April 5 is the 95th day of the year (96th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 270 days remaining until the end of the year.

Events[link]

• 1081 – Alexios I Komnenos is crowned Byzantine emperor at Constantinople, bringing the Komnenian dynasty to full power.
• 1242 – During a battle on the ice of Lake Peipus, Russian forces, led by Alexander Nevsky, rebuff an invasion attempt by the Teutonic Knights.
• 1566 – Two-hundred Dutch noblemen, led by Hendrik van Brederode, force themselves into the presence of Margaret of Parma and present the Petition of Compromise, denouncing the Spanish Inquisition in the Netherlands. The Inquisition is suspended and a delegation is sent to Spain to petition Philip II.
• 1609 – Daimyo (Lord) of the Satsuma Domain in southern Kyūshū, Japan, completes his successful invasion of the Ryūkyū Kingdom in Okinawa.
• 1614 – In Virginia, Native American Pocahontas marries English colonist John Rolfe.
• 1621 – The Mayflower sets sail from Plymouth, Massachusetts on a return trip to England.
• 1722 – The Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen discovers Easter Island.
• 1792 – U.S. President George Washington exercises his authority to veto a bill, the first time this power is used in the United States.
• 1804 – High Possil Meteorite: The first recorded meteorite in Scotland falls in Possil.
• 1818 – In the Battle of Maipú, Chile's independence movement – led by Bernardo O'Higgins and José de San Martín – win a decisive victory over Spain, leaving 2,000 Spaniards and 1,000 Chilean patriots dead.
• 1847 – Birkenhead Park, the first civic public park, is opened in Birkenhead.
• 1862 – American Civil War: The Battle of Yorktown begins.
• 1879 – Chile declares war on Bolivia and Peru, starting the War of the Pacific.
• 1900 – Archaeologists in Knossos, Crete, discover a large cache of clay tablets with hieroglyphic writing in a script they call Linear B.
• 1904 – The first international rugby league match is played between England and an Other Nationalities team (Welsh & Scottish players) in Central Park, Wigan, England.
• 1922 – The American Birth Control League, forerunner of Planned Parenthood, is incorporated.
• 1923 – Firestone Tire and Rubber Company begins production of balloon-tires.
• 1930 – Mahatma Gandhi ends a 241 mile march to Dandi in the Salt Satyagraha.
• 1932 – Alcohol prohibition in Finland ends. Alcohol sales begin in Alko liquor stores.
• 1932 – Dominion of Newfoundland: 10,000 rioters seize the Colonial Building leading to the end of self-government.
• 1933 – U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs two executive orders: 6101 to establish the Civilian Conservation Corps, and 6102 "forbidding the Hoarding of Gold Coin, Gold Bullion, and Gold Certificates" by U.S. citizens.
• 1936 – Tupelo-Gainesville tornado outbreak: An F5 tornado kills 233 in Tupelo, Mississippi.
• 1942 – World War II: The Imperial Japanese Navy launches a carrier-based air attack on Colombo, Ceylon during the Indian Ocean Raid. Port and civilian facilities are damaged and the Royal Navy cruisers HMS Cornwall and HMS Dorsetshire are sunk southwest of the island.
• 1943 – World War II: American bomber aircraft accidentally cause more than 900 civilian deaths, including 209 children, and 1300 wounded among the civilian population of the Belgian town of Mortsel. The target is the Erla factory one kilometer from the residential area hit.
• 1944 – World War II: 270 inhabitants of the Greek town of Kleisoura are executed by the Germans.
• 1945 – Cold War: Yugoslav leader Josip "Tito" Broz signs an agreement with the Soviet Union to allow "temporary entry of Soviet troops into Yugoslav territory".
• 1946 – Soviet troops leave the island of Bornholm, Denmark after an 11 month occupation.
• 1949 – Fireside Theater debuts on television.
• 1949 – A fire in a hospital in Effingham, Illinois, kills 77 people and leads to nationwide fire code improvements in the United States.
• 1951 – Ethel and Julius Rosenberg are sentenced to death for performing espionage for the Soviet Union.
• 1955 – Winston Churchill resigns as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom amid indications of failing health.
• 1956 – Fidel Castro declares himself at war with the President of Cuba.
• 1956 – In Sri Lanka, the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna win the general elections in a landslide and S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike is sworn in as the Prime Minister.
• 1957 – In India, Communists win the first elections in united Kerala and E.M.S. Namboodiripad is sworn in as the first chief minister.
• 1958 – Ripple Rock, an underwater threat to navigation in the Seymour Narrows in Canada is destroyed in one of the largest non-nuclear controlled explosions of the time.
• 1969 – Vietnam War: Massive antiwar demonstrations occur in many U.S. cities.
• 1971 – In Sri Lanka, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna launches insurrection against the United Front government of Sirimavo Bandaranaike.
• 1976 – In the People's Republic of China, the April Fifth Movement leads to the Tiananmen incident.
• 1986 – Three people are killed in the bombing of the La Belle Discothèque in West Berlin, Germany.
• 1991 – An ASA EMB 120 crashes in Brunswick, Georgia, killing all 23 aboard.
• 1992 – Alberto Fujimori, president of Peru, dissolves the Peruvian congress by military force.
• 1992 – The Siege of Sarajevo begins when Serb paramilitaries murder peace protesters Suada Dilberovic and Olga Sučić on the Vrbanja Bridge.
• 1998 – In Japan, the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge linking Awaji Island with Honshū and costing about $3.8 billion USD, opens to traffic, becoming the largest suspension bridge in the world.
• 1999 – Two Libyans suspected of bringing down Pan Am flight 103 in 1988 are handed over for eventual trial in the Netherlands.
• 2009 – North Korea launches its controversial Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2 rocket. The satellite passed over mainland Japan, which prompted an immediate reaction from the United Nations Security Council, as well as participating states of Six-party talks.
• 2010 – Twenty-nine coal miners are killed in an explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia.

