DJ Khaled Interview: Forever Ever
Life for DJ Khaled seems like he’s on a permanent vacation. Having lunch while the water hits his ankles in Jamaica, racing through the ocean on a multicolored Sea-Doo jet ski in Miami or sitting on a Mr. Brainwash-designed, vibrant Life Is Beautiful sculpture that rests on the grassy greens of his Miami Beach estate, his leisurely activities are a lesson in enjoying life to the fullest. However, it’s not all fun and games. This is a calculated lifestyle when it comes to releasing a new album. The world knows when a DJ Khaled project is on the horizon. The 45-year-old New Orleans-born, Miami-bred artist has mastered the art of the album rollout by capturing people’s attention the best way he knows how—through social media. More than 49.9 million followers across Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Facebook are tuned in to his every move when he posts photos of studio sessions with the likes of Lil Baby, clips of a music video featuring both Jay-Z and Nas or a real-time visual of him diving into his backyard pool once he’s told Cardi B’s vocals are in. All the extravaganza and excitement is in celebration of his 12th studio album, Khaled Khaled. Inspired by his government name, which he says means “Forever Forever” in Arabic, he’s crafting everlasting material with this one.
With over two decades in the music industry, the former radio DJ has evolved to become a No. 1-selling, catchphrase-making, all-star album-creating machine. Twelve albums deep is no easy feat, but Khaled proves he’s the best at making headline-grabbing moments with every release. Khaled Khaled features 28 artists including Lil Baby, Jay-Z, Nas, Cardi B, Drake, 21 Savage, Big Sean, Meek Mill, Roddy Ricch, Megan Thee Stallion, DaBaby, Post Malone, Diddy, Rick Ross and many more. Much of the album’s songs include flips of samples from lauded hip-hop tracks over the years. “Sorry Not Sorry” with Jay-Z, Nas, James Fauntleroy and Harmonies by The Hive samples Hov’s 2001 track “Song Cry,” which originally sampled Bobby Glenn’s 1976 ode “Sounds Like a Love Song.” The album opener “Thankful,” assisted by Lil Wayne and Jeremih, immediately resonates with Jay-Z fans who bump his 2001 banger “Heart of the City” produced by Kanye West, who used Bobby “Blue” Bland’s 1974 track “Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City” as the sample. Then there’s “This Is My Year” featuring the lineup of A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, Big Sean, Rick Ross and Diddy, which samples The Notorious B.I.G.’s 1997 cut “Long Kiss Goodnight,” which includes a sample of Al Green’s 1969 song “The Letter.” And that’s just three of 14 tracks worth of gems from both a lyrical and production standpoint.
One of the album’s standout guests is Lil Baby, who appears three times on Khaled Khaled: “Every Chance I Get” with Lil Durk, “I Did It” alongside Post Malone, Megan Thee Stallion and DaBaby, and “Body in Motion” also featuring Roddy Ricch and Bryson Tiller. The Tay Keith-produced “Every Chance I Get” finds Lil Baby dropping bars about racking up sales and having the city behind him. “We the ones who got the numbers, who put the city on,” he raps. Khaled can also attest to that. As artists who previously worked together on 2019’s Father of Asahd LP, the We The Best Music Group founder and 4 Pockets Full leader understand what it takes to make a hit record. A day after the release of Khaled Khaled, Lil Baby calls in from his ride via Zoom to interview DJ Khaled at home in his Miami mansion about the making of the star-studded effort, how the Jay-Z and Nas record came together and why Khaled plans to keep going forever ever.
DJ Khaled: Yo, this is legendary. Lil Baby about to interview Khaled Khaled, DJ Khaled. Before we start, I just want to say thank you for being part of my album and also being part of my last album. Ever since we met the vibe has been incredible, the energy has been incredible. We make great music together. I just want to say thank you for always supporting me. I know you’re interviewing me, but I just want to thank you before we even get started.
Lil Baby: Aye, man, I appreciate that, man. You know, I appreciate you giving me the opportunity. And you know, like I told you, every time I ask you for something, you don’t hesitate, nah I’m sayin’? Got the same love for you.
DJ Khaled: Man, I appreciate it, man. Let’s get it started.
Lil Baby: So, how you doin’?
