24: My first question is how do you continue to do things that the average artist at major labels can’t get done, for example, the cover of “Scratch Magazine” along with working with the best and getting 110% out of them along with what I heard that it cost $600,000 to shoot “We Taking Over?”
DJ Khaled: Before we get into any questions I am the DJ Khaled, The Big Dog Pitbull, Terror Squadian aka We The Best aka The Movement aka Brisco what it does aka Listennn! My album “We The Best” is in stores right now. The reason why I get that from these artist and make these hit records is because I know music. I’m a DJ and my job is to play hit records so I’m not going to go into the studio with an artist unless were going to make a hit record. I’m not trying to waste the artist time or my time so what I do is come to these artist with a great concepts, energy & ideas and what comes out is great music. When I do my albums its premeditated I have all of the music ready and most of the concepts ready and if I don’t I’ll get with an artist vibe with them to build a concept.
24: What have you learned from your experience with your last albums first single “Holla At Me Baby” that made you decide to go with a song like “We Taking Over” which is not what the average person expected to hear from you?
DJ Khaled: We the “We Taking Over” record is called the impossible record because its something that’s going to go down in the historical books, it’s a classic. I feel like it was a gift from GOD. I got with Danja Handz the producer who made the beat I told him the idea what I wanted the beat to be like I wanted a new sound and I would to bring something that was different then every record that was out, and I also I knew who I wanted to put on the record to show that unity.
24: I was reading an interview in Scratch magazine where Danja Handz said when he played you the beat you started mimicking the flows of all the artists that ended up on the track. Tell me a little about that and the vision you saw?
DJ Khaled: Yeah, I do that all the time whether I make the beat myself you or not I listen to the track and mimic the flow, swagger & style of a certain artist to see which artist would be best fitted for the song. Some times I would go in the booth and just start rapping like Ross and them present it to him and let him know the vibe I am looking for on the record and 9 out of 10 we make that magic. I knew I wanted Akon on the record because of how big the bass was and the chorus is I knew he would bring the beat out and it turned out incredible. “We The Best” in stores now!
24: How does your new album “We The Best” differ from your first album?
DJ Khaled: Bigger records, and the first album inspired me to make the second album. The first album made it possible for me to put out album and get acceptance from the people so on “We The Best” I took it to another level and delivered great music. Plus if you missed the first album “Listennn!” I know you didn’t miss the new one because it’s the #1 Independent album in the country. The first album was also and that’s because of the fans and I want to say I do this for yall and I am a fan of this music too.
24: Do you see yourself dropping an album every year around the summer time? Personally I think you should and it reminds me of when Jay-Z would drop something for six summers straight.
DJ Khaled: I want to drop an album every year. That’s what I’m trying to do and look out for “We The Best Music” coming soon that’s going to be my record company. Also besides my album look out for Fat Joe album, Lil Wayne “The Carter III”, Rick Ross second album “Trilla”, look out for Brisco’s “Street Medicine” look out for artist like Flo Rida, Tripple C’s, Cool & Dre, Joe Hound, Dirt Bag and C-Ride. I’m apart of all of those albums also.
24: Which song on the album means the most to you or is your favorite?
DJ Khaled: That’s a really hard questions because I really take pride in my whole project but I’m going to have to go with “We Taking Over” because that record changed my life. It made people love me, and it made people hate me and any time where you got love & hate you did something that was huge. I was blessed to have that video go to #1 on a lot of countdowns from B.E.T. (106&Park) to MTV (Sucker free) and to have the #1 record in the country so I’m proud of that.
24: On 106 & Park you mentioned that you might be an A&R for Akon’s next album. Is that something you want to start doing more of and should we expect more of that in the near future?
DJ Khaled: Yeah, Akon ask me to help him with a up and coming Konvict Music Compilation album that’s coming out and he’s working on a project for “The Cocaine Cowboys.” I think he’s going to do a movie and soundtrack to that and wants me to be apart of it. Anything Akon does I want to be apart of he’s a good dude I see his grind and I respect it. Plus I’m about to do some A&R work on the new Birdman album so stay tuned.
24: A lot of people might hear you on the radio and see you at a show or on television and not know the hard work you put in so if you could, talk about the process of you making your new album and having to promote it while being the # 1 DJ on the #1 radio show in Miami?
DJ Khaled: The work I put in is a lot of work with no sleep, and when I say no sleep, I mean no sleep. I’m on the radio everyday and on the road promoting to the studio everyday. But what people need to know about before the success is the grind because I started from the ground and I put in everything I had and I still have not got to the point where I want to be or done everything that I want yet but I’m going to.
24: With your last project you did two videos, so if the numbers are great or not will you do a third or even a fourth video?
DJ Khaled: I’m going to shoot 3 videos for this album, “Brown Paper Bag” and “I’m So Hood.”
24: What’s next in line for DJ Khaled?
DJ Khaled: I have my own radio show coming, so fans are going to be able to hear me all over the world, working with Brisco on his album along with Rick Ross, Flo Rida and Joe Crack on his new album.
24: What’s the biggest misconception you think people have about you?
DJ Khaled: That DJ Khaled is just a DJ. I do more then that. I’m a producer, A&R, Radio Jock at the #1 radio station 99Jamz and I can walk in a room with 100 people and bring a vibe & energy and I bring inspiration to people. People who don’t know me sometimes ask if I didn’t produce the beat for “We Taking Over” what did I do? I’ll tell you exactly what I did I got the beat, I got the right artist and I added my flavor to it and made that into a #1 record. A lot of people don’t understand the behind the scene factor in studios you have artist that rap and producer that makes beats and people that actually put the right artist with the right producer that allows the fans to hear these great records on the radio.
24: From your experience in the industry please give some advice to someone trying to get into the music industry.
DJ Khaled: I always tell everyone from a producer to a rapper, first get the streets hot once you do that, you’re good, every DJ is going to want to mess with you. Every producer, artist, record company is going to want to get with you. Get the streets hot and the strip clubs popping, them car’s bumping your good.
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