Births[link]

• 1288 – Emperor Go-Fushimi of Japan (d. 1336)
• 1472 – Bianca Maria Sforza, Holy Roman Empress, second wife of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor (d. 1510)
• 1523 – Blaise de Vigenère, French cryptographer (d. 1596)
• 1588 – Thomas Hobbes, English philosopher (d. 1679)
• 1595 – John Wilson, English composer, lutenist and teacher (d. 1674)
• 1604 – Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine (d. 1675)
• 1622 – Vincenzo Viviani, Italian mathematician (d. 1703)
• 1649 – Elihu Yale, Welsh merchant and philanthropist, benefactor of Yale University (d. 1721)
• 1692 – Adrienne Lecouvreur, French actress (d. 1730)
• 1719 – Axel von Fersen the Elder, Swedish statesman and soldier; father of Axel von Fersen the Younger (d. 1794)
• 1727 – Pasquale Anfossi, Italian opera composer (d. 1797)
• 1732 – Jean-Honoré Fragonard, French artist (d. 1806)
• 1752 – Sébastien Érard, French musical instruments maker (d. 1831)
• 1769 – Sir Thomas Hardy, 1st Baronet, English Royal Navy Vice-Admiral and First Lord of the Admiralty (d. 1839)
• 1784 – Louis Spohr, German composer and violinist (d. 1859)
• 1816 – Samuel Freeman Miller, American Supreme Court Justice (d. 1890)
• 1827 – Joseph Lister, English surgeon and pioneer of antiseptic surgery (d. 1912)
• 1832 – Jules Ferry, French statesman (d. 1893)
• 1837 – Algernon Charles Swinburne, English poet (d. 1909)
• 1840 – Ghazaros Aghayan, Armenian writer, educator, folklorist, historian, and linguist (d. 1911)
• 1856 – Booker T. Washington, American educator (d. 1915)
• 1857 – Alexander of Battenberg (d. 1893)
• 1858 – W. Atlee Burpee, Canadian horticulturist (d. 1915)
• 1863 – Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine (d. 1950)
• 1869 – Sergei Chaplygin, Russian physicist and engineer (d. 1942)
• 1869 – Albert Roussel, French composer (d. 1937)
• 1871 – Mirko Seljan, Croatian explorer (d. 1912)
• 1872 – Samuel Cate Prescott, American scientist and microbiologist (d. 1962)
• 1875 – Mistinguett, French actress and singer (d. 1956)
• 1883 – Walter Huston, Canadian-born American actor (d. 1950)
• 1884 – Ion Inculeţ, Romanian statesman, president of "Sfatul Ţării" (d. 1940)
• 1893 – Clas Thunberg, Finnish speed skater (d. 1973)
• 1899 – Alfred Blalock, American surgeon (d. 1964)
• 1900 – Spencer Tracy, American actor (d. 1967)
• 1901 – Melvyn Douglas, American actor (d. 1981)
• 1906 – Lord Buckley, American monologist (d. 1960)
• 1908 – Bette Davis, American actress (d. 1989)
• 1908 – Herbert von Karajan, Austrian conductor (d. 1989)
• 1908 – Jagjivan Ram, Indian politician (d. 1986)
• 1909 – Albert R. Broccoli, American movie producer (d. 1996)
• 1912 – John Le Mesurier, English actor (d. 1983)
• 1912 – István Örkény, Hungarian author (d. 1979)
• 1916 – Gregory Peck, American actor (d. 2003)
• 1916 – Albert Henry Ottenweller, American bishop
• 1917 – Robert Bloch, American author (d. 1994)
• 1920 – Barend Biesheuvel, Dutch politician, Prime Minister of the Netherlands (d. 2001)
• 1920 – Arthur Hailey, Canadian author (d. 2004)
• 1920 – Rafique Zakaria, Indian author (d. 2005)
• 1921 – Robert Q. Lewis, American radio and television personality, game show host, and actor (d. 1991)
• 1922 – Tom Finney, English footballer
• 1922 – Harry Freedman, Canadian musician, composer and educator (d. 2005)
• 1922 – Christopher Hewett, English actor (d. 2001)
• 1922 – Gale Storm, American singer and actress (d. 2009)
• 1923 – Michael V. Gazzo, American actor (d. 1995)
• 1923 – Nguyễn Văn Thiệu, Vietnamese politician, President of South Vietnam (d. 2001)
• 1926 – Roger Corman, American director
• 1928 – Fernand Dansereau, Canadian director and producer
• 1928 – Tony Williams, American singer (The Platters) (d. 1992)
• 1929 – Hugo Claus, Belgian writer (d. 2008)
• 1929 – Ivar Giaever, Norwegian physicist, Nobel laureate
• 1929 – Nigel Hawthorne, English actor (d. 2001)
• 1929 – Joe Meek, English record producer (d. 1967)
• 1932 – Billy Bland, American singer and songwriter
• 1933 – Larry Felser, American columnist
• 1933 – Barbara Holland, American writer (d. 2010)
• 1933 – Frank Gorshin, American actor (d. 2005)
• 1934 – Roman Herzog, German politician
• 1934 – Stanley Turrentine, American jazz saxophonist (d. 2000)
• 1935 – Peter Grant, British music manager (d. 1995)
• 1936 – John Kelly, Irish republican politician (d. 2007)
• 1937 – Colin Powell, American Army General, 12th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and 65th United States Secretary of State
• 1937 – Allan R. Thieme, American inventor, founded Amigo Mobility International Inc
• 1938 – Colin Bland, South African cricketer
• 1939 – Ronald White, American singer and songwriter (The Miracles) (d. 1995)
• 1939 – Crispian St. Peters, English singer-songwriter (d. 2010)
• 1940 – Tommy Cash, American singer-songwriter
• 1940 – Gilles Proulx, Canadian historian, radio and television host
• 1941 – Michael Moriarty, American actor
• 1941 – Dave Swarbrick, English musician (Fairport Convention, Whippersnapper, and Swarb's Lazarus)
• 1942 – Allan Clarke, British singer (The Hollies)
• 1942 – Peter Greenaway, Welsh director
• 1943 – Max Gail, American actor
• 1944 – Peter T. King, American politician
• 1944 – Pedro Rossello, Puerto Rican politician
• 1945 – Tommy Smith, English footballer
• 1946 – Jane Asher, English actress
• 1946 – Björn Granath, Swedish actor
• 1947 – Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Filipino politician, 14th President of the Philippines
