Wiz Khalifa brings good vibes only to hometown show at Star Lake

When it comes to rap, Pittsburgh may not be Los Angeles, New York or Atlanta, but we do pretty well for ourselves.

That was evident on Saturday night, when hometown rapper Wiz Khalifa came through to play the Pavilion at Star Lake on his Good Vibes Only Tour. Along for the ride were dancehall performer Sean Paul and rapper DaBaby, as well as some local talent who are signed to Wiz Khalifa’s label and entertainment company, Taylor Gang.

That name is, itself, a local nod — it references Taylor Allderdice High School (now Pittsburgh Allderdice High School), which Wiz Khalifa attended. Label signees Fedd the God and Chevy Woods also performed Saturday night, and local talent DJ Bonics made for a terrific hype man throughout the night.

Fedd the God, with origins in Pittsburgh’s North Side, has an easygoing flow that makes his lyrics stand out against bass-booming beats. He wore a custom Steelers jersey and started a “here we go, Steelers” chant before tearing into his song “Activated” and definitely gained a few fans with his ear-catching songs. He was immediately followed by Chevy Woods, an early joiner of Taylor Gang Entertainment, who had boundless energy and showed a lot of versatility, especially with melodic rapping on 2020 song “Escape.”

DaBaby was up next, hyping up the crowd with jets of smoke and white-clad dancers. He wasn’t afraid of mixing it up with the crowd, performing much of his set among fans in the pavilion and on the lawn. Concertgoers crowded around, danced and took videos with their phones as the rapper’s slamming beats and propulsive rapping reverberated throughout the venue. And, of course, he couldn’t leave before playing quintuple platinum single “Rockstar,” which brought a roar from the audience. His set ended a bit abruptly but left a palpable buzz in the air.

The screen behind the stage displayed a Jamaican flag in preparation for Sean Paul’s entrance, a dancehall rapper who, in fact, had a multitude of hits. As someone who was a teenager in the 2000s, I was surprised by how many of his songs I recognized immediately. In fact, he bookended the set with a pair of number ones, kicking off with 2002’s “Get Busy.” The song’s epic drum intro was a harbinger of things to come, as his live drummer was a highlight of the whole performance.

Alexis Papalia | TribLive

Sean Paul performs at the Pavilion at Star Lake in Burgettstown on the Good Vibes Only Tour on July 19.

Sean Paul’s patois and style of singing and rapping can often make it difficult to make out lyrics, but there was no objection from the crowd. In sunglasses and with a towel over one shoulder — which he occasionally twirled over his head — he was clearly working hard as he bounded across the stage, jumping and pumping his fist.

In addition to his solo and original work, Sean Paul boasts an impressive arsenal of collaborations and remixes under his belt. He rocked the crowd with his version of Sia’s 2015 single “Cheap Thrills” and performed his part of the number one hit “Baby Boy,” a duet with Beyoncé. He also pleased the crowd with his parts in more recent Latin music collaborations. All of those songs included the recorded parts from the other singer.

Songs like “Make It Clap” and “Give It Up To Me” were accompanied by backup dancers, fierce basslines and liberal use of the hi-hat by the drummer. While most of his songs kept the party going with faster tempos, there were a few more laid-back reggae tunes as well. He played the brand-new release “Ginger,” dedicated to “all the spicy ladies in the crowd.” And he’s still got it; even in 2025, Sean Paul can make a hit.

He finished a long and varied set with another number one, “Temperature,” which really turned up the heat as night fell.

Even if he weren’t Pittsburgh’s own, Wiz Khalifa would deserve a warm reception — with a catalog of hits, including two number ones, the rapper has enjoyed an almost two-decade-long career. And he performs with such professionalism and a great deal of heart.

The set had a natural flow, as well. Under orange strobe lights and in a bank of fog, Wiz Khalifa appeared onstage to a smooth R&B beat from DJ Bonics and his full live band. Kicking off with the mellow “What’s Hannin’,” he rapped a run of sultry, summery songs that fit the mood perfectly.

“When I say 4-1, you say 2!” he said, leading the crowd in a chant of the local area code. In all white, he waved his arms above his head and danced with his light-up mic stand all over the stage.

“I love my city, I love where I’m from!” he yelled after the second song, “How We Act.”

The first of his big hits came in the form of “Roll Up,” with a catchy keyboard line and chorus. Many in the crowd rapped along. Wiz Khalifa himself raps with impressive intensity that seems effortless. As the song ranged towards its close, more jets of smoke shot up from the stage.

“Red Eye,” lit by crimson lights, started out with a bombastic opening and settled into a deep groove. That was followed by the triumphant tune “The Race,” which he said he wrote 15 years ago.

“No Sleep,” a bubbly adrenaline shot that’s perfect for a summer house party, helped transition into the harder-hitting section of the setlist. “Errday” and “Taylor Gang” — which featured reappearances from his label mates who performed earlier in the night — almost played like rock songs from the band, with intense lighting and fast rapping.

As the clock ticked toward 11 p.m., Wiz Khalifa brought out the hits, starting with the autotune heavy “We Dem Boyz.” The energy was high as he windmilled one arm, the band detonating the song around him.

Totally shifting the tone, he pulled out the super-mellow carefree ode “Young, Wild and Free.” The dual venture with legend Snoop Dogg fit just right on a July night when, no surprise, pot smoke was thick in the air.

“So what we rep Pittsburgh?” he said at the end, to huge cheers. “As long as you take care of your family and your kids and yourself, I love that for you. I love y’all so much, man.”

The night’s penultimate song was the blockbuster hit “See You Again,” which he recorded with singer Charlie Puth for the 2015 film “Furious 7.” It was an emotional moment as the names and photographs of deceased hip-hop artists flashed on the screen behind the stage — including legends like Biz Markie, MF Doom and Nate Dogg. As the rousing song reached its conclusion, the photograph of fellow Allderdice alum Mac Miller drew a chorus of cheers from the audience before the montage closed out with emo rapper Juice WRLD, who died in 2019.

In Southwestern Pennsylvania, there was no way Wiz Khalifa could close with anything but “Black and Yellow.” The ode to Pittsburgh — and expensive cars — has become the de facto modern theme song for the Pittsburgh Steelers, with its hectic beat and indomitable swagger. The whole pavilion and lawn were rocking and singing along.

“I love where I’m from,” he said, wrapping up. “I wouldn’t change it if I could.”

While Wiz Khalifa was maybe less talkative than expected for a hometown show, it was still a welcome homecoming and a great party filled with — as promised — only good vibes.