Roll Up

Album: Rolling Papers (2011)
Charted: 42 13
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the second major label single released by Pittsburgh rapper Wiz Khalifa. The song acts as the follow-up to his breakthrough hit "Black and Yellow," which was titled after his hometown football team's black and canary color scheme. Khalifa explained that the song's inspiration was a resource he's familiar with. "Really, I just needed another single and we were trying to come up with a look and then me and [my manager] talked about it," he told MTV. "We talked about it for three minutes. And then I came up with that song."
  • A song called "Roll Up" from the album Rolling Papers must be about marijuana, right? According to Khalifa, that's not the case; it's about being willing to "roll up" and see your girl whenever she needs you. Khalifa told MTV News: "I was trying to be funny, be clever as possible," said Wiz. "It's for the chicks. It's for guys to sing to chicks. And it's just a fun song."
  • The song was previously released in September 2010 as the lead single on Los Angeles producer and rapper Terrace Martin's EP Here, My Dear with Khalifa as a featured artist.
  • Khalifa's summer-love anthem features production by the Norwegian team Stargate, who were also responsible for his breakout hit "Black and Yellow."
  • Khalifa explained during an UStream session that there were a few reasons for the album title. "It's called 'Rolling Papers,' like the papers that you roll, the papers that I roll, the papers that we smoke. But it's deeper than that too. I thought of this before I even started recording the album and before it was a full idea. It's not just about the weed thing. It's bigger than that. My career really took off when I started smoking papers.

    The second reason I called it 'Rolling Papers' is when I left Warner Bros., I sort of got my 'rolling papers," he continued. "I got my contract, f---ing rolled up and smoked. And I was able to walk and I was able to leave and I was able to do my thing and I was able to capitalize off that. The third reason why I named it 'Rolling Papers,' I quit writing a long time ago. I stopped physically writing it down or putting it in my BlackBerry or iPhone. I write notes down, but I don't write whole verses, so it was like saying goodbye to the paper. The paper's rolling out too."
  • The song's music video finds Khalifa courting his love interest, who is played by R&B singer Cassie.

Comments: 1

  • Jake from St. Louis, MoThat makes me sad. Thought it was about weed with weed customers lol
see more comments

Editor's Picks

U2 Lyrics

U2 LyricsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the lyrics of U2?

Songs About Movies

Songs About MoviesSong Writing

Iron Maiden, Adele, Toto, Eminem and Earth, Wind & Fire are just some of the artists with songs directly inspired by movies - and not always good ones.

Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt On How To Create A Music Scene

Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt On How To Create A Music SceneSong Writing

With $50 and a glue stick, Bruce Pavitt created Sub Pop, a fanzine-turned-label that gave the world Nirvana and grunge. He explains how motivated individuals can shift culture.

Chris Fehn of Slipknot

Chris Fehn of SlipknotSongwriter Interviews

A drummer for one of the most successful metal bands of the last decade, Chris talks about what it's like writing and performing with Slipknot. Metal-neck is a factor.

Verdine White of Earth, Wind & Fire

Verdine White of Earth, Wind & FireSongwriter Interviews

The longtime bassist of Earth, Wind & Fire discusses how his band came to do a holiday album, and offers insight into some of the greatest dance/soul tunes of all-time.

Who Wrote That Song?

Who Wrote That Song?Music Quiz

Do you know who wrote Patti Smith's biggest hit? How about the Grease theme song? See if you can match the song to the writer.