• 1948 – Les Binks, British musician (Judas Priest, Lionheart, Tytan, and Axis Point)
• 1948 – Dave Holland, English musician (Judas Priest, Pinkerton's Assorted Colours, Finders Keepers, and Trapeze)
• 1949 – John Berg, American actor (d. 2007)
• 1949 – Judith Resnik, American astronaut (d. 1986)
• 1950 – Agnetha Fältskog, Swedish singer (ABBA)
• 1950 – Miki Manojlović, Serbian actor
• 1951 – Dean Kamen, American inventor and entrepreneur, inventor of the Segway
• 1951 – Gloria Diaz, Filipina actress and model, Miss Universe 1969
• 1951 – Bernie Ward, American radio personality
• 1952 – Mitch Pileggi, American actor
• 1954 – Stan Ridgway, American singer-songwriter and musician (Wall of Voodoo and Drywall)
• 1954 – Peter Case, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (The Nerves and The Plimsouls)
• 1955 – Janice Long, English broadcaster
• 1955 – Akira Toriyama, Japanese manga and game artist
• 1955 – Charlotte de Turckheim, French actress
• 1956 – Dwight Hicks, American football player and actor
• 1956 – Anthony Horowitz, English Author
• 1956 – Diamond Dallas Page, American wrestler, fitness instructor, and actor
• 1958 – Johan Kriek, South African-American tennis player
• 1958 – Lasantha Wickrematunge, Sri Lankan journalist (d. 2009)
• 1960 – Asteris Koutoulas, Greek-German music producer, filmmaker and author
• 1960 – Greg Mathis, American judge and writer
• 1961 – Jim LeRoy, American pilot (d. 2007)
• 1961 – Lisa Zane, American actress
• 1962 – Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, Kalmyk businessman and politician, First President of the Republic of Kalmykia
• 1962 – Lana Clarkson, American actress (d. 2003)
• 1962 – Gord Donnelly, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1964 – Steve Beaton, English darts player
• 1964 – Marius Lăcătuş, Romanian footballer
• 1964 – Princess Erika, French singer and actress
• 1964 – Christopher "Kid" Reid, American rapper and actor (Kid 'n Play)
• 1965 – Cris Carpenter, American baseball player
• 1966 – Mike McCready, American musician (Pearl Jam, Temple of the Dog, Mad Season, and The Rockfords)
• 1967 – Gary Gait, Canadian lacrosse player
• 1967 – Anu Garg, Indian-American author and speaker
• 1967 – Troy Gentry, American singer and musician (Montgomery Gentry)
• 1968 – Gianna Amore, American model and actress
• 1968 – Paula Cole, American singer-songwriter
• 1970 – Thea Gill, Canadian actress
• 1970 – Krishnan Guru-Murthy, British journalist
• 1970 – Miho Hatori, Japanese singer and songwriter (Cibo Matto, Smokey & Miho, and Butter 08)
• 1971 – Dong Abay, Filipino musician and singer-songwriter (Yano)
• 1972 – Krista Allen, American actress
• 1972 – Tom Coronel, Dutch race car driver
• 1972 – Pat Green, American singer and songwriter
• 1972 – Paul Okon, Australian footballer
• 1972 – Waylon Payne, American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor
• 1972 – Yasuhiro Takemoto, Japanese animator and director
• 1973 – Tony Banks, American football player
• 1973 – Élodie Bouchez, French actress
• 1973 – Pharrell, American rapper and music producer (N.E.R.D, The Neptunes, and All City Chess Club)
• 1974 – Sahaj, American musician and producer (Ra)
• 1974 – Uhm Tae Woong, South Korean actor
• 1975 – John Hartson, Welsh footballer
• 1975 – Juicy J, American rapper and record producer (Three 6 Mafia)
• 1975 – Shammond Williams, American basketball player
• 1976 – Kim Collins, Nevisian sprinter
• 1976 – Ryan Drese, American baseball player
• 1976 – Ross Gload, American baseball player
• 1976 – Simone Inzaghi, Italian footballer
• 1976 – Fernando Morientes, Spanish footballer
• 1977 – Chad Rogers, American realtor
• 1978 – Franziska van Almsick, German swimmer
• 1978 – Stephen Jackson, American basketball player
• 1979 – Timo Hildebrand, German footballer
• 1979 – Mitsuo Ogasawara, Japanese football player
• 1979 – Benji Radach, American mixed martial artist
• 1979 – Dante Wesley, American football player and agent
• 1980 – Erik Audé, American actor, stuntman, and poker player
• 1980 – Matt Bonner, American basketball player
• 1980 – David Chocarro, Argentine model, actor, and baseball player
• 1980 – Mary Katharine Ham, American journalist
• 1980 – Joris Mathijsen, Dutch footballer
• 1980 – Lee Jae Won, South Korean actor and singer (H.O.T and JTL)
• 1981 – Jorge de la Rosa, Mexican baseball player
• 1981 – Stefan Ludik, Namibian cricketer, actor, and singer
• 1981 – Michael A. Monsoor, American soldier (d. 2006)
• 1981 – Tom Riley, English actor
• 1982 – Hayley Atwell, English actress
• 1982 – Lacey Duvalle, American porn actress
• 1982 – Thomas Hitzlsperger, German footballer
• 1982 – Kelly Pavlik, American boxer
• 1982 – Matt Pickens, American footballer
• 1982 – Alexandre Prémat, French race car driver
• 1983 – Jorge Andrés Martínez, Uruguayan footballer
• 1984 – Marshall Allman, American actor
• 1984 – David Dillehunt, American director, producer, and composer
• 1984 – Maartje Goderie, Dutch field hockey player
• 1984 – Shin Min-a, South Korean model and actress
• 1984 – Ashlie Walker, British actress
• 1984 – Kisho Yano, Japanese footballer
• 1985 – Lastings Milledge, American baseball player
• 1986 – Anna Sophia Berglund, American model
• 1986 – Jenny Hendrix, American porn actress and model
• 1987 – Max Grün, German footballer
• 1987 – Josh Wood, British model, actor, and producer
• 1988 – Christopher Papamichalopoulos, Greek-Cypriot skier
• 1988 – Alex Valentini, Italian footballer
• 1990 – Haruma Miura, Japanese actor
• 1990 – Sophia Papamichalopoulou, Greek-Cypriot skier