DJ Khaled: I’m blessed. The album out. No. 1 on Apple Music. DJ Khaled, Lil Baby and Lil Durk “Every Chance I Get.” And the No. 1 album on Apple Music too. I feel great.
Lil Baby: Aight, man. So, are you surprised by the turnout of it or it’s doing what you expected?
DJ Khaled: You know, I’m always grateful, man. I don’t never take nothing for granted. So I know I always gotta go hard every day. I can’t take nothing for granted, to answer your question. I gotta keep going. Like, right now, it’s only Saturday [May 1] and I’m like, nah, we gotta go harder. Turn it up. Edit the video that me and Lil Baby shot and Durk. I need that tomorrow, you nah mean? I’m not taking nothing for granted, but one thing that I do know is the people love the music and that means a lot to me, you nah mean?
“So, what I’m trying to tell you, not just with albums, I’m gon’ keep going forever with everything, every chance I get.”
Lil Baby: Definitely. It’s been some crazy responses on the [album], definitely. And this one of the questions I wanted to ask you, like, how do you come up with the process of the songs? Like how do you come up with who you gon’ choose for the album and where you gon’ put ‘em at and do you be havin’ some people that didn’t make the album? Like, how that whole process go?
DJ Khaled: I mean, the way I make my records, you know, I start off with the production, the music, the beat. It’s me and my team crafting it up or sometimes it come from somebody I love like Tay Keith or something, you nah I’m sayin’? What I do with that, I make sure the music is right. The beat gotta be right. It gotta speak to me in different levels and different languages and different vibes. And then from there, some records, I like to come up with just some ideas just to spark other ideas up. Like, if I say, yo, Baby, I wanna talk about, you nah mean, “We made it,” “We did it,” “Winnin’” or blah, blah, blah, at least you know the direction I want to go in. Once I get the idea, then I sit with the artist like yourself. You work with me several times. You know, when you walk in the studio, I know Lil Baby coming in my studio, I’m gonna be fuckin’ ready, you nah I’m sayin’? I’ma be ready, meaning as in like when he walk in here, I gotta play him some magic. So, like speaking with me and you, I played you three records and you get three records because the records made you feel a certain way, you nah I’m sayin’?
Lil Baby: You was already up a couple days prior picking out the ones.
DJ Khaled: Right, picking out the ones and getting right. But you know, to answer your question, the music, you nah I mean, the production to me is the most important for me to make you happy and other artist happy to let your shit go.
Lil Baby: Get in they zone. I understand that ’cause that’s how I could perform so good. It’s like, you create the vibe so good and keep everything so nice and… when I come in there I could just rap easy and, you know, have some fun.
DJ Khaled: Exactly, exactly.
Lil Baby: So, for some people who don’t know, of course I know, me and you talked about it, but what studio album is this for you?
DJ Khaled: This is my 12th album. Number 12. Number 12.
Lil Baby: So, where is that in the game for you. It’s your 12th album. Khaled Khaled just dropped. Where do you consider yourself right now in the game?
DJ Khaled: Man, um, I consider where this is the part of my career where you see the next level of Khaled, you nah I’m sayin’? In all aspects though.
Lil Baby: Khaled been on a heck of a level in there.
DJ Khaled: Appreciate that. That’s what I mean. The evolving, the next level of me taking everything I ever did to the highest level. If it’s from music or if it’s from on the business side of me being a mogul or entrepreneur or executive. Just on the high… Straight up, Lil Baby, I’m going for that billion, you nah I’m sayin’?
Lil Baby: That’s where you at in the game.
DJ Khaled: I’m going for the billion, you nah I’m sayin’?
Lil Baby: Hey, that answers it all.
DJ Khaled: The millions been fun, the hundred million’s been great. I’m going for the billion.
Lil Baby: OK, that says it all. It definitely says it all, you know what I’m sayin’?
DJ Khaled: I’m going for the billion, you know what I mean? Fuck that, I’m going all out. And I ain’t stopping.
Lil Baby: For sure. Aight, so, next question I got for you. You know me, too, I’m definitely a Jay fan, a Jay-Z fan. How did that whole Jay-Z and Nas thing come about? Like that was a major move in hip-hop and culture, and just the everything, you know what I’m sayin’? A lot of people don’t know. And especially a lot of people from my generation, they don’t really know the backstory of the Nas’ and the Jay-Zs, whatever and whatnot. How did you get that to come about?
