Wiz Khalifa on How Independent Artists Are Competing Against Million-Dollar Budgets

While creative freedom has become one of the biggest advantages for independent artists, the rapper said that freedom often comes at the cost of competing against labels with far greater financial resources.

Few artists have experienced the music business from as many angles as Wiz Khalifa. Having built his career through both major-label partnerships and independent releases, the rapper recently reflected on the advantages and drawbacks of each approach during an appearance on Angela Yee's show in 2025.

Asked to compare life as an independent artist with being signed to a label, Khalifa said independence offers greater control but also demands far more responsibility.

According to the rapper, independent musicians must build their own teams, finance their own careers, and compete against artists backed by companies willing to spend enormous amounts on promotion. He explained:

"You gotta hire people. You gotta spend your own money. You're in competition with people who are spending, you know, millions of dollars and you're just depending on your fans. So, you know, it's a lot when you, when that's what you're up against and you're trying to get to that level."

However, although those challenges may appear overwhelming, the Pittsburgh native said being independent is not necessarily more stressful than signing with a major label. Instead, he argued that each path comes with its own pressures.

While independent artists carry the financial burden themselves, signed artists often find themselves navigating label expectations, approval processes, and frustrations over promotional decisions.

"There's more freedom, of course, being independent, but you're just going to have to work way harder," he said. That freedom, however, remains one of the biggest reasons artists continue pursuing independent careers.

Because of his established career, he explained that he now has the leverage to negotiate deals on his own terms instead of accepting traditional long-term contracts.

Without label approval, musicians can release music whenever they choose and maintain greater creative control over their work. At the same time, Khalifa acknowledged that major labels still provide advantages that can be difficult to match independently.

"When you have a label behind you, it helps a lot," he shared, particularly for artists creating music designed to reach the broadest possible audience.

Why Wiz Khalifa Believes Flexibility Works Best

Rather than choosing one side of the industry permanently, the "Black and Yellow" rapper said his ideal situation is moving between independent releases and major-label partnerships whenever it makes the most sense.

Because of his established career, he explained that he now has the leverage to negotiate deals on his own terms instead of accepting traditional long-term contracts. Khalifa noted:

"You can structure it for how you want, however long you want. If it's one album or, you know, however many albums, you don't have to just sign."

He added that he could release several independent projects before deciding that a future release would benefit from a major-label rollout. "And it'll work. It'll be perfectly fine," the Pittsburgh rapper continued.

For Khalifa, the decision ultimately depends on what best serves both his audience and the specific project. "I think that's the best thing for me is just gauging what is more for my fans and what I wanna do on this level where it's a rollout, and it's a plan," he added.

His Comments Came Years After a Legal Dispute Over His Former Label Deal

Khalifa's perspective carries added weight given his own history with the music business. In May 2016, the rapper filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court seeking a declaration that would end what he described as a "360 agreement" connected to his former manager, Benjy Grinberg, and Rostrum Records.

According to the lawsuit, the musical star alleged that Grinberg and Rostrum acted as "faithless fiduciaries in direct contravention of their obligations to him" by steering him into business arrangements that benefited them at his expense.

The filing stated that Grinberg began managing Khalifa in 2004 when the rapper was 16 years old and further alleged that he was encouraged to enter into a 360 agreement that gave Rostrum a share of multiple revenue streams.

The agreement included songwriting, touring, and merchandise, while tying the musician to the arrangement for more than a decade. Khalifa's attorney, Alex Weingarten of Venable LLP, said in a statement at the time:

"An artist's most trusted advisor is his or her personal manager. Generally, nothing good comes out when the manager decides to go into business against his artist. Unfortunately, that is the case here."

The lawsuit argued that alternative business arrangements that could have been more beneficial to Khalifa were never disclosed. It also noted that the rapper had ended Grinberg's role as his personal manager in 2014 and sought to terminate the agreement under California's seven-year rule.

The rapper requested compensatory damages exceeding one million dollars, along with punitive damages and attorney's fees. As for Grinberg, he denied the allegations, saying in a statement, "I am very disappointed and surprised by today's news."

"To witness an artist turn on you after supporting them for a number of years is very dishe

artening. This is an egregious lawsuit filled with inaccuracies, yet unfortunately, people sometimes resort to these practices as a way of conducting business," he continued.

Although that legal dispute unfolded years before his latest interview, Wiz Khalifa's comments reflected the lessons he has learned from working on both sides of the industry.

Rather than presenting independence or major-label deals as universally better, he suggested that success depends on understanding the strengths and limitations of each path and having the leverage to choose the one that fits a particular moment in a career.