Terror Squad’s DJ Khaled has been working tirelessly to make a name for himself in the Hip-Hop culture. Whether deejaying or producing, the man’s been on his grind since the early 90’s. Khaled‘s got his own radio show, a new partnership with battlerap.com, and a new album with many of today’s most notable rappers.
Recently, the DJ took some time out to speak with DX about a slew of topics including beef with 50 Cent and Cuban Link, being Arab American, remembering Big Pun and what it means to be a part of Terror Squad. Read on for the details...
What would be your best advice for up-and-coming artists trying to join battlerap.com’s contest?
My advice is to have your game on point, man because there’s a lot of money on the line and at stake. At the same time, a lot of peoples’ listening to see who’s going to win these things to get future record deals and contracts out, you know what I mean? Basically, just be real hungry and have that winning attitude.
Your new album’s on its way right? What’s going on with that?
June 6 is DJ Khaled’s album. It’s called Listennnn… and it’s crazy. I got a hit single out right now. I’m shooting the video March 19 with Lil’ Wayne on it. Paul Wall, Fat Joe, Rick Ross, Pitbull and the track’s produced by Cool & Dre/Myself DJ Khlaed-Beat Novocain. The album contains nothin’ but fire, man. It’s going to be crazy. Y’all are gonna really love it.
Being Arab American and so prominent in the Hip-Hop community, what was it like growing up? What has that experience been like as you got older?
Um, it’s beautiful, man. I rep my people. I rep my culture and you know I rep America and I rep my people everywhere. I live a great life, man. I never had no problems and I get love everywhere.
Your alliance with Terror Squad is evident and I read somewhere that Fat Joe is your best friend. How involved were with the whole 50-beef and what was it like around that time for the camp?
Any beef that Joe’s involved, I’m involved. And any beef I got, Joe’s involved too. And we’re not looking for beef. I’m just sayin’ someone messes with Joe, they mess with me. Someone messes with me, they mess with Joe. Someone messes with Terror Squad, they mess with me and Joe. So, I don’t know how to explain it. Like them guys-they start acting crazy and they not on my mind. They not on my radar, you know what I‘m sayin’? They definitely not on my radar. They not on Joe’s radar. We make great music and we got a lot of fans and a lot of support. And I promote nothing but positive movements, so I’m not into the violence but at the same time-nobody here is pussy, either. You know?
It’s one thing for an outsider like 50 to dis members of your crew, but what is your group’s stance on Cuban Link who used to be part of TS but left? He had some pretty harsh things to say there...
What do you mean? He had hard things to say where?
He was dissin’ Fat Joe on a few mix tapes and...
Obviously, nobody’s even heard about it. So, that should just answer your question right there. But like I said, I’m not here to promote negative shit but like, I can’t speak for other people. All I can say is that I’m Terror Squad and I’m proud of it. And anybody that hates on Terror Squad, tell them to have a nice day.
You killin’ em with kindness?
None of them guys are on our radar, you know what I’m saying? You don’t see Khaled talking about it. You don’t see Joe talking about it. You see these guys talking about it so obviously they live off of that. We trying to do big things and give to the community and drop an album and have fun, swimming in blue waters!
Now, what are the next projects coming out for Terror Squad?
Remy got her album out. I’m droppin’ mine June 6. Tony Sunshine is finishing up his album. Fat Joe is in the studio right now working on his solo album. It’s coming out incredible. I did like two tracks on that album. Dre from Cool & Dre is dropping his album. I produced his next single coming out with Keyshia Cole on it. It’s going to be real big. And I know Joe signed a Reggaeton artists. He’s working with him. We doing a lot of things, you know what I’m sayin’? Joe’s doing movies, TV shows, and me I got my radio show with KFOX, DJ