel City and even a bigger hit with the Pittsburgh Steelers who featured Khalifa in a performance after an AFC Championship game victory.   So again, as I looked around at the sea of empty seats that surrounded myself and a guest, I asked myself, “Why doesn’t Wiz Khalifa sell-out in his hometown?”  Spending a good bit of time in the Pittsburgh area I started thinking back to some events and conversations that may be what led to the significant number of people not in attendance.  Now don’t get me wrong, I know Wiz Khalifa is no Lil Wayne, and his tour did not have the same star power as Drake’s did, but Wiz’s concert just noticeably lacked the number of people in attendance. 

At a music combine held in the city of Pittsburgh that I and a few of my associates participated in, many aspiring artists spoke about their discontent with Wiz Kahlifa, because they felt that he never looked back.  Many of the artists mentioned how he never gave back to the area or helped to get other hip-hop artists in the Pittsburgh area some exposure.  With Wiz Khalifa using Pittsburgh as his launchpad into fame and stardom, it seemed to me that he left some very disgruntled people in his rearview.  As a person gains fame and wealth they are almost obligated to give back to their community, however, it is not their responsibility and for most; not even a priority.   Trust me, I understand that most people don’t get rich to make others wealthy, but just don’t forget about us little guys.  If it weren’t for us little guys, most artists would not be the big guys they are.  As I watched Trinidad James and then B.O.B. run to the lawn section of the First Niagara Pavilion to interact with fans during their performances, I realized then that as an artist who is still aspiring to gain that ultimate success they have not lost touch with being grounded and are more likely to be the one’s who give back.  56 & Runnin’ Entertainment, the local label I co-manage, has given back to the community numerous times.  Whether it was a neighborhood cleanup or an event to help raise money for the American Cancer Society, we felt that is was necessary to give when we have nothing, hoping to inspire others to get out and get proactive in our city.  At the end of the day, we do our part because we want to, not because we have to. 

Is Wiz Khalifa the victim of his own success in his hometown of Pittsburgh?  No, the mass majority of people in the area still love Wiz Khalifa as he becomes an even larger star in the beautiful Pittsburgh skyline.  However, as he used the city to gain his fame, many in the city feel that they deserve more than just their city shouted out in his songs.