If you follow DJ Khaled on Snapchat, you would know he has had an amazing year so far. From his partnership with T-Mobile, signing a deal with Epic Records, and opening up for Beyoncé on the Formation World Tour, DJ Khaled has been almost inescapable. With eight albums already under his belt, he found a way to reinvent himself through the use of social media by showing us his daily life and hard work ethic on Snapchat. Day after day, DJ Khaled shows us the things “they” don’t want us to have and the “major keys” to success with cameos from his celebrity friends and his endearing fans whom he calls “fan luv.” From this spawned his new album Major Key, which like his prior albums is a collaborative effort with a who’s who in today’s music.
The album begins with the two lead “anthems” as he likes to call them, “I Got The Keys” ft. Future and Jay-Z (who most recently became DJ Khaled’s manager) and “For Free” ft. Drake, a great party track reminiscent of rap legend Too $hort’s west coast style. Khaled also has another hip-hop legend on the album in Nas with a song titled “Nas Album Done” where he raps about his “signature fade with the bevel blade.” There is also an anthem for the ladies on the album featuring Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj, August Alsina, Jeremih, and Future titled “Do You Mind.”
Other stand out tracks on the album include “Jermaine’s Interlude” ft. J.Cole and “Holy Key” ft. Big Sean and Kendrick Lamar. Both records speak on the perils of world, the state of the music industry, and recent incidents of police brutality. “Don’t Ever Play Yourself” is also sure to be a fan favorite. Not only is it one of DJ Khaled’s favorite sayings, but he has turned it into a record featuring iconic New York rappers, Jadakiss, Fabolous, Fat Joe, Busta Rhymes, and an appearance from Khaled’s new protege Kent Jones. Always one for surprising collaborations, among all the rappers on the album, Meghan Trainor shines on “Forgive Me Father” also featuring Wale and Wiz Khalifa on a song about remaining positive and living life to the best of your abilities.
The album ends with the song “Progress” by reggae artist Movado. DJ Khaled often shows his appreciation and love for reggae music in his Snapchat stories, so this was a perfect way to end the album. Like the title states, the song is about moving forward and progressing in life, staying away from people who don’t want you to succeed and those that wish bad for you.
DJ Khaled has succeeded in making an album that lets each artist shine and has created songs that bring each of his metaphors for life to fruition. In the words of DJ Khaled, “I like that, I like that.”
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DJ Khaled Has ‘The Keys’ to Success: Photo courtesy of We The Best Music Group/ Epic Records