Deaths[link]

• 582 – Eutychius, Patriarch of Constantinople (b. c. 512)
• 1168 – Robert de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Leicester (b. 1104)
• 1419 – Vincent Ferrer, Spanish missionary and saint (b. 1350)
• 1605 – Adam Loftus, English Protestant archbishop in Ireland (b. c. 1513)
• 1617 – Alonso Lobo, Spanish composer (b. 1555)
• 1673 – François Caron, French explorer (b. 1600)
• 1676 – John Winthrop, the Younger, American politician (b. 1606)
• 1693 – Anne, Duchess of Montpensier, French writer (b. 1627)
• 1695 – George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax, English writer (b. 1633)
• 1697 – Charles XI of Sweden (b. 1655)
• 1717 – Jean Jouvenet, French painter (b. 1647)
• 1735 – William Derham, English minister and writer (b. 1657)
• 1735 – Samuel Wesley, English poet (b. 1662)
• 1765 – Edward Young, English poet (b. 1683)
• 1794 – Georges Danton, French Revolutionary leader (b. 1759)
• 1794 – Camille Desmoulins, French journalist and politician (b. 1760)
• 1834 – Richard Goodwin Keats, English Royal Navy admiral (b. 1757)
• 1864 – Alaric Alexander Watts, English poet and journalist (b. 1797)
• 1900 – Joseph Louis François Bertrand, French mathematician (b. 1822)
• 1923 – George Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon, English financier (b. 1866)
• 1928 – Roy Kilner, English cricketer (b. 1890)
• 1932 – Phar Lap, Australian Racehorse (b. 1926)
• 1941 – Sir Nigel Gresley, English engineer (b. 1876)
• 1943 – Aleš Hrdlička, Czech anthropologist (b. 1869)
• 1945 – Karl Otto Koch, German SS-officer (b. 1897)
• 1945 – Huldreich Georg Früh, Swiss composer (b. 1903)
• 1946 – Vincent Youmans, American composer and producer (b. 1898)
• 1952 – Charles Collett, English engineer (b. 1871)
• 1964 – Douglas MacArthur, American general (b. 1880)
• 1967 – Hermann Joseph Muller, American geneticist, Nobel laureate (b. 1890)
• 1967 – Mischa Elman, Ukrainian violinist (b. 1891)
• 1969 – Ain-Ervin Mere, Estonian military officer (b. 1903)
• 1969 – Shelby Storck, American newscaster, actor, producer, and director (b. 1917)
• 1970 – Alfred Henry Sturtevant, American geneticist (b. 1891)
• 1972 – Brian Donlevy, American actor (b. 1901)
• 1972 – Isabel Jewell, American actress (b. 1907)
• 1973 – John Coleman, Australian footballer (b. 1928)
• 1974 – A. Y. Jackson, Canadian painter (b. 1882)
• 1975 – Chiang Kai-shek, Chinese political and military leader, 1st President of the Republic of China (b. 1887)
• 1976 – Howard Hughes, American aviator (b. 1905)
• 1976 – Wilder Penfield, Canadian surgeon (b. 1891)
• 1979 – Eugène Gabritschevsky, Russian biologist and artist (b. 1893)
• 1981 – Bob Hite, American singer (Canned Heat) (b. 1945)
• 1982 – Abe Fortas, American Supreme Court Justice (b. 1910)
• 1983 – Danny Rapp, American musician (Danny & the Juniors) (b. 1941)
• 1987 – Jan Lindblad, Swedish naturalist, writer, photographer (b. 1932)
• 1989 – María Cristina Gómez, Salvadoran Teacher (b. 1938)
• 1991 – John Tower, American politician (b. 1925)
• 1991 – Sonny Carter, American astronaut (b. 1947)
• 1992 – Sam Walton, American businessman and entrepreneur, founder of Walmart and Sam's Club (b. 1918)
• 1993 – Divya Bharti, Indian Bollywood actress (b. 1974)
• 1994 – Kurt Cobain, musician (Nirvana) (b. 1967)
• 1995 – Françoise Loranger, Canadian playwright and radio producer (b. 1913)
• 1997 – Allen Ginsberg, American poet (b. 1926)
• 1998 – Cozy Powell, English musician (b. 1947)
• 1999 – Paul David, French-Canadian cardiologist (b. 1919)
• 2000 – Lee Petty, American race car driver (b. 1914)
• 2001 – Brother Theodore, German comedian (b. 1906)
• 2002 – Layne Staley, American musician (Alice in Chains, Class of '99, Mad Season, and Alice N' Chains) (b. 1967)
• 2004 – Heiner Zieschang, German mathematician (b. 1936)
• 2004 – Sławomir Rawicz, Polish soldier (b. 1915)
• 2005 – Saul Bellow, Canadian writer, Nobel laureate (b. 1915)
• 2005 – Dale Messick, American comic artist (b. 1906)
• 2005 – Debralee Scott, American actress (b. 1953)
• 2005 – John Sichel, English director (b. 1937)
• 2006 – Gene Pitney, American singer (b. 1941)
• 2007 – Mark St. John, American musician (Kiss and White Tiger) (b. 1956)
• 2007 – Darryl Stingley, American football player (b. 1951)
• 2007 – Maria Gripe, Swedish writer (b. 1923)
• 2007 – Leela Majumdar, Bengali writer (b. 1908)
• 2007 – Poornachandra Tejaswi, Kannada writer (b. 1938)
• 2008 – Charlton Heston, American actor (b. 1923)
• 2009 – Constantine Papadakis, Greek-American businessman and president of Drexel University (b. 1946)
• 2012 – Jim Marshall, English businessman, founder of Marshall Amplification (b. 1923)
• 2012 – Barney McKenna, Irish musician (The Dubliners) (b. 1939)

Holidays and observances[link]

• Christian Feast Day:
  • Albert of Montecorvino
  • Ethelburga of Lyminge
  • Derfel Gadarn
  • Gerald of Sauve-Majeure
  • Juliana of Liège
  • Maria Crescentia Höss
  • Ruadán of Lorrha
  • Vincent Ferrer
  • April 5 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
• Cold Food Festival, held on April 4 if it is a Leap Year (China); and its related observances:
  • Hansik and Arbor Day (South Korea)

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: April 5

• BBC: On This Day
• The New York Times: On This Day
• On This Day in Canada

Layne Staley
Staley playing with Alice in Chains in Boston in 1992
Background information
Birth name	Layne Thomas Staley
Born	(1967-08-22)August 22, 1967 Kirkland, Washington, U.S.
Died	April 5, 2002(2002-04-05) (aged 34) Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Genres	Alternative metal, grunge, heavy metal, hard rock,[1] alternative rock, blues rock, speed metal, glam rock
Occupations	Musician, singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, drums
Years active	1979–2002
Labels	Columbia
Associated acts	Sleze, Alice N' Chains, Alice in Chains, Mad Season, Second Coming, Class of '99, Tool
Website	www.layne-staley.com

Layne Thomas Staley (August 22, 1967 – April 5, 2002)^[2] was an American musician who served as the lead singer and co-lyricist of the rock band Alice in Chains, which was formed in Seattle, Washington in 1987 by Staley and guitarist Jerry Cantrell. Alice in Chains rose to international fame as part of the grunge movement of the early 1990s. The band became known for his distinct vocal style, as well as the harmonized vocals between him and Cantrell.^[3] Staley was also a member of the supergroups Mad Season and Class of '99. He struggled throughout his career with severe drug addiction, culminating with his death in April 2002.

Biography[link]

Early life[link]

Layne Staley was born to Phil Staley and Nancy Staley (née McCallum) in Kirkland, Washington.^[4] He was seven years old when his parents divorced, after which he was raised by his mother and stepfather, Jim Elmer. He was raised Catholic. He took his stepfather's name while enrolled in Meadowdale High School^[5] and was known for some time as Layne Elmer.^[6] In early 2002, shortly before his death, he would describe the experience of witnessing his parents' divorce: "My world became a nightmare, there were just shadows around me. I got a call saying that my dad had died, but my family always knew he was around doing all kinds of drugs. Since that call I always was wondering, 'Where is my dad?' I felt so sad for him and I missed him. He dropped out of my life for 15 years."^[7] In that same interview he hinted that his parents' break-up and his father's drug use were at least partially responsible for his own drug problems, and also said that he was convinced that if he became a celebrity his dad would return.

