The early signs of Khaled’s greatness date back to working at Odyssey Records in Orlando, Florida. It was 1993, and his parents had moved to New Orleans after issues with the IRS, which is the place they laid their foundation after migrating from Palestine in their 20s. With a passion for music and a childhood spent mastering the art of the turntables with records from the likes of The Isley Brothers and Odyssey Records was a haven for Khaled as he expanded his taste and formed early relationships with Birdman and Lil Wayne. This eventually led to Khaled becoming a DJ staple in Orlando, fusing the sounds of reggae and dancehall with the bubbling hip-hop trends of the time on Mixx 96, a Caribbean pirate radio station hosted by Marcello Valenzano and Andre Christopher Lyon, who are now known as the production duo Cool & Dre. His undeniable energy later parlayed into mainstream radio on The Luke Show, where Khaled became a mainstay in the Florida club scene and saw a decade-long stint on the Miami radio station 99 Jamz. 

These early days of DJ Khaled’s grind is a trait that still rings true today. The hunger of that young, energetic DJ handing out flyers of his club nights Miami is still prominent throughout DJ Khaled’s Instagram clips diving in the pool and screaming, “THE CARDI B VOCALS IS IN!” But when looking at the 45-year-old DJ who created Khaled Khaled, it’s no longer about making a name for himself; it’s about solidifying it. Fueled by the struggle of an immigrant family in the 90s, Khaled stayed jobless in Orlando, getting it out of the mud. Now, he’s securing a future that assures his family is never to see that dirty soil.

American adventurer Christopher McCandless once wrote, “Happiness is Only Real When Shared”, a sentiment that defines DJ Khaled’s legacy in a nutshell, as over his 12 album discography, he’s provided a platform to break new artists and bring superstars together as the catalyst of his vision. 

There are almost too many high-profile collaborations that DJ Khaled has curated to name. His debut album Listennn… The Album found him facilitating the likes of Pitbull, Lil’ Scrappy, and more in a quest to blend the sounds of Miami and the rest of the US, as well as forming strong artistic bonds with Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Kanye West, and more. Since then, he’s gone on to add Jay Z, Post Malone, Drake, Chance The Rapper, and a myriad of others to his collaborative catalogue, presenting them in new lights by creating megamix style blends. There’s the rap buffet that is ‘We Takin Over’, cinematic anthems in the form of ‘I’m On One’ and’ I’m So Hood’, as well as bonafide pop crossovers like ‘Wild Thoughts’. In a music game that can be so divided by geographics, ideologies, and relationships, DJ Khaled provides a middle ground for those looking to finesse their artistic skills.

On Khaled Khaled, the formula stays the same, but he takes the collaborative spirit to new heights. The opener ‘THANKFUL’ pairs Lil Wayne and Jeremih with the powerful sounds of a choir, evoking a new sense of introspection from the veterans. The undeniable bop that is ‘WE GOING CRAZY’ takes H.E.R and Migos out of their signature pockets and allows them to showcase their range on a reggae-inspired palette. ‘Let It Go’ is a bubbly tune with Justin Bieber showing off his rap-inspired skills, with 21 Savage presenting his pop appeal. The album demonstrates Khaled’s knack for direction. He creates a cohesive vision and displays the growth of his artistic contemporaries, all while putting his newfound gratitude and maturity at the forefront.

DJ Khaled never does things to the minimum; he’s a forward thinker. That same hustle that saw him go from record store worker to Miami DJ staple has been consistent throughout his career, as he’s taken each musical moment and manifested it into something bigger. 

Similarly to his collaborations, DJ Khaled boasts more business ventures than we can name—a testament to his hardworking nature. In 2008, he formed his label We The Best Music Group, which spawned artists such as Ace Hood, Mavado, Kent Jones, and Flipp Dinero. In 2014, Khaled partnered with audio juggernauts Bang & Olufsen to create his line of headphones called We The Best Sound. In 2016, he became a viral internet icon for his Snapchat videos, which he expanded into an advertising campaign for Ciroc, and Khaled also has cameos in movies like Pitch Perfect 3 and Spiderman: Homecoming, to name a few. 2018 saw his first venture into lifestyle products with his We The Best Home furniture line, which further developed into a Dolce & Gabbana clothing collaboration in March of this year. Much like his jam-packed hit singles, Khaled reaches for the stars in all his ventures.

These brand-building moves are highlighted in the Khaled Khaled cut ‘Sorry Not Sorry’, which features James Fauntleroy alongside fellow moguls Nas and Jay Z. The legendary rappers flex their respective success in the business realm, with Hov stacking his B’s in lyrical form and Nas spitting “I’m coin-based, basically cryptocurrency Scarface” about his investment in the crypto exchange platform Coinbase. The power of these bars is emphasised in a video of a listening session where Khaled plays the song for Steve Stoute, who, with watery eyes, responds, “This is really what we’re doing this for. You want to do good, but you want to leave something behind for your kids and everybody who comes from your circumstances. They [Nas and Jay Z] wrote a song about that feeling.” This relates directly to the Khaled we see in 2021, who has experienced the struggles of a tumultuous come-up and is trying to leave a blueprint on how to achieve dreams while securing generational wealth for his family. 

On December 14th, 2015, DJ Khaled was riding his Jet Ski home from a dinner at Rick Ross’ house when the sun went down, and he became lost. He provided us fans with live updates on Snapchat as he navigated back to shores, which has since turned into a classic moment in online meme culture. 

Despite the laughs, this moment does mirror the career of DJ Khaled. He started as a kid with a dream, battling throughout the day against the darkness that is the struggle of immigrant families still prominent worldwide. But he began to find a path, working in a record store and transitioning into radio to pursue that love of music he found scratching his Isley Brothers records. The way to his goals continued to illuminate throughout his various collaborative hits and business ventures before reaching the humble abode that is his superstardom.

Khaled Khaled, however, isn’t the end destination but the start of a new journey. This is symbolised in the album’s closer ‘WHERE YOU COME FROM’ featuring Jamaican superstars Barrington Levy, Buju Banton, Bounty Killer, and Capleton. This A-List reggaeton lineup is a return to Khaled’s pirate radio roots on Mixx 96. While Barrington and the others use a song as a love letter to their home country of Jamaica, it signifies a full-circle moment as Khaled enters this new chapter. Honouring the name his parents gave him in the album title, and his higher power Allah in the credits, Khaled reflects on his career, using his origins as a foundation to show gratitude and appreciation of how far he’s come. On this new path, he instils the same major keys he’s acquired over two decades in his children, planting the seeds for a legacy that lives on, all while still producing club-ready, ear-catching anthems.

Khaled Khaled, however, isn’t the end destination but the start of a new journey. This is symbolised in the album’s closer ‘WHERE YOU COME FROM’ featuring Jamaican superstars Barrington Levy, Buju Banton, Bounty Killer, and Capleton. This A-List reggaeton lineup is a return to Khaled’s pirate radio roots on Mixx 96. While Barrington and the others use a song as a love letter to their home country of Jamaica, it signifies a full-circle moment as Khaled enters this new chapter. Honouring the name his parents gave him in the album title, and his higher power Allah in the credits, Khaled reflects on his career, using his origins as a foundation to show gratitude and appreciation of how far he’s come. On this new path, he instils the same major keys he’s acquired over two decades in his children, planting the seeds for a legacy that lives on, all while still producing club-ready, ear-catching anthems.

Stream Khaled Khaled here.