Wiz Khalifa

An Army kid who's lived in Germany, England and Japan because of his military parents, this Pittsburgh-based rhymer is often compared to Snoop Dogg because of his lanky physique and laid-back flow. Born Cameron Jibril Thomaz, Wiz was tagged as a “New Artist to Watch” by Rolling Stone magazine following the release of his first album, Show and Prove, in 2006. That LP's buzz and his 2005 mixtape Prince of the City: Welcome to Pistolvania helped the young MC land a contract with Warner Bros. After a leadoff single "Say Yeah," Wiz grew frustrated at the label's delays in releasing his album. Parting ways with Warner, Wiz signed with Atlantic Records in 2010, finally scoring a hit with the single “Black and Yellow.” Although Wiz's Pittsburgh Steelers lost in the Superbowl, the artist behind their unofficial theme song was a big winner.