Staley began playing drums at age 12; he played in several glam bands in his early teens, but by this point, Staley had aspirations of becoming a singer.^[8] In 1984, Staley joined a group of Shorewood High^{[disambiguation needed ]} students in a band called Sleze,^[9] which also featured future members of The Dehumanizers and Second Coming. In 1986, Sleze morphed into Alice N' Chains, a band which Staley said "dressed in drag and played speed metal."^[10] The new band performed around the Seattle area playing Slayer and Armored Saint covers. Staley met guitarist Jerry Cantrell while working at Music Bank rehearsal studios, and the two fast friends lived as roommates for over a year in the dilapidated rehearsal space they shared.^[11] Alice N' Chains soon disbanded and Staley joined a funk band who at the time also required a guitarist. He asked Cantrell to join as a sideman. Cantrell agreed on condition that Staley join Cantrell's band, which at the time included drummer Sean Kinney and bassist Mike Starr. In 1986, Staley met Seattle underground guitarist Tim Barnes at a local Seattle bar. Barnes would later be offered a position in Alice in Chains but declined. Eventually the funk project broke up and in 1987 Staley joined Cantrell on a full-time basis. The band eventually took the name of Alice in Chains.^[10][12]

Alice in Chains and Mad Season[link]

Staley on stage in 1992

Alice in Chains released their debut album Facelift on August 21, 1990. The second single, "Man in the Box", with lyrics written by Staley, became a huge hit. "Man in the Box" is widely recognized for its distinctive "wordless opening melody, where Layne Staley's peculiar, tensed-throat vocals are matched in unison with an effects-laden guitar" followed by "portentous lines like: 'Jesus Christ/Deny your maker' and 'He who tries/Will be wasted' with Cantrell's drier, and less-urgent voice."^[14] Facelift has since been certified double platinum by the RIAA for sales of two million copies in the United States. The band toured in support of the album for two years before releasing the acoustic EP Sap in early 1992. In September 1992, Alice in Chains released Dirt. The critically acclaimed album, also the band's most successful, debuted at number six on the Billboard 200, and was certified quadruple platinum.^[15][16] During the Dirt tour (in 1992), Layne saved Mike's life after he had overdosed.^[17] The band did not tour in support of Dirt for very long, because of Staley's drug addiction.^[18] While touring, Starr left the band for personal reasons and was replaced by Mike Inez.^[19]

Although Cantrell wrote almost all of the music for Alice in Chains (sometimes co-writing along with the bassist and drummer), and the lyrics, Staley wrote more and more lyrics as time went on, eventually receiving credit for about half the lyrics from their entire catalog prior to the release of Black Gives Way to Blue in 2009. He also wrote the music, as well as the lyrics, to "Hate to Feel", "Angry Chair" and "Head Creeps", and melodies to other songs. Staley's lyrics are largely viewed as having often dealt with his personal troubles, such as drug use and depression.^[8]

1994 saw the release of Alice in Chains' second acoustic EP, Jar of Flies. It debuted at number one, making it the first Alice in Chains release—and the first-ever EP—to do so.^[16] The other members of Alice in Chains, seeing Staley's deteriorating condition, opted not to tour in support of Jar of Flies.^[8] Following its release, Staley entered a rehabilitation clinic and began to work on a side project with several Seattle musicians, including Mike McCready of Pearl Jam and Barrett Martin of Screaming Trees. The band worked on material for several months and eventually scheduled a show at the Crocodile Cafe under the name The Gacy Bunch.^[20] Within a few weeks, the band changed its name to Mad Season. In January 1995, Mad Season performed two songs on Pearl Jam's Self-Pollution satellite radio broadcast, "Lifeless Dead" and "I Don't Know Anything".^[21] The band completed an album, titled Above, which was released in March 1995. The first single, "River of Deceit", became a modest success on alternative radio, and "I Don't Know Anything" still receives occasional airplay. A live performance filmed at the Moore Theatre in Seattle was released in August 1995 as a home video, Live at the Moore.

During Alice in Chains' hiatus, reports of Staley's addiction began to gain widespread circulation in fan and media communities, in part from changes to his physical condition brought on by prolonged heroin abuse. He struggled tremendously. Referencing Staley's guest-singing appearance with Tool on the song "Opiate", the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported, "At KISW-FM's 'Rockstock' concert at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds in Bremerton in May 1994—just a month after the death of Kurt Cobain—Staley made a surprise appearance. He looked sickly and wore a wool ski mask to hide his face."^[22] Some of the more persistent and unsubstantiated rumors, ranging from gangrene to missing fingers,^[23] surfaced during this period. Mark Arm of Mudhoney is quoted as saying: "I remember seeing him in '95… he turned up and was totally green, and my stomach turned at that point—watching somebody on a track that they couldn't get off."^[24]

Alice in Chains regrouped to record Alice in Chains, sometimes referred to as "Tripod", which was released late in 1995. The self–titled album debuted at the top of the U.S. charts, and has since been awarded—along with Facelift and Jar of Flies—double platinum status.^[15] With the exceptions of "Grind", "Heaven Beside You", and "Over Now", the lyrics are all written by Staley, making this album his greatest lyrical contribution to the band's catalogue. To accompany the album, the band released a home video, The Nona Tapes, in which they poked fun at the rumors of Staley's addiction, but the band lapsed again, failing to complete tours planned in support of the album. When asked about the frustration of not touring to support the record, Cantrell provided some insight into how Staley's addictions led to repercussive tensions within the band: "Very frustrating, but we stuck it out. We rode the good times together, and we stuck together through the hard times. We never stabbed each other in the back and spilled our guts and do that kind of bullshit that you see happen a lot."^[25]

One of Staley's last shows with the band was their 1996 MTV Unplugged performance. He made his last performance on July 3, 1996, in Kansas City, Missouri, while Alice in Chains were touring with Kiss after their Unplugged appearance.^[8] In October 1996, Staley's ex-fiancée, Demri Lara Parrott, died from secondary complications caused by drug use (bacterial endocarditis). This caused Staley to sink further into depression.^[26] "Drugs worked for me for years," Staley told Rolling Stone in 1996, "and now they're turning against me, now I'm walking through hell."^[27]

Final years: 1997–2002[link]

Staley remained out of the spotlight until February 26, 1997, when he and the other members of Alice in Chains attended the Grammy Awards after "Again" (from the self-titled album) was nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance.^[28] In September 1998, Staley re-emerged to help record two tracks ("Get Born Again" and "Died") with Alice in Chains, which were released on the Music Bank box set in 1999. Additional reports of Staley's deteriorating condition persisted in the midst of the sessions. Dirt producer Dave Jerden—who was originally chosen by the band for the production—said, "Staley weighed 80 pounds…and was white as a ghost." Cantrell refused to comment on the singer's appearance, simply replying "I'd rather not comment on that…", and band manager Susan Silver said she hadn't seen the singer since "last year".^[27] Staley made his final public appearance on October 31, 1998, when he attended a Jerry Cantrell solo show. However, he declined Jerry's request to sing with him on stage. A photo taken of Layne backstage at this show is the most recent photo of Layne that has been publicly released.^[29] Thereafter, Staley was thought to have left behind his "self-imposed rock & roll exile"^[30] when in November 1998 he laid down additional vocal tracks as part of a supergroup called Class of '99, featuring members of Rage Against the Machine, Jane's Addiction, and Porno for Pyros. The group recorded parts one and two of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall" for the soundtrack to Robert Rodriguez's 1998 horror/sci-fi film, The Faculty, with a music video filmed for part two. While the other members of the band were filmed specifically for the video, Staley's appearance consisted of footage pulled from Mad Season's 1995 Live at the Moore video. On July 19, 1999, syndicated radio program Rockline was hosting Cantrell, Inez, and (via telephone) Kinney for a discussion on the release of Nothing Safe: Best of the Box, when, unexpectedly, Staley called in to participate in the discussion.^[31]

