Rapper Wiz Khalifa has announced the death of his father, Laurence W. Thomaz.
Khalifa – born Cameron Jibril Thomaz – revealed his father was ‘at peace’ when he suddenly passed at age 63 on Friday, February 13th.
‘Today my father decided not to wake up. I will always love him, miss him and be greatful for the things he taught me. He went out like a true yogi, at peace and on his own time. I love you forever Laurence W. Thomaz,’ Khalifa tweeted.
The artist recalled their last conversation and the legacy his father had achieved.
‘The last conversation i had with my dad was him telling me how proud of me he was for the movie i was in and I promised him i would do more. LT Forever.’
‘My father’s passing was sudden but seeing how many people love and respected him makes happy and i know he’s proud that he left a positive impact on this earth. Literally all he ever wanted.’
Daily Mail has reached out to Khalifa’s reps for comment, but did not immediately hear back.
Rapper Wiz Khalifa has announced the death of his father, Laurence W. Thomaz
Khalifa – born Cameron Jibril Thomaz – revealed his father was ‘at peace’ when he suddenly passed at age 63 on Friday, February 13th
‘The last conversation i had with my dad was him telling me how proud of me he was for the movie i was in and I promised him i would do more. LT Forever,’ he also shared
The music artist also took to his Instagram stories to share the heartbreaking news of his father’s passing.
Khalifa additionally shared the same message to his followers alongside a series of throwback images of Thomaz.
The rapper offered a glimpse at his childhood as well as memories he has of his late father – who had been a military veteran.
One photo showed the star spending quality time with his dad at the park alongside the text, ‘Love you big guy.’
He included another throwback image on Instagram while penning at the top, ‘My boy was smooth.’
Over on X, Khalifa sent gratitude for the support and condolensces he has received after announcing his father’s death.
‘Thank you all for your kind words,’ he typed. ‘It really means a lot in this tough time and is helping me feel better.’
The Black And Yellow hitmaker had been close to his late father and previously opened up about how he had a big part in the start of his successful music career.
The music artist also took to his Instagram stories to share the heartbreaking news of his father’s passing
One photo showed the star spending quality time with his dad at the park alongside the text, ‘Love you big guy’
Over on X, Khalifa sent gratitude for the support and condolensces he has received after announcing his father’s death
The Black And Yellow hitmaker had been close to his late father and previously opened up about how he had a big part in the start of his successful music career; seen in January in Las Vegas
Following the divorce of his parents, Khalifa lived with his father – who would go on to open his own recording studio.
‘I lived in that studio. And that’s what turned me into who I am today,’ the performer said during an interview with NME.
He began rapping when he was in elementary school and further recalled, ‘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.’
The music artist has also given his dad special shout outs on social media in the past over the years.
Last year in October, he shared a throwback photo as well as the message: ‘Tell your parents how much you love and appreciate them.
‘You never know what they were goin through to make your life easy. My dad taught me how to be self sufficient and when to ask for help. When to be tough and when to be sensitive.’
The rapper continued, ‘How to handle business and how to have fun. He’s still my inspiration to this day. Love you, Pops.’
‘I lived in that studio. And that’s what turned me into who I am today,’ the performer said during an interview with NME; seen in January in Las Vegas
The music artist has also given his dad special shout outs on social media in the past over the years
And back in 2017, the star had also shared a childhood snap while writing, ‘I always had the best dad ever.
‘All my friends were scared to come to the house. Lol. Had to do all my chores and school work during the summer but he’s my dad and not yours and I wouldn’t trade him for the world.’
Khalifa added, ‘He always brings the best out of me even when I don’t know I have it in myself and literally gave me everything in this world. I love you daddy.’
During an appearance on the All The Smoke podcast in 2021, the rapper revealed that his father also had a part in his stage name: Wiz Khalifa.
‘Wiz comes from me always being into technology and s***. Just being like a smart dude in general. Like, I was always into school,’ he explained at the time.
‘Like, my dad made me do like homework projects during like the summertime, so I was always kind of like nerdy, you know what I mean?’
He further shared, ‘So that was my first name. It was fully Wisdom, but my dad used to just call me Wiz and everybody on the block would just be like, “Yo that’s young Wiz blah blah blah.”
‘So it kind of just stuck. And Khalifa, my granddad is Muslim. I got that name when I was real, real young. I just put them both together and then came up with it.’
And back in 2017, the star had also shared a childhood snap while writing, ‘I always had the best dad ever’
During an appearance on the All The Smoke podcast in 2021, the rapper revealed that his father also had a part in his stage name: Wiz Khalifa; seen in 2025 in India
Khalifa has also discussed the close bond he shares with his mother Peachie.
While stopping by The Jennifer Hudson Show back in 2024, the rapper revealed that both he and his mom visit strip clubs together.
‘Mother’s Day is every day for my mom. Peachie’s a superstar,’ he told Hudson on the show. ‘If you meet her, you’ll fall in love with her, so every day is her day.’
He added, ‘Me and my mom do everything together. We go to strip clubs together. We went to Mexico. We went to Coachella together. Yeah, we do everything. That’s my dawg!’
The performer is also a father himself.
He shares son Sebastian, 12, with Amber Rose as well as daughter Kaydence, one, with Aimee Aguilar.
Back in 2018 – before welcoming his daughter in 2024 – he opened up about fatherhood and told Billboard, ‘The biggest joy is seeing that boy every day and he just lights my life up.
The performer is also a father himself. He shares son Sebastian, 12, with Amber Rose as well as daughter Kaydence, one, with Aimee Aguilar; the rapper seen with Sebastian in 2023 in L.A.
Back in 2018 – before welcoming his daughter in 2024 – he opened up about fatherhood and told Billboard, ‘The biggest joy is seeing that boy every day and he just lights my life up’; seen in 2025 in Hollywood
‘When I see his face or when I hear his voice. He sleeps in my bed with me so I just roll over and look at him like, “I love this boy.”‘
Khalifa additionally discussed about finding the balance between parenthood and work in the industry.
‘I never want to miss out on any of those moment with my son, but I never want to miss out on the bag either.’
He continued, ‘They’re equally attackable. When you become a real boss you learn how to really do them at the appropriate times and apply pressure.’
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