Rapper Wiz Khalifa is grieving the loss of his father, Laurence W. Thomaz, who passed away at the age of 63. On Friday, February 13, the 38-year-old artist took to social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, to share a deeply emotional tribute to his late father.

Wiz Khalifa, whose birth name is Cameron Jibril Thomaz, revealed the news on X, writing, "Today my father decided not to wake up." He expressed profound love and gratitude for his father, stating, "I will always love him, miss him and be [grateful] for the things he taught me. He went out like a true yogi, at peace and on his own time. I love you forever Laurence W. Thomaz."

The "Black and Yellow" rapper also reflected on the impact his father had, sharing, "My father’s passing was sudden but seeing how many people love and respected him makes happy and i know he’s proud that he left a positive impact on this earth. Literally all he ever wanted." He also shared several throwback photos on his Instagram Story, including a childhood picture of his father helping him on a swing, captioned, "Love you big guy." Another image featured a young Wiz with his father and his late sibling, Dorien “Lala” Thomaz, who passed away in 2017. Wiz fondly referred to his father as "smooth" in one caption and noted, "You and La La are together again," alongside a praying hands emoji, signifying a reunion.

Wiz Khalifa was known to have a close bond with his father, a former military member, who played a crucial role in shaping his future career. Wiz previously recounted to NME in 2016 that his father opened a recording studio in their hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, during Wiz's childhood. This early exposure was instrumental, with Wiz stating, "I lived in that studio. And that’s what turned me into who I am today."

The rapper also shared a poignant detail about their last conversation, which was his father expressing immense pride in a movie Wiz had been in. Wiz promised his father he would pursue more acting roles. His most notable acting credit to date is his co-starring role as Devin Overstreet alongside Snoop Dogg in the 2012 stoner comedy "Mac & Devin Go to High School." The soundtrack for the film featured the hit song "Young, Wild & Free," which included Bruno Mars and peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Finally, Wiz Khalifa extended his thanks to everyone who shared their condolences during this difficult period, stating, "It really means a lot in this tough time and is helping me feel better."