Charles R. Cross would later say that they had Staley's obituary on stand-by at The Rocket in the late 1990s.^[8] Upon the retirement of Alice in Chains' manager, Susan Silver, in 1998, The Rocket published an article asking the question "But who's to wipe and clean Alice in Chains now?", supposedly a jab at the rumors of Staley's addiction.^[8] Joe Ehrbar, the editor of The Rocket at that time, said, "A few days later, we received a package containing a jar of piss and a bag of shit, with a note attached saying, 'Wipe and change this, motherfuckers!' It had to be from Layne. What a classic response.'"^[8]

From 1999 to 2002, Staley became more reclusive, rarely leaving his Seattle condo; little is known about the details of his life during this period. It was rumored that Staley would spend most of his days creating art, playing video games, or nodding off on drugs. Staley's mother owns the last known photo of Staley, taken on February 14, 2002, which features him holding his newborn nephew, Oscar,^[32] although the photo has never been published. Other than this rare incident, Staley was not seen often by family or friends. In his last interview, Staley stated, "Don't try to contact any AIC (Alice in Chains) members. They are not my friends."^[33] Kinney has commented on Staley's final years and isolation period:

"I kept trying to make contact...Three times a week, like clockwork, I'd call him, but he'd never answer. Every time I was in the area, I was up in front of his place yelling for him...Even if you could get in his building, he wasn't going to open the door. You'd phone and he wouldn't answer. You couldn't just kick the door in and grab him, though there were so many times I thought about doing that. But if someone won't help themselves, what, really, can anyone else do?"^[8]

In his last interview, given in early 2002 months before his death, Staley admitted, "I know I'm near death, I did crack and heroin for years. I never wanted to end my life this way."^[33] Staley's physical appearance had become even worse than before: he had lost several teeth, his skin was sickly pale, and he was severely emaciated.^[33] In the same interview Staley spoke of the damage caused by his heroin addiction:

"I'm not using drugs to get high like many people think. I know I made a big mistake when I started using this shit. It's a very difficult thing to explain. My liver is not functioning, and I'm throwing up all the time and shitting my pants. The pain is more than you can handle. It's the worst pain in the world. Dope sick hurts the entire body."^[33]

As far as published reports are concerned, such as Blender's "We Left Him Alone", close friends such as Matt Fox have said, "If no one heard from him for weeks, it wasn’t unusual." Further in the article, reporter Pat Kearney provides a glimpse into Staley's daily life and public routine:

"It appears that Staley’s last few weeks were typically empty. According to an employee of the Rainbow, a neighborhood bar close to Staley’s condo, the singer was a frequent patron, stopping by at least once a week. 'He minded his own business,' said the employee, who wished to remain anonymous. Staley would never buy anything to drink, the employee said, but would simply sit at a small table in the back corner of the bar and 'nod off. We just left him alone'."^[34]

Staley's close friend Mark Lanegan had much of the same to say with respect to Staley's isolation: "He didn't speak to anybody as of late… It's been a few months since I talked to him. But for us to not talk for a few months is par for the course."^[35]

Death[link]

On April 19, 2002, Staley's accountants contacted Staley's mother Nancy McCallum and informed her that no money had been withdrawn from the singer's bank account in two weeks. McCallum then placed a call with 911 to say "she hadn't heard from… [Staley] in about two weeks."^[36] The police went with McCallum and her husband to Staley's home, "When police kicked in the door to Layne Staley's University District apartment on April 19, there, on a couch, lit by a flickering TV, next to several spray-paint cans on the floor, not far from a small stash of cocaine, near two crack pipes on the coffee table, reposed the remains of the rock musician." The article also stated that the 6'1" Staley weighed just 86 pounds when his body was discovered,^[37] mostly due to decomposition as his body was discovered two weeks after his death. The autopsy report later concluded that Staley had died after injecting a mixture of heroin and cocaine known as a "speedball".^[8] Staley's mother asked the police if she could move the things off of the couch and speak to the remains of Staley.

In an interview on VH1's Celebrity Rehab with McCallum, former Alice in Chains bass player Mike Starr said that he spent time with Staley the day before he died as Starr's birthday was April 4. Starr claimed that Staley was very sick but would not call 911. The two ex-bandmates briefly argued, which ended with Starr storming out. Starr stated that Staley called after him as he left: "Not like this, don't leave like this". Since Staley is believed to have died a day later, on April 5, Starr expressed regret that he did not call 911 to save his friend's life; Starr reported that Staley had threatened to sever their friendship if he did. Starr was the last known person to see Staley alive. The interview ended with Starr apologizing to McCallum for not calling 911, but McCallum was insistent that neither she nor anyone in her family blamed Starr for Staley's death. She also told Starr: "Layne would forgive you. He'd say, 'Hey, I did this. Not you.'" With that said, Starr still blamed himself for the death of Staley.^[39] Mike kept this story a secret to himself until this appearance on Celebrity Rehab in August 2009. During this same interview, McCallum also claimed that Layne had attempted rehab 13 times, although it's not clear whether any of these attempts were during his reclusive years.

Aftermath[link]

An informal memorial was held for Staley on the night of April 20 at the Seattle Center which was attended by at least 1000 fans and friends, including Cantrell, Starr, Inez, Kinney and Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell.^[40] Cantrell dedicated his 2002 solo album, Degradation Trip, released two months after Staley's death, to his memory.^[41] Following Staley's death, Alice in Chains officially disbanded. For the next several years, the band refused to perform together out of respect for Staley. In 2005, the remaining members reunited for a benefit concert for victims of the December 26, 2004 tsunami, with several vocalists filling in for Staley, including Patrick Lachman from Damageplan, Phil Anselmo of Pantera and Down fame, Wes Scantlin from Puddle of Mudd, Maynard James Keenan from Tool (a friend of Staley's), and Ann Wilson from Heart, who had previously worked with Alice in Chains when she sang on the Sap EP (performing backing vocals on the songs "Brother" and "Am I Inside").^[42] Following positive response, the band decided to reunite formally in 2006.

