US rapper Wiz Khalifa charged with illegal drug possession in Romania
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Wiz Khalifa was headlining at the Beach, Please! festival in the Romanian village of Costinesti when he got caught with cannabis early on July 14.
PHOTO: WIZKHALIFA/INSTAGRAM
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Bucharest – American rapper Wiz Khalifa has been charged with illegal drug possession after he consumed cannabis on stage while performing at a seaside festival in Romania, prosecutors said on July 14.
The hip-hop star was headlining at the Beach, Please! festival in the Romanian village of Costinesti on the shore of the Black Sea when he got caught with the drug early on July 14, prosecutors say.
Cannabis is considered a “risk drug” in Romania, and possession is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Videos posted on social media show the rapper being escorted from the venue by Romanian authorities.
“During a performance at a music festival held in Costinesti, the accused was found to have possessed more than 18g of cannabis and to have consumed (on stage) another quantity in the form of a handmade cigarette,” Romanian anti-organised crime prosecutors said in a statement.
A source close to the investigation confirmed that Wiz Khalifa, together with other people, had been taken in for questioning early on July 14.
The rapper, whose real name is Cameron Thomaz, was subsequently charged, but not kept in custody, the source said.
The investigation into the musician is ongoing, said prosecutors.
Reacting to the matter, Wiz Khalifa wrote on X that he “didn’t mean any disrespect” to Romania “by lighting up on stage”.
“They were very respectful and let me go. I’ll be back soon. But without a big a** joint next time,” the 36-year-old added.
Legal cannabis companies in the US have drawn celebrity funding or endorsements from known aficionados of marijuana like Wiz Khalifa, American rapper Snoop Dogg, Canadian actor Seth Rogen and former American boxing champ Mike Tyson.
In another recent controversy rocking the music scene in Romania, Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj earlier in July abruptly cancelled her appearance at the Saga Festival in Bucharest, citing safety concerns due to upcoming protests.
Accountants held a protest against changes in fiscal legislation in Romania one day after her scheduled show, but the demonstration passed peacefully. AFP