DJ Khaled: Well, first of all, it’s been a dream of mine to hear them brothers work together, nah I’m sayin’? Even when they were going through their situation. They’re my two favorite MCs. Even when they moved forward in life, you know, away from that situation, it still was a dream of mine to put that record [“Sorry Not Sorry”] together.
And, you know, Jay’s my brother, Nas is my brother and it took me about, it was one day I was a restaurant with me, Nas, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Puff Daddy, um, Pharrell and so many other people who was all eating dinner and I remember them just talking and I was sitting beside them and they were like brothers laughing. I’m like, yo, these are my, man, this is, I can’t believe this, you nah I’m sayin’? And these are my brothers. So, I said, you know what, I can make this happen because they know my heart is pure, they know my soul is clean and my heart is clean and they know my face is clean and they know the kind of person I am.
So, but from that day, it took me about a few years, a few years later to build the courage to actually ask, you nah I’m sayin’? Even though I felt it… This was the right time. This is a special album for me, you know, called Khaled Khaled, and, um, to put Jay-Z and Nas on a record together. Not even just that, to shoot the video, nah I’m sayin’? They don’t even shoot videos for themselves. So to shoot the video and this is my gift to the world and also a gift to me, but this was definitely for the culture on the highest level, you nah I mean?
And I wanted to inspire the youth dem, you nah I mean, if you ever be beefing with somebody, man, if you could fix it, it’s always great, you nah I mean?
Lil Baby: It’s always great.
DJ Khaled: At the end of the day, let’s get money.
Lil Baby: You make more money together than you do beefing.
DJ Khaled: Right, you nah I’m sayin’, let’s put this shit together. And I think this right here is a great inspiration of that ’cause, you know, they talkin’ Bs, they ain’t talkin’ Ms, you nah I’m sayin’, they talkin’ Bs meaning as in billions, you nah I’m sayin’?
Lil Baby: Right, that’s a whole different level, nah I’m sayin’? You definitely showing the youngins, like, you know, there’s level to it and it’s a whole new level, nah I’m sayin’?
DJ Khaled: Ain’t what I love about the song too it’s about motivation and inspiration. It wasn’t about, like, you know, no. This was something, we come from nothing to something.
Lil Baby: To I got a billion.
DJ Khaled: You nah I’m sayin? Not to keep talkin’ for a long time about this, but this is special. I remember going to Marcy Projects, where Jay-Z’s from. I went there like seven years ago. And I went to the projects. I went by myself, me and my guy. I said, “I gotta see where Jay-Z lived.”
Lil Baby: Right.
DJ Khaled: I need to know, I need to see the way the trees and the air over there and what type of water it is.
Lil Baby: Right, just the whole vibe.
DJ Khaled: I had to know because… So, what I did was, I sat on the corner, true story, and sat with a bunch of people from Marcy Projects, some kids and some OGs and all them. And I started talking. I said, “Yo, guys, do you know Jay-Z come from here? He made it out of here and he’s a billionaire.” It’s not about the money. I’m talking about the riches of life and being focused and the vision. But I’m like, “Whatever water you drinking in these projects and this tree that’s outside and this corner, it’s something, it’s something going on. So, let’s be inspired ’cause one of y’all made it out and look where he at.
Lil Baby: Right, so it could happen. Don’t think it can’t happen.
DJ Khaled: And that goes for Nas too, you nah I’m sayin’? So, you nah I mean, so, this song is about where we come from and, you know, we started from the mud and we living our dream and we not sorry about it.
Lil Baby: Right.
DJ Khaled: You nah I mean?
Lil Baby: This is how it’s supposed to feel.
DJ Khaled: Right, right.
Lil Baby: Aight, and then, my next question, I get asked this question a lot and as an artist it’s kinda hard for me to answer this, but like, what’s your favorite or not your favorite, what I’ll say, what’s your highlight songs of the album?
DJ Khaled: Man, I’ma be real with you, man, like, you know, when I made this album, it was a top, it was from the top, 14 songs, and if you listen to it, I put everything I could in each song. Like, I made it from the intro [“Thankful”], I wanted you to feel the pain, the struggle and the fights, but also feel the light, you nah I’m sayin’, that you can make it out of, you nah I mean, you know, you know, it’s godly, you nah I’m sayin’?
