BUCHAREST — American rapper Wiz Khalifa has been sentenced to nine months in prison in Romania after the country’s appellate court overturned a previous fine for marijuana possession, according to TMZ.
TMZ reports that the Constanța Court of Appeal on Thursday upheld an appeal filed by the DIICOT Constanța Territorial Service, Romania’s organised crime and anti-terrorism prosecutors, replacing an earlier penalty that had fined the artist 3,000 lei (about US$700) with a custodial sentence.
The ruling stems from an incident in July 2024, when Wiz Khalifa was arrested and briefly detained after performing at the Beach Please! Festival in Costinești. During the performance, the rapper was seen smoking a joint on stage while dancing to Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg’s “The Next Episode”, a moment that drew the attention of Romanian authorities.
However, sources close to the case told TMZ Hip Hop that the sentence is not yet final, as Wiz Khalifa’s legal team has already begun the process of appealing the ruling in an effort to secure an alternative outcome and avoid prison time.
Romania enforces strict drug laws, even for small quantities of cannabis, and legal analysts say the rapper could face an uphill battle as he challenges the decision.
Wiz Khalifa, whose real name is Cameron Thomaz, has not publicly commented on the ruling. The case has sparked debate online about the risks artists face when performing in countries with far tougher drug laws than those in the United States.
Source: TMZ
