Wiz Khalifa Hit with Nine-Month Jail Sentence in Romania

A Romanian court has sentenced American rapper Wiz Khalifa to nine months in prison for smoking cannabis during a live performance.

The incident occurred last year at the Beach, Please! festival in Costinesti, where the rapper, whose real name is Thomaz Cameron Jibril, admitted to lighting up a joint on stage.

The ruling comes after an appeals court overturned a previous fine of 3,600 Romanian lei (about $829) for drug possession. Khalifa was sentenced in absentia, and he has not traveled to Romania since the ruling. Earlier this week, he was seen performing with Gunna in California and sharing clips from home on social media and Twitch.

Police had briefly detained and questioned Khalifa following the concert on July 13, 2024. Prosecutors reported that he possessed over 18 grams of cannabis and also consumed some in front of the festival crowd.

In their written decision, the Constanța Court of Appeal criticized the performance, saying it sent a “message of normalisation of illegal conduct” and encouraged “drug use among young people.” The judges described the act as “ostentatious” and highlighted that it took place in front of a largely young audience.

Following the incident, Khalifa posted on X, saying he did not intend to offend Romania. “They [the authorities] were very respectful and let me go. I’ll be back soon. But without a big a** joint next time,” he wrote.

Romanian criminologist Vlad Zaha told the BBC that it is highly unlikely Khalifa will serve his sentence in Romania. “Given the defendant’s wealth and connections, Romania’s lack of real negotiating power on extradition, and the legal and political status of cannabis in the US, it is highly unlikely that Wiz Khalifa will be sent to serve a prison sentence in Constanța,” he said.

Khalifa, known for hits like Black and Yellow, See You Again, and Young, Wild & Free, has frequently posted images of himself using cannabis and founded a marijuana brand in 2016. While recreational and medical cannabis use is legal in some U.S. states, it remains illegal under federal law.

This case highlights the clash between local drug laws and international artists’ behavior while performing abroad. While Khalifa may avoid jail time due to U.S. jurisdiction limits, the ruling sends a clear message about Romania’s strict stance on public drug use.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!