And then, boom, the second song I come with you and Lil Durk [“Every Chance I Get”], you nah I mean, you know, out the gate, let them know, listen, this ain’t no game. This ain’t no, like, thinking shit is cool, you nah I’m sayin’?
Lil Baby: Yeah.
DJ Khaled: Every chance we get, you nah I’m sayin’?
Lil Baby: You going.
DJ Khaled: You gon’ keep going, pon your head, you nah I’m sayin’?
Lil Baby: For sure.
DJ Khaled: And that [“Every Chance I Get”] video’s done too, by the way, and that’s coming pon the head, you nah I’m sayin’? And it’s No. 1 on Apple Music right now, and that’s pon the head. So that’s just how the shit started.
Lil Baby: Right.
DJ Khaled: Then after that, you got the Cardi [B on “Big Paper”] and she going bad, like she going crazy.
Lil Baby: Cardi going crazy on that one, for sure.
DJ Khaled: So to answer your question, all the songs ’cause we got the Jay and Nas [“Sorry Not Sorry”], we got the “We Going Crazy,” H.E.R. and Migos. We got, nah I’m sayin’…
Lil Baby: That’s always my answer. It’s like, it depends on how I’m feeling that day or that ride in the car ’cause that’s when I usually most listen to my music, in the car. It’s like, if when I’m in the car, and this how I’m feeling today, like, this my favorite song, you know I’m sayin’, but tomorrow, I have a different one. That’s the good thing about a whole album is like, you get, you can take days and vibes, and have today might be your favorite, this might be your favorite and tomorrow this might be your favorite song.
DJ Khaled: Yeah, like “I Did It” [featuring Post Malone, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Baby and DaBaby], you nah I’m sayin’, I might be feeling a stadium, you know, I see it, I made it. It’s too many. Then you got like the heart-clutchers like “Just Be” [featuring Justin Timberlake] and then the “I Can Have It All” with Meek [Mill] and H.E.R. [and Bryson Tiller]. It’s too many.
Lil Baby: That’s when you know you got a great body of work when you can go everywhere, you nah I’m sayin’? Turn up with Lil Baby dem, you can go Bryson Tiller for the females, you nah I’m sayin’, you can go Cardi B for the young girls, you can go Lil Wayne, you can go Jay-Z for the OGs, you nah I’m sayin’, like the whole, you got Meek Mill, you snapped every situation, you nah I’m sayin’?. That’s when you know you got a great body of work when you got different vibes and different tempos, most definitely. So, you definitely, definitely got a great body of work.
DJ Khaled: Thank you, thank you, thank you, brother.
Lil Baby: Most definitely. Now, this is one of the questions that they wanted to know, how many more albums you got in you?
DJ Khaled: I’m forever, Lil Baby, you nah I’m sayin’? That’s what my name means for real. Khaled in Arabic means “forever,” you nah mean? And when I say forever, that’s why I support and that’s why when you told me where…
Lil Baby: And you going, so when you went Khaled Khaled, so that’s like “forever forever.”
DJ Khaled: Right, and my first and last name is really Khaled Khaled.
Lil Baby: Forever.
DJ Khaled: So I’m immortal, you nah I’m sayin’? And that’s what it means in Arabic: “immortal, forever.” So, what I’m trying to tell you, not just with albums, I’m gon’ keep going forever with everything, every chance I get. And that’s on my mama, I’ma keep pushing on ’em. Yo, Lil Baby, like the shit you was sayin’ on “Every Chance I Get,” just know…
Lil Baby: That’s how you feeling. Right.
DJ Khaled: That’s how I’m feeling. Keep going.
Lil Baby: That’s how you feeling.
DJ Khaled: You nah I’m sayin’? I ain’t playin’. Yeah. So, to answer your question, everybody seeing this, this forever, you nah I’m sayin’? Yeah, yeah.
See Photos of DJ Khaled’s XXL Digital Cover Shoot
Lil Baby: I’m tryna think, before I ask this question, sometimes I try to think of the answer before I ask the question. Is there anybody in the game that you want on the album that you haven’t had on the album. You done damn near had everybody on the album.
DJ Khaled: I know. This is a good question. This is a real good question and the way you presented is even more beautiful because I have worked with almost every single person that I’m a fan of and that I love and respect. And then 90 percent of it are really my friends, like you, you my friend. So that’s even more of a blessing. And I tell everybody this before I answer completely is the goal is to continue to work with all the greats.
