Since Colorado legalized recreational cannabis in 2012, its “Mile High” reputation has more to do with the state’s favorite herbal remedy and less to do with its elevation above sea level. Even before legalization, Denver has always been at the forefront of cannabis advocacy and culture and still holds some of the biggest 4/20 celebrations on the globe. As such, the connection between Wiz Khalifa, 4/20 and Red Rocks Amphitheater is almost too obvious to put down on paper. There’s no better place to celebrate 4/20 than Colorado and there’s no one more fitting to spend it with than Wiz Khalifa and the packed crowd at Red Rocks.
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Throughout the season, Red Rocks always welcomes an eclectic crowd but you’ll probably meet some of the most beautifully strange people you’ve ever seen in the best way possible. Especially on 4/20, it’s a place where a guy in a full-body banana costume might pass you a joint, and someone in a tie-dye wizard robe will compliment your jacket with total sincerity.
But that’s the magic of it: everyone’s weird, everyone’s welcome and everyone’s open to making a new friend. 4/20 at Red Rocks is more than a concert: it’s a communal high, a shared smile and a thousand strangers swaying in sync like they’ve known each other for years.
While Khalifa spends 4/20 on the Rocks every year, this year felt extra special. Khalifa was celebrating the release of his newest album, Kush + Orange Juice 2, almost exactly 15 years since Wiz dropped the first Kush & Orange Juice. The mixtape that helped define Khalifa’s effortlessly cool and charismatic voice and this year’s 4/20 celebration was a real representation of growth, of everything that’s changed since the late-night drives, hazy house parties and the version of yourself that existed back in 2010.
His set opened with a tribute to his newly released project. The energy had this tinge of nostalgia to it, hearkening back to the days when you first learned how to pack a bowl, roll a jay, a blunt, skills that would end up sticking with you your whole life, the same way Wiz’s music has. Featuring a laid-back flow, dreamy production and that signature auto-tuned cool that never tries too hard, it was the kind of intro that reminds you why you fell for his music in the first place.
But this wasn’t just a night for new tracks. Wiz took fans on a tour through his catalog, pulling out classics like “Roll Up,” “On My Level,” “Black and Yellow” and the ever-iconic “We Dem Boyz.” When he dropped his verse from “23” — yes, the Mike WiLL Made-It track with Miley Cyrus — it felt like a deep-cut gift to the day-ones.
What makes a Wiz Khalifa show so special in 2025 is the real representation that he’s been growing along with us. He’s still that guy from Pittsburgh who raps about weed, women and winning but now there’s a grown-man confidence behind it. Every “Taylor Gang” call and response, every sparked joint and every cool-headed grin seemed to come from someone who is more than a rapper with an impressive legacy but an also a vocal advocate for cannabis legalization in all states, all countries.
He felt like an old friend, like the stoner boys you knew in college who you watched grow into fathers with successful careers but never stopped rolling up. He’s grown up, more sure of himself, but he’s still the same old Wiz. Throughout the show, he celebrated his old hits, introduced new ones and connected with the crowd between verses. He has never tried to be the hottest rapper in the game, just a dude who makes music you can smoke to, and he knows Colorado will always celebrate with him no matter what.
When he closed his set with a touching rendition of “See You Again,” he noted his love for the Mile High City, promising to be back year after year to celebrate 4/20 with him. In a world where empathy and compassion are increasingly hard to come by, Wiz’s final words to the audience were heartening, like your stoner older brother telling you that everything’s gonna be alright and that he’ll always be there. In this world, we must keep loving each other, continue to operate with understanding and an open mind and never stop rolling up.
Fifteen years after Kush & Orange Juice gave us a smoke sesh soundtrack, Wiz Khalifa is still delivering. Still smiling. Still high. And after a 4/20 night at Red Rocks, one thing’s clear: he’s only gotten better.
All photos by Kiddest Metaferia.