Romanian Court Overturns Wiz Khalifa’s Nine-Month Prison Sentence in Cannabis Case
Rapper Wiz Khalifa has secured a major legal victory after a Romanian appellate court overturned his nine-month prison sentence connected to a 2024 festival performance. The ruling nullified an enforcement warrant, but prosecutors' appeal will be reconsidered at a scheduled hearing on November 12.
Pittsburgh rap artist Wiz Khalifa has gained significant relief in his international legal battle after an appellate court in Romania voided a nine-month prison term previously handed down against him. According to reporting by HipHopWired, which cited Romanian news agency Agerpres and coverage from HotNewHipHop, the Bucharest Court of Appeal ruled in favor of a legal challenge brought by the artist's defense team. The court overturned a December 2025 decision from the Constanța Court of Appeal that had sentenced the performer to incarceration, while also canceling the corresponding enforcement warrant.
While the ruling lifts the immediate threat of imprisonment, the broader matter is not fully closed. HipHopWired noted that the court did not issue an acquittal. Romania’s organized crime and terrorism prosecution agency, known as DIICOT, continues to pursue its appeal against the rapper. The Bucharest court determined that prosecutors' appeal will be reconsidered on November 12, with judicial officials directing that arrangements be established for Khalifa to take part via videoconference.
The legal dispute dates back to July 2024, when Khalifa took the stage at the Beach, Please! music festival situated in Costinești, a coastal resort town on the Black Sea. Local authorities alleged that the musician had more than 18 grams of cannabis in his possession and consumed an additional amount during his live set using a handmade cigarette. Law enforcement briefly detained Khalifa before releasing him, prompting a formal prosecution for personal cannabis possession under Romanian statutes.
Shortly following that initial detention, Khalifa addressed fans and the public on the social media platform X. He extended an apology for smoking during his set, writing, "I didn’t mean any disrespect to the country of Romania by lighting up on stage." In that message, he indicated that law enforcement officers had treated him with respect prior to his release.
The case has since traversed a winding judicial trajectory. In April 2025, the court matter initially resulted in a criminal fine totaling 3,600 Romanian lei. State prosecutors, dissatisfied with the financial sanction alone, appealed the ruling to pursue harsher penalties. In December 2025, the Constanța Court of Appeal escalated the punishment to a nine-month prison term. An effort to annul that ruling was subsequently turned down in February 2026, setting the stage for the Bucharest court's recent reversal.
The circumstances surrounding the rapper reflect broader patterns faced by prominent American entertainers and athletes navigating foreign drug laws, including past overseas legal ordeals involving figures such as WNBA star Brittney Griner and recording artist A$AP Rocky. For Khalifa, the immediate focus remains on the upcoming November 12 session, where his remote participation will mark the next step in determining the final resolution of the case.