In an interview with MTV News, Kinney noted that the band would use the reunion concerts to pay tribute to the songs and to Staley.^[43] William DuVall, a member of Cantrell's solo touring band (who often sang Staley's parts on the Alice in Chains songs that Cantrell performed), was announced to sing Staley's part for the reunion shows. In the same interview, Kinney noted the reunion didn't necessarily foretell a future for Alice in Chains:

William DuVall has expressed similar sentiments while reflecting on the task of filling in for Staley:

The reformed Alice in Chains (with DuVall), which are known to have an intermission to include a five-minute filmed tribute in between sets to Staley,^[45] generated enough enthusiasm from fans, including Staley's mother according to DuVall,^[46] to convince the band to keep the name. In 2009, Alice in Chains released their first studio album in 14 years, Black Gives Way to Blue. The title track off that album was written as a tribute to Staley.^[47]

Legacy[link]

Cold's song "The Day Seattle Died" (from the 2003 album, Year of the Spider) was an ode to Staley, as well as Kurt Cobain, who were both figureheads of the grunge movement. In addition, Staind featured a song called "Layne" in memory to the singer on the 2003 album, 14 Shades of Grey. Eddie Vedder, lead singer of Pearl Jam, also recorded a song eulogizing Staley, titled "4/20/02" (the day Vedder heard the news and subsequently wrote the song).^[49] The song featured only Vedder singing and playing the guitar in a ukulele-inspired tuning, and was released as a hidden track on Pearl Jam's 2003 B-sides and rarities album, Lost Dogs, roughly four minutes and twenty seconds after the conclusion of the final listed song, "Bee Girl".

Adema opted to pay tribute to Staley with their rendition of Alice In Chain's "Nutshell" on the Insomniac's Dream EP, released late 2002. Zakk Wylde also wrote a song about Staley called "Layne" on Black Label Society's 2004 album, Hangover Music Vol. VI.^[50] A further tribute entitled "Layne to Rest" was recorded by former Babes in Toyland frontwoman Kat Bjelland with her band Katastrophy Wife for the 2004 album All Kneel. Tyler Connolly of Theory of a Deadman stated that their song "Shadow" (an outtake from the 2008 album, Scars & Souvenirs) was written about Staley.

Staley's influence has likewise been felt in other media. Two books have been written about him, both authored by Adriana Rubio—Layne Staley: Angry Chair and the more recent, Layne Staley: Get Born Again, which was described as "a 'brand new book' that has been revised and updated with the inclusion of two new chapters: 'Hate to Feel' and 'Get Born Again' as a revival of the acclaimed Angry Chair book."^[51] On September 28, 2006, Blabbermouth.net reported on a movie project related to Rubio's most recent book on Staley: "According to a press release from ARTS Publications, Argentinean journalist/author Adriana Rubio has been contacted by writer/director Eric Moyer from Philadelphia about turning her biography of Staley, titled Layne Staley: Get Born Again, into a movie."^[52] Music Historian Maxim W. Furek released the comprehensive The Death Proclamation of Generation X: A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy of Goth, Grunge and Heroin, i-Universe. ISBN 978-0-595-46319-0, that revisited the tragic deaths of numerous grunge artists.

Staley ranked #27 on Hit Parader magazine's list of "Heavy Metal's All-Time Top 100 Vocalists" (published in the November 2006 issue).^[53] Staley was an inspiration for the title of Metallica's 2008 album, Death Magnetic. Lead guitarist Kirk Hammett brought a photograph of Staley to the studio where Metallica was recording. "That picture was there for a long time," said Hammett, "I think it pervaded James' psyche." Metallica recorded a song in tribute to Layne, titled ˝Rebel of Babylon˝.^[54]

On the ninth anniversary of Staley's death in 2011, Revolver published some outtakes from an interview with Mike Inez, who had this to say:

On September 6, 2011, Hank Williams III released his Attention Deficit Domination album and dedicated it to Staley.^{[citation needed]}

On the tenth anniversary of Staley's death in 2012, The Atlantic published an article written by David de Sola, who began:

Layne Staley Fund[link]

In 2002, Staley's mother, Nancy McCallum, and Jamie Richards, a drug and alcohol counselor, formed Layne Staley Fund, a non-profit organization that raised funds for drug treatment and worked with the Seattle music community. Layne Staley Fund, the non-profit dissolved in October 2010. However, funds that were raised over the years are held in a memorial fund (Layne Staley Memorial Fund) at Therapeutic Health Services, a drug and alcohol treatment center with several locations in the greater Seattle area. The main mission of LSF was to provide hope and support for those who suffer from addiction and to assist others with resources for recovery and treatment. The main fundraiser for Layne Staley Fund was a yearly tribute and benefit concert that was typically held in August, on or around Staley's birthday.^[56] Over the years, these tributes have featured several friends of Staley, including his former Alice N' Chains bandmates Nick Pollock and Johnny Bacolas. The latest benefit concert was held August 21, 2010, the day before Staley's birthday, and it featured the reunion of My Sister's Machine, Shawn Smith and All Hail The Crown, Villains Of Yesterday and Gunn & The Damage Done.On August 21, 2011, which would have been, again, the day before Layne's 44th birthday, fans gathered to create a fan-based memorial for both Layne and Mike Starr.

Discography[link]

Alice in Chains[link]

Other appearances[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Layne Staley

• Official website
• www.aliceinchains.com
• Layne Staley Fund - A non-profit organization that raises money for drug treatment and works with the Seattle music community.
• Layne Staley at Allmusic
• Layne Staley at the Internet Movie Database
• Archive Seattle Police incident report at The Smoking Gun
• Layne Staley at Find a Grave

Wiz Khalifa
Wiz Khalifa in Brooklyn, New York in August 2009.
Background information
Birth name	Cameron Jibril Thomaz
Born	(1987-09-08) September 8, 1987 (age 24) Minot, North Dakota, United States
Genres	Hip hop
Occupations	Rapper, singer, songwriter, actor
Years active	2005–present
Labels	Rostrum, Taylor Gang, Warner Bros., Atlantic
Associated acts	Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, Curren$y, Big Sean, Chevy Woods, Mac Miller, Juicy J, Tinie Tempah, Yelawolf, Maroon 5, Big K.R.I.T.
Website	wizkhalifa.com

Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by the stage name Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper. He released his debut album, Show and Prove, in 2006, and signed to Warner Bros. Records in 2007. His Eurodance-influenced single, "Say Yeah", received urban radio airplay, charting on the Rhythmic Top 40 and Hot Rap Tracks charts in 2008.^[1] Khalifa parted with Warner Bros. and released his second album, Deal or No Deal, in November 2009. He released the mixtape Kush and Orange Juice as a free download in April 2010; he then signed with Atlantic Records.^[2] He is also well known for his debut single for Atlantic, "Black and Yellow", which peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. His debut album for the label, Rolling Papers, was released on March 29, 2011.^[3]

Early life[link]

Khalifa was born on September 8, 1987 to a mother and a father serving in the military.^[1][4] His parents divorced when Khalifa was about three years old. His parents' military service caused him to move regularly: Khalifa lived in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Japan before settling in Pittsburgh where he attended Taylor Allderdice High School.^[1][4]

His stage name is derived from khalifa, an Arabic word meaning "successor", and wisdom, which was shortened to Wiz when Khalifa was a young boy .^[5] Khalifa stated to spinner.com that the name also came from being called "young Wiz 'cause I was good at everything I did, and my granddad is Muslim, so he gave me that name; he felt like that's what I was doing with my music." He got his stage name tattooed on his 17th birthday.^[6][7] He includes Jimi Hendrix, Camp Lo, The Notorious B.I.G. and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony among his influences.^[8]

