Wiz Khalifa has been left devastated by his father's "sudden" death after he "decided not to wake up"

He wrote: "Today my father decided not to wake up. I will always love him, miss him and be greatful [sic] 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 last conversation I had with my dad was him telling me how proud of me he was for the movie I was in and I promised him I would do more. LT Forever."

Wiz went on to thank fans for their support during such a difficult time, adding: "Thank you all for your kind words. It really means a lot in this tough time and is helping me feel better."

He hip-hop star concluded by writing: "My father's passing was sudden but seeing how many people love and respected him makes happy and Inknow he's proud that he left a positive impact on this earth. Literally all he ever wanted."

TMZ.com reports Laurence was 63 at the time of his death.

Wiz previously opened up about his close relationship with his dad revealing Laurence helped launch his son's music career by opening a recording studio in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Speaking to NME in 2016, the rapper explained: "I was in second grade when I first started rapping. I grew up in a poor neighbourhood. We didn't have much, so I listened to the radio all the time.

"One day my uncle got a piece of paper out and started reading it, and it was a rap! It blew my mind, because I didn't know we could rap as well, not just the guys on the radio ... I lived in that studio. And that's what turned me into who I am today."

Wiz is dad to 12-year-old son Sebastian with his ex-wife Amber Rose and he previously admitted fatherhood came "naturally" to him and he finds it "really rewarding".

During an appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast in 2024, he said: "[Becoming a dad] let me know what I'm really good at and what I'm really here for.

"I do music and if you would have asked me before I had a kid what my purpose was I would be like: 'To be an entertainer! To be on that stage!'

"Really now I just know that's my gift. And I understand I have to work at it for it to be what it is. But being a dad that is something that naturally [comes].

"There is no book, there is nobody to study to tell you how to be a great dad and my son comes to me regularly and is like: 'You're just such a good dad, dad.'

"Or: 'I love you so much.' It's really, really rewarding as a parent."