DJ Khaled joined Zane Lowe on Apple Music while out on his jet ski to talk about working with Drake and watching him evolve, his new album ‘Khaled Khaled’, and how he defines success.
He also recounts pivotal career moments being in the studio with Lil Wayne, Drake, Jay-Z, and Rick Ross, chats about staying optimistic during the pandemic, and explains his unbridled passion for music.
In a follow-up call back on dry land, he reveals to Apple Music that he has a song coming with Megan Thee Stallion: "I mean f**k it, this is the Zane Lowe show right… I’ll be honest with you… you know, me and Megan, we got one. Ya we cooked something up."
DJ Khaled Tells Apple Music About New Single “POPSTAR” With Drake…
But you know, through the pandemic, musically, you know what I mean, it's made me start working on my album, me and Drake... I don't know if you've noticed this - I'm sorry. I said, I been had my single's ready. And then the pandemic hit. I was going to come up on your head top of February.But did I said, "Hold up. Let's figure out what's going on." And I'm in album mode. The album's called Khaled Khaled. And Drake... You know what I mean, me and Drake, that's my brother for real. I'm sure you could see that, and we had these great inspiring conversations throughout the years; and when "POPSTAR" was created, I went to Toronto and my son was born.
My son was born and I flew straight in Toronto right after my son was born in the same date. You know what I mean? It was something special to me, you know what I mean? To be the pop star. We been the pop stars. We been the pop stars I mean, we pack all the arenas, pack all the stadiums, and the people, we represent the culture to the highest level. You know what I mean? We the pop stars you know what I mean? And we can fight the grease, you know what I mean? We do that, too.
DJ Khaled Reveals To Apple Music He Has a Song With Megan Thee Stallion...
I mean f**k it, this is the Zane Lowe show right… I’ll be honest with you… you know, me and Megan, we got one. Ya we cooked something up
DJ Khaled Tells Apple Music About Forthcoming Album ‘Khaled, Khaled’ and Working With Drake…
Yeah, man, the reason why I titled the name Khaled Khaled, first of all you know, but those that don't know, that's my real name, my first and last name is Khaled Khaled. I've always wanted to title my album that, but I always wanted to wait to the right time in my life to title that. And Khaled means, in Arabic, it means immortal. It means forever. You know what I mean? And that's what I represent forever love. And we give forever. And we the best. So I'm going to break out Khaled Khaled more through the process, through the rollout. You know what I mean? And this was a way to come with two keys. My first and last name is the same. That's true. Two keys there, too. I got two kids. And when I was talking to Drake, you know what I mean? I was like, "I want to hit him with a knockout." That's what I asked him. I said, "I want to hit him with a knockout.
DJ Khaled Tells Apple Music About Staying Optimistic During The Pandemic…
Yo Zane, we got to find the light in these dark times, you understand? When its dark times and hard times like this, we have to find the light, we have to be smart, we have to be safer, we have to take care of our families through this pandemic and we got to be more wiser and we've got to learn from this and when I was singing through the pandemic, at one moment I was like... I almost got caught up in it. So I had to tell myself, "Hold up! We can't stop. We've got to continue being great, but we do have to be safe. We do have to be smarter." And that's why, you know what I'm saying, they got two keys behind their head. You know what I mean? Because the pandemic, I plan and we all plan. You know what I mean? That's why we can live with two keys behind the head. You know what I mean?
It's depressing times the pandemic. When I say that I mean, my father say so. I don't want to see the babies and the kids that go through this. We good, you know what I mean? We can weather through any storm. But I want to protect our babies and our kids. Not just mine. I'm talking about in a global way. So I wanted to make sure I motivated and survived. Others, including myself and my family, I've had the best family time I've ever had in my life.
DJ Khaled Tells Apple Music About The Evolution of Drake…
Imma be real with you, When I started working with Drake from a very first record, that up to... I'm On One to No New Friends to For Free, the list goes on and on. He'd always been the same to me, meaning as in he does what he wants to do, he do it how he want to do it, and it's going to be big. What I love about Drake too is, me and him, you always want to make sure it feels right. That's the way I like to rock, too. I want it to feel right and it just, stars align for us to come with two keys and it felt right, you know what I mean? I even told Drake on the phone, I said "Yo Drake, we got to be the light. We got to." And he agreed.
DJ Khaled Tells Apple Music What Success Means To Him…
Success to me, Zane, is happiness. You know what I mean? And when I say happiness, obviously I want to be happy. But when I see my kids and my queen happy that's success to me. Through times like this, I feel like we have to unify more and we have to love more than that. We have to love more and I mean that from a beautiful place because none of us ever thought we would experienced what was going on in the world right now. And one thing I know that can solve these times like this is love, because when you love that means everybody will protect each other and Zane if right know you was loose out there and going out and unnecessary stuff, I will call you and say, "Yo bro you got to chill out.”
DJ Khaled Tells Apple Music The Most Pivotal Moments in His Career…
Yeah, it's a few of them though, Zane. I remember watching Lil Wayne record, 10 records, maybe more, 10 or more records in about an hour and then record "We Take"It Over" and "Brown Paper Bag" at the same time. And you heard the reverses on both of those. Legendary. I remember being in the studio with Drake, working on his album in Miami back in the days when... "I'm On One," those days, just watching him and 40 create was just so f-king unbelievable. No smoke. To be in the studio with Jay-Z, watching him record damn near his whole album. You know what I'm saying? And just watching his magic and the thought process, just the little things, what they eat from snacks down to this certain energy. You know what I mean? And working with Ross and A&Ring a lot of Ross albums, I've experienced so many crazy moments, too. It's Ross and Jay-Z. You know what I mean? Teflon Don, ten year anniversary, you know what I mean? It's one of my favorite albums, the classic album and I actually started today I said, "Ross thank you for letting me be a part of the team, to be an A&R on the album" with him. And it's so many moments, you know what I mean? For me, deejaying and fully loaded in Jamaica for me in my garage. I'm hip hop, Zane, I'm hip hop, you know what I mean? I love this sh-t for real.
DJ Khaled Tells Apple Music About His Evolution and Wearing Many Hats…
I mean saying anything I do, I'm just going to be Khaled Khaled, imma be me. So you know what? People got to experience different things through social media or through my music or whatever connection with me to represent me. I've always been me. You know what I'm saying? Just be me. Oh, Thank you. Thank you. I always gon' be just me. Appreciate the love, thank you. I'm always just going to be me. So when you see me, that's who I am. When you see me in my music, that's who I am. When you see me, if it's in a movie or commercial or social media, that's Khaled, you know what I mean? But I can tell you this music is my love. I will never stop. It's something I don't know how to stop. Even when I'm not making my albums, I'm in sound boy mode listening to my... I just love music Zane. Remember, I'm a DJ, I'm a producer, I'm a music executive, I am a sound man. I am a man of many cards. I wear a lot of these hats, like a lot of behind the scenes, not just in the videos and not just number one records. I'm part of a lot of things behind the scenes. And I've been in a lot of rooms that... unbelievable things, stuff seen, stuff worked on, that people haven't seen? It's unbelievable. So I can never stop because the passion and the true love come from a special place in my heart.
