AND ANOTHER ONE

DJ

Written by JOHN O. HORTON JR.

earing up to make another massive statement, global mega-star DJ Khaled unveiled one of the biggest hip-hop releases of 2022 with his anxiously awaited thirteenth full-length studio album, God Did, on via We the Best Music Group/Epic Records.

Setting the stage for the record in the biggest way possible, he shared the first single and music video Staying Alive feat. Drake & Lil Baby. Of course, it continues a legendary series of collaborations with Drake, including the triple-platinum Popstar, triple-platinum For Free, platinum Greece, and gold-certified bangers To the Max, I'm On One, feat. Drake, Rick Ross, & Lil Wayne.

Khalid was very busy throughout 2022. He made headlines with an appearance on stage at the Academy Awards, where he opened the show. He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2022. Khalid ignited the NBA All-Star halftime show with a star-studded performance that had the crowd chanting every word. Plus, he served as a presenter, twice, at

Squadian" (used during his time with the hip hop group Terror Squad), Beat Novacane (a moniker under which he produces beats), The Don Dada, Mr. Miami etc. Khaled has stated that he used the moniker "Arab Attack" for music as in saying "attack with music", but it was soon discontinued by him after the September 11 attacks since he felt that using it would seem disrespectful and offensive towards those who suffered due to the attacks.

For over two decades, the very mention of DJ Khaled implied an elevated level of musical greatness, entrepreneurial excellence, and cultural impact. He has achieved dozens of multiplatinum and gold certifications, including the 9x multiplatinum Billboard Hot 100 #1 I'm The One feat. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper, & Lil Wayne, 6x multi-platinum Wild Thoughts feat. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller, and double platinum No Brainer feat. Justin Bieber, Chance the Rapper, & Quavo.

The latter propelled his 2019 album, Father of Asahd, to the the Billboard Music Awards.

The Beginning

Khaled was born on November 26, 1975, in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Palestinian parents who immigrated to the United States. His brother Alec Ledd (Alaa Khaled) is an actor.

His musician parents played Arabic music, and Khaled started to develop an interest in rap and soul music at a young age, and his parents supported his interest. He worked in a local record store which helped to lay the foundation for his music career.

During his early career, Khaled became acquainted with several young artists and helped them before their breakthrough; these include Birdman, Lil Wayne, and Mavado. One of his first jobs was at the New Orleans record store Odyssey where he met both Birdman and Lil Wayne in 1993.

After leaving Odyssey, he began DJing in reggae sound clashes, mixing dancehall and hip-hop. His first radio gig was at a pirate station. In 1998, he moved to Miami and co-hosted The Luke Show on WEDR "99 Jamz" with 2 Live Crew's Luther Campbell. In 2003, he started hosting a weeknight radio show on 99 Jamz called the Takeover. During his career, Khaled has used many monikers including "Arab Attack", "Big Dog Pitbull", "Terror top of the charts. Not only did it garner a platinum certification, but it also became his third consecutive Top 2 debut on the Billboard Top 200 and emerged as the #1 Most-Streamed Record upon release. To date, he has moved over 20 million singles and 6 million albums in addition to gathering 4 billionplus streams.

He launched We the Best Music Group, a record label, management, publishing, and production company and music studio.

As a committed philanthropist, he founded his 501(c)3 organization The We the Best Foundation. It uplifts individuals throughout underserved communities across the United States and supports various non-profits.

He has supported the fight against COVID-19., U2 front man Bono recruited him as the first social media ambassador for Project Red, and he serves as the national spokesperson for Get Schooled. Now, the power of this legacy defines his thirteenth full-length album which bears the name God Did [We the Best Music Group/Epic Records], preceded by the forthcoming banger alongside frequent collaborators Drake and Lil Baby, "Staying Alive."

His eleventh album, Father of Asahd, was released in 2019; it peaked at number two, and the song "Higher" won Best Rap/ Sung Performance at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, Khaled's first Grammy award win. His eponymous twelfth album was released in 2021.

Outside of music, Khaled has gained success as a writer, with his book The Keys featuring on the New York Times Best Seller list. He has also featured as an actor, appearing in Spies in Disguise (2019) and Bad Boys for Life (2020).

In July 2020, Khaled released two singles simultaneously, titled "Popstar" and "Greece", both featuring Canadian rapper Drake. Two days prior, on July 15, Khaled announced his twelfth studio album would be titled Khaled Khaled, after his legal name. The announcement was accompanied by a video trailer documenting his life and career, including the birth of his sons Asahd and Aalam, who both will executively produce the album, and winning his first Grammy Award.

In March 2021, Khaled collaborated with Dolce & Gabbana on a collection of ready-to-wear and beachwear pieces. In April 2021, Khaled released his 12th studio album Khaled Khaled including 14-tracks song featuring R&B artist Jeremih, Cardi B etc. In July 2022, he announced the title of his upcoming 13th studio album God Did and released the album in August 2022.

Plans For 2023

The fourth Days of Summer Cruise Fest., hosted by Khaled, will take place in summer 2023. Lil' Baby and Future will headline the cruise, on Norwegian Sky. The producer and multihyphenate personality will host these sailings; the 2023 cruise will be the first one back since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The four-night full-charter Days of Summer Hip-Hop Cruise and Music Festival has been scheduled for July 2-5, 2023. The cruise will take place on the 2,004-passenger ship, Norwegian Sky, leaving from Miami. Ports include Nassau and Norwegian's private island, Great Stirrup Cay.

The 2023 lineup has Lil' Baby and Future, as well as a host of events and parties that will keep the ship rocking all day and night.

THE FAMILY

Khaled and his wife Nicole Tuck have a son, Asahd Tuck Khaled, born on October 23, 2016. Khaled garnered national attention after streaming the birth live on his Snapchat account. On January 20, 2020, Tuck gave birth to their second son, Aalam Tuck Khaled.

In January 2017, Khaled purchased Robbie Williams's former house in Mulholland Estates, a gated community in Los Angeles, California. In 2018, Khaled purchased a waterfront home in Miami for $25.9 million.

In July 2022, he announced the title of his upcoming 13th studio album God Did and released the album in August 2022.

Plans For 2023

The fourth Days of Summer Cruise Fest., hosted by Khaled, will take place in summer 2023. Lil' Baby and Future will headline the cruise, on Norwegian Sky. The producer and multi-hyphenate personality will host these sailings; the 2023 cruise will be the first one back since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The four-night full-charter Days of Summer Hip-Hop Cruise and Music Festival has been scheduled for July 2-5, 2023. The cruise will take place on the 2,004-passenger ship, Norwegian Sky, leaving from Miami. Ports include Nassau and Norwegian's private island, Great Stirrup Cay.

The 2023 lineup has Lil' Baby and Future, as well as a host of events and parties that will keep the ship rocking all day and night.

The Family

Khaled and his wife Nicole Tuck have a son, Asahd Tuck Khaled, born on October 23, 2016. Khaled garnered national attention after streaming the birth live on his Snapchat account. On January 20, 2020, Tuck gave birth to their second son, Aalam Tuck Khaled.

In January 2017, Khaled purchased Robbie Williams's former house in Mulholland Estates, a gated community in Los Angeles, California. In 2018, Khaled purchased a waterfront home in Miami for $25.9 million. ●