Career[link]

[edit] 2005–08: Early mixtapes and Show and Prove

Rostrum Records president Benjy Grinberg first heard about Wiz Khalifa in 2004 when the rapper's contribution to a mixtape of various new Pittsburgh artists attracted his interest.^[9] When Grinberg finally met the 16-year-old artist, he immediately decided he wanted to work with him, later telling HitQuarters: "Even though he wasn’t all the way developed you could just tell that he was a diamond in the rough, and that with some polishing, guidance and backing he could become something special."^[9] Khalifa signed to the label shortly after and began a seven year period of artist development.^[9]

Khalifa released his first mixtape, Prince of the City: Welcome to Pistolvania, in 2005. The mixtape paved the way for his first full length album entitled Show and Prove in 2006. Khalifa was declared an "artist to watch" that year in Rolling Stone magazine.^[10][11]

In 2007, Khalifa signed to Warner Bros. Records and released two mixtapes through Rostrum Records: Grow Season, hosted by DJ Green Lantern and released on July 4, 2007, and Prince of the City 2, released on November 20, 2007. His debut Warner Bros. single "Say Yeah" reached number 25 on the Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 music chart and number 20 on Billboard's Hot Rap Tracks. The song samples "Better Off Alone" by Alice Deejay. Khalifa's vocals from "Say Yeah" appear near the end of Pittsburgh mash up producer Girl Talk's 2008 album, Feed the Animals, over music from Underworld's "Born Slippy", Usher's "Love in This Club", and the Cure's "In Between Days".^[12] Khalifa appeared with The Game, David Banner and Play-n-Skillz at U92's Summer Jam at the USANA Amphitheatre in West Valley City, Utah on August 2, 2008.^[13] Khalifa released the mixtapes Star Power in September 2008, and Flight School in April 2009 on Rostrum Records.

Khalifa parted ways with Warner Bros. Records in July 2009 after numerous delays in releasing his planned debut album for the label, First Flight. Khalifa stated to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that, "I learned a lot during my time there and matured as an artist during the process. I'm happy to be moving on with all of my material and having the chance to be in control of my next moves".^[14] Khalifa appeared with Girl Talk, Modey Lemon, Donora, Grand Buffet, and Don Caballero at the Amphitheatre at Station Square in Pittsburgh on July 31, 2009, where he announced that his relationship with Warner Bros. was over.^[15]

Wiz Khalifa performing at Columbia University in New York City in April 2010.

[edit] 2009–10: Deal or No Deal

Continuing his association with Rostrum Records, Khalifa released the single "Teach U to Fly", and the mixtape How Fly, a collaboration with New Orleans rapper Curren$y, on August 9, 2009.^[14] Khalifa introduced a more melodic style on the mixtape, alternating between singing and rapping. He opened for Wu-Tang Clan member U-God at the 2009 CMJ Music Marathon in New York City.^[16] Khalifa released the mixtape Burn After Rolling on November 2, 2009, where he raps over familiar beats from other artists, including the songs "If I Were A Boy" and "Diva" by Beyoncé, "Walking on a Dream" by Empire of the Sun, "Luchini AKA This Is It" by Camp Lo, and "Best I Ever Had" by Drake.^[17] Khalifa released his second album, Deal or No Deal, on November 24, 2009.^[18]

Khalifa performed at Emo's in Austin, Texas in March 2010 as part of the 2010 South by Southwest Music Festival.^[19] He appeared on the cover of XXL magazine that same month, for the magazine's annual list of Top 10 Freshman, which included Donnis, J. Cole, Pill, Freddie Gibbs, and Fashawn. Wiz Khalifa was named 2010 "Rookie Of The Year" by "The Source", with alongside Rick Ross, "The Man Of The Year".^[20] He toured with rapper Yelawolf on a 20-date tour, the Deal Or No Deal Tour.^[21] Khalifa released the free mixtape Kush and Orange Juice for download on April 14, 2010. Due to Khalifa's devoted grassroots fan base, the mixtape became the No. 1 trending topic on Twitter with the hash tag #kushandorangejuice, and "Kush and Orange Juice download” ranked No. 1 on Google’s hot search trends.^[22]

2010: Signing with Atlantic Records[link]

Citing music industry insiders, New York magazine wrote that Khalifa signed with Atlantic Records in April 2010, although the rapper did not confirm it.^[23] He stated to AllHipHop in June 2010 that he was working on a new album, but was weighing his options and had not yet decided on a label to distribute it.^[24] Khalifa confirmed to MTV on July 30 that he was signing an Atlantic Records deal.^[25]

Wiz Khalifa on stage in Boston in August 2010.

Khalifa was featured in a remix and video for the 2010 Rick Ross single "Super High", alongside Curren$y.^[26] He guested on the mixtape Grey Goose, Head Phones, and Thirsty Women by St. Louis rapper M.C,^[27] and was featured on the track "The Breeze (Cool)" on rapper Wale's August 2010 mixtape More About Nothing.^[28] Khalifa was named MTV's Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010, winning with nearly 70,000 votes, and beating out finalists Nicki Minaj, J. Cole, Travis Porter, and Diggy Simmons.^[29]

Khalifa appeared at the Soundset 2010 festival in May 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, alongside Method Man & Redman, Del the Funky Homosapien and Hieroglyphics, Atmosphere, Murs, Cage, and others.^[30] He also performed at the 2010 Rock the Bells festival, along with hip hop veterans Wu-Tang Clan, Snoop Dogg, Lauryn Hill, A Tribe Called Quest, Rakim, KRS-One, Jedi Mind Tricks and Slick Rick.^[31] Khalifa declined an invitation to tour with rapper Drake and launched his own "Waken Baken" tour, a 50-city national tour with rapper Yelawolf. The tour, scheduled to last from September to November 2010, has, as of October, sold out every venue.^[8] On November 2010, during his "Waken Baken" tour at East Carolina University, Wiz Khalifa was arrested for possession and trafficking of marijuana. He was then released the next morning after a $300K bail, and resumed his tour. Khalifa performed in a cypher during the 2010 BET Hip-Hop Awards. He recited his verse from the song, "The Check Point", from his mixtape with Curren$y, How Fly.^[32]

[edit] 2010–11: Mainstream success and Rolling Papers

Wiz Khalifa at SXSW in 2010

Khalifa released "Black and Yellow", his first single for Rostrum/Atlantic, produced by Stargate, which has received radio airplay.^[8][33] The single was peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100; the title of the song refers to the colours of the City of Pittsburgh.^[34] Khalifa released his debut album with Atlantic Records in 2011.^[35] He appeared with Curren$y on the track "Scaling the Building" on producer Ski Beatz' 2010 album, 24 Hour Karate School.^[36] Khalifa's record label is Taylor Gang Records, named after his love of Chuck Taylor All-Stars^[8], and Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh, PA, where he graduated from.