Indeed, a Romanian court rejected an appeal by Khalifa (real name Cameron Jibril Thomaz) on Feb. 26 to overturn a nine-month jail sentence for drug possession, according to the Associated Press.
The Constanta Court of Appeal’s decision came after Khalifa filed an appeal in January against his December conviction. The sentence stems from an incident in July 2024, when Romanian police stopped Khalifa after he allegedly smoked cannabis on stage at the “Beach, Please! Festival” in Constanta County.
Prosecutors stated the “Sucker for Pain” rapper had over 18 grams of cannabis and used some on stage. The court convicted Khalifa of “possession of dangerous drugs, without right, for personal consumption.”
Last week, the appeals court rejected Khalifa’s appeal to annul the sentence as inadmissible and ruled that his request to suspend the sentence was unfounded.
Meanwhile, Khalifa appeared to address the incident shortly afterward.
“I didn’t mean any disrespect to the country of Romania by lighting up on stage. They were very respectful and let me go,’ he wrote on X on July 14, 2024.
He also promised to return, adding that he’d leave the joint at home next time.
In December, Khalifa was convicted after a lower court fined him 3,600 lei (about $830) in April for “illegal possession of dangerous drugs.” Prosecutors appealed the ruling, seeking a harsher sentence.
Romania enforces strict drug laws compared to much of Europe. Possession of cannabis for personal use is a criminal offense, punishable by three months to two years in prison or a fine.
It is unclear whether Romanian authorities will file an extradition request, as Khalifa is a U.S. citizen who does not reside in Romania.
Khalifa, a Pittsburgh native, gained fame with his breakthrough mixtape “Kush & Orange Juice.” He became a household name worldwide with his 2010 release of “Black and Yellow,” a song that pays homage to his hometown.