Wiz Khalifa didn’t need to drop a mixtape just a month before his 2011 album Rolling Papers. The previous year’s Pittsburgh-proud “Black and Yellow” had already been a smash hit, and a stoner comedy with Snoop Dogg was waiting in the wings. Yet Cabin Fever arrived with ideal timing to bridge the gap between Wiz’s harder, hungrier early sound and the pop-friendly material that would follow. Across just nine tracks, the affable rapper documents both his long-burning (ahem) passion for weed and his sudden influx of funds. “When I get paid, my cheques be lookin’ like phone numbers,” Wiz repeats on opener “Phone Numbers”, flanked by guest verses emphasising the contrast between Trae Tha Truth’s low and husky near-whisper and Big Sean’s higher, more sing-song delivery. Produced by Memphis rapper Drumma Boy, the track was originally built on the early piano motif from Queen’s “We Are the Champions” but had to be retooled for copyright reasons. Prominent tropes of Atlanta trap fly freely elsewhere, with more than half of the tracks helmed by prolific scene ambassador Lex Luger. “Errday” features a vocal turn from Three 6 Mafia’s Juicy J, whose production is also a clear inspiration here. Riding an ominous synth theme worthy of John Carpenter, the title track reflects upon the dislocation experienced by the rapper and his crew when indulging in a single spot for too long. Brandishing a stark instrumental hook with eight-bit videogame vibes, “Hustlin” wields the recurring motif of Wiz’s stoned laugh as he muses on his early fortune (in both senses of the word): “Young millionaire/Never had a job though.” What Cabin Fever does best is showcase an array of styles outside of a more manicured album setting. Featuring Nikkiya, Poo Bear and Wiz’s frequent sidekick Chevy Woods, “Middle of You” is dance-oriented and libido-driven, while “Homicide” feels more sobering despite its swagger and “WTF” turns out to be the most aggressive cut here. The mixtape went on to accrue one-and-a-half million downloads, very much setting the table for Rolling Papers. And “Taylor Gang”—a tribute to Wiz’s titular crew and record label, named for their shoes of choice—soon resurfaced as a bonus track on that legacy-minting album. Cabin Fever would inspire several sequels, too, giving the rapper a comfortable setting to play around with outlying ideas.