Wiz Khalifa sentenced to nine months in Romanian jail for cannabis on stage
Romanian court finalizes nine-month term for possession and consumption at Beach, Please! festival; case highlights Romania's cannabis laws and extradition questions
The Constanța Court of Appeal on Thursday sentenced American rapper Wiz Khalifa to nine months in prison on drug possession charges, finalizing a case linked to his appearance at the Beach, Please! festival in Costinesti last July.
Prosecutors said the 38-year-old performer, whose real name is Cameron Jibril Thomaz, was found in possession of more than 18 grams of cannabis and consumed some on stage during the festival. The court overturned an April ruling that had fined him 3,600 lei ($830) for illegal possession of dangerous drugs after prosecutors appealed.
Khalifa was tried in absentia, and the ruling is final. It wasn’t immediately clear whether Romanian authorities would seek extradition, given that Khalifa is an American citizen and does not reside in Romania.
Romania criminalizes cannabis possession for personal use, with penalties that can include prison time between three months and two years or a fine. The case drew attention to the country’s relatively strict drug laws, which are among the harsher ones in Europe.
The rapper rose to prominence with his breakout mixtape Kush + Orange Juice and is known for hits such as Black and Yellow, See You Again, and Young, Wild & Free. During last summer’s Romania appearance, he was photographed performing on stage with a large hand-rolled cigarette while singing his hit Young, Wild & Free.
Earlier this week, Khalifa was seen performing in California with Gunna and posted pictures and clips from his home on Twitch and other social media.
Vlad Zaha, a criminologist consulted by BBC News, said there was little-to-no chance the United States would extradite Jibril and described the sentence as unusually harsh. He noted that extradition requests face legal and political hurdles, and that wealth and international connections can influence negotiations, even when a formal request is submitted.
Cannabis remains illegal under U.S. federal law, though recreational and medical use is legal in some states, underscoring a complex backdrop to a case that sits at the intersection of entertainment, law, and cross-border policy.