The classic song Wiz Khalifa played as his son was being born
Wiz Khalifa has spoken publicly of his love for The Police and their classic track ‘Every Breath You Take,’ admitting that it is more than capable of making him cry. But it turns out his enthusiasm for the song has led him to undertake some eccentric acts.
Wiz has two kids today, his first arriving in 2013 with his second following in 2024. His first child, a boy, was born to the model Amber Rose, whom Wiz married the same year the baby arrived. They filed for divorce a year later, and they share custody of their son today.
During an appearance on Pitchfork’s Over/Under interview series in 2014, Wiz reflected on the day his son was born — and he revealed something curious about how the day played out. As Rose was going through labour, experiencing all the agony that comes with it, Wiz decided that was a good time to put on one of his favourite songs. He played ‘Every Breath You Take.’
It’s a surprising choice on its own terms. One might have expected someone like Wiz to play a hip-hop song to welcome his kid into the world, but, clearly, he wanted something else to soundtrack the moment. But going for this song in particular was an especially odd move, considering its content.
There’s a vaguely romantic feel to ‘Every Breath You Take,’ musically speaking, but lyrically it’s harrowing. It’s written from the point of an obsessive lover watching over his desired one’s every move. “I’ll be watching you,” as frontman Sting puts it ominously in the song.
In case the creepy connotations of the song weren’t entirely clear, Sting has actually spoken about it in very plain terms. “I think it’s a nasty little song, really rather evil,” he said in 1983. “It’s about jealousy and surveillance and ownership.”
It isn’t entirely clear if Wiz realises what the song is actually about. Either way, he loves it. He said as much once during an interview with Billboard, noting how the track is capable of getting him to break down.
“It’s just a beautiful song,” he insisted, “and it got all types of different emotions in it and when it picks up at the end, man, that shit just hit me.”
Outside of the delivery room, other rappers have clearly been drawn to ‘Every Breath You Take.’ Diddy famously sampled it in his Biggie Smalls tribute ‘I’ll Be Missing You,’ from which Sting has long been rumoured to have made a fortune.