American rapper Wiz Khalifa has announced that his father, Laurence W. Thomaz, has died, sharing the news through an emotional post on social media platform X on Thursday, February 13, 2026.
The 38 year old artist, whose real name is Cameron Jibril Thomaz, wrote that his father passed away peacefully. He went out like a true yogi, at peace and on his own time, the rapper stated in his tribute.
Wiz Khalifa also shared childhood photographs with his father on Instagram Stories, captioning them Love you big guy.
Military Background and Family Life
Laurence W. Thomaz served in the United States Air Force alongside Wiz Khalifa’s mother, Peachie Wimbush. The couple divorced when the rapper was approximately two years old, but both parents remained present in his life throughout his childhood.
Due to their military service, the family moved frequently during Wiz Khalifa’s early years. He lived in Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom before his mother eventually settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1996. The constant relocation shaped much of the rapper’s formative years.
Despite the divorce, Wiz Khalifa maintained a close relationship with both parents. In a 2023 appearance on the podcast Drink Champs, he discussed how his parents’ divorce influenced his approach to parenting his own son, Sebastian Taylor Thomaz, whom he shares with model and television personality Amber Rose.
Father’s Influence on Parenting
Laurence Thomaz previously spoke about how fatherhood transformed his son into a more responsible person. In a 2019 documentary, he observed that becoming a father to Sebastian matured the rapper and made him more serious about his responsibilities.
He went out like a true yogi, at peace and on his own time, the rapper stated in his tribute.
The elder Thomaz noted that his son came to understand he could no longer engage in the dangerous and reckless activities he did before having a child to look after.
Wiz Khalifa has openly acknowledged the lessons he learned from his father throughout his life. He credited both parents with being present despite their inability to function together as a couple, explaining that their generation faced challenges with co-parenting that he has worked to overcome with Amber Rose.
Career and Personal Life
Born on September 8, 1987, in Minot, North Dakota, Wiz Khalifa began writing music at age nine and was recording professionally by 2002. He graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh in 2006, the same year he released his debut album, Show and Prove.
The rapper gained mainstream success with his 2011 single Black and Yellow, which was certified six times platinum. His song See You Again, featured in the Fast and Furious film series, remained at the top of Billboard’s Hot 100 for 12 consecutive weeks.
Wiz Khalifa married Amber Rose in 2013, and they had a son, Sebastian, before divorcing in 2014. The former couple have been praised for their effective co-parenting relationship.
Outpouring of Support
Following the announcement, fans flooded social media with messages of condolence, prayers, and support for the rapper and his family. The post on X garnered over 1.9 million views within hours of being published.
The Pittsburgh City Council previously declared December 12 as Wiz Khalifa Day in recognition of his contributions to music and his representation of the city on the global stage.
No further details about the circumstances of Laurence W. Thomaz’s death have been