Lil Baby: Right.
DJ Khaled: I’m blessed to work with you on two albums, you nah mean? I’m blessed to work with Jay-Z on several albums, and [Lil] Wayne and [Rick] Ross. Like Lil Wayne and Ross been on every single album of mine from the beginning of my career.
Lil Baby: OK, OK. Yeah, exactly.
DJ Khaled: My goal is to continue to work with brothers like you all the time. But I would love to work with André 3000.
Lil Baby: I ain’t gon’ lie, that’s my answer. That’s my answer. Maybe you put us on that bitch together. Maybe you put us on there together, me and André 3000.
DJ Khaled: The deluxe with André 3000 and Lil Baby and the deluxe will only have one record. Not five, not 10, just one.
Lil Baby: Aye, that’ll be crazy.
DJ Khaled: That’ll be crazy. That’ll be crazy.
Lil Baby: Deluxe, one song on the deluxe. Baby and André 3000.
DJ Khaled: And that’s all it need. And that’s all it would need.
Lil Baby: For sure. And the last but not least question, I just want to know, like I want you to wrap it up with, like, what are you excited about in hip-hop right now, you nah I’m sayin’?
DJ Khaled: What I’m excited about is what you doin’ and all the other young brothers and sisters are doin’. What y’all doin’, y’all carrying the flag so strong. Y’all takin’ it to the next level. Y’all takin’ it to so many levels. And I watch y’all and I’m so inspired. And I’m like, this is beautiful. When I see you win and I see all the other brothers and sisters win, I’m like, man, this is beautiful, man. Look at this shit, man. Look at what we get to do. We get to provide for our families with stuff that we love to do.
The album’s tracklisting.
Lil Baby: Right. Ain’t nothin’ better than this.
DJ Khaled: Exactly, and that’s why I always preach the love and the light because this is such a blessing, Lil Baby. Think about it right quick. Lil Baby, I know, I know as much as the story that you let people know about you and it’s so inspiring to know your story, but guess what, look what you doin’ now. Look what you doin’ now. Like we blessed. Lil Baby, we blessed.
Lil Baby: I went to Diddy house yesterday.
DJ Khaled: You see what I’m sayin’?
Lil Baby: We was talking, we was talking. We just stopped and prayed in the middle of us talking, like, look where we at, nah I’m sayin’? Like…
DJ Khaled: Exactly:
Lil Baby: It’s beyond words. Like, man, it’s like, especially from where we come from. Not knocking nobody who ain’t came from where we come from.
DJ Khaled: No, for real.
Lil Baby: But where we came from to where we at, it’s like, we can’t stop. It gotta be forever. We gotta be immortal.
DJ Khaled: And we can’t take nothing for granted. We gotta be grateful…
Lil Baby: Don’t take nothing for granted.
DJ Khaled: For opportunities we get to do what we love to do.
Lil Baby: Right.
DJ Khaled: Come on. That’s a blessing. And guess what? We got kids. And let me tell you. That’s who we do it for is our kids.
Lil Baby: You got two sons. I got two sons. Sons on top of kids, that’s like, even more.
DJ Khaled: You’re an amazing father, brother. Not just an amazing artist, you’re an amazing father.
Lil Baby: Appreciate that.
DJ Khaled: God bless you, brother. You inspire me as a father too, you nah I’m sayin’? I see you with your kids and, you know, I love that and, you know, I’m here for you for whatever.
Lil Baby: Definitely. I appreciate everything you do for me, most definitely, man. Congratulations on your album, man. I wish you much more success. You know, I’m always here whenever you need me, whatever you need me for, you nah I’m sayin’? Make sure you all go get that album, out right now, Khaled Khaled. Lil Baby on there three times. XXL, let’s get it.
DJ Khaled: Ayo, Lil Baby, that shirt crazy too. I ain’t gon’ lie to you.
Lil Baby: I appreciate it, man. I appreciate it, man.
DJ Khaled: I’m about to take the car to the Louis [Vuitton] store right now. That shit crazy.
Lil Baby: I appreciate it, man. I appreciate it.
DJ Khaled: Yo, I love you brother. I’ma hit you later.
Lil Baby: Aight, love.