Wiz Khalifa Mourns Sudden Loss of Father
Wiz Khalifa announced on Friday, Feb. 13, that his father, Laurence W. Thomaz, had passed away suddenly at 63. “Today my father decided not to wake up,” Khalifa wrote on…
Wiz Khalifa announced on Friday, Feb. 13, that his father, Laurence W. Thomaz, had passed away suddenly at 63.
“Today my father decided not to wake up,” Khalifa wrote on X. “I will always love him, miss him and be greatful for the things he taught me.”
“He went on like a true yogi, at peace and on his own time. I love you forever Laurence W. Thomaz,” he added.
A Last Conversation and Upcoming Projects
The last chat Wiz had with his dad was about his acting career. “The last conversation I had with him was about the movie i was in and I promised him I would do more,” he shared. Khalifa is set to star in the upcoming crime drama Moses the Black, which follows a Chicago gangster seeking vengeance after his closest friend is killed.
Gratitude and Support
During this “tough time,” Khalifa thanked his fans for their support. “Thank you all for your kind words. It really means a lot… and is helping me feel better,” he wrote.
“My father’s passing was sudden but seeing how many people love and respected him makes [me] happy and i know he’s proud that he left a positive impact on this earth. Literally all he ever wanted,” Khalifa continued.
Cherished Memories
To honor his father, Khalifa shared throwback photos on Instagram Stories, as reported by Billboard Canada. One showed Laurence helping his young son onto a playground swingset, captioned, “Love you big guy.” Another featured a childhood photo with his father and late sibling Dorien “Lala” Thomaz, who passed in 2017. “My boy was smooth,” Khalifa wrote. “You and La La are together again.”
A Father’s Lasting Influence
Khalifa had a close relationship with his father, a former military member who raised him in Pittsburgh after his parents’ divorce. Khalifa credited his dad for sparking his love of music.
“I was in second grade when I first started rapping,” he told NME in 2016. “I grew up in a poor neighborhood. We didn’t have much, so I listened to the radio all the time. One day, my uncle got a piece of paper out and started reading it, and it was a rap.”
“It blew my mind, because I didn’t know we could rap as well, not just the guys on the radio," he added.
Thomaz also opened a recording studio in Pittsburgh, where young Wiz spent countless hours. “I lived in that studio. And that’s what turned me into who I am today,” Khalifa recalled.
Even in sadness, Khalifa’s tribute shows how his father shaped his life and left a lasting legacy both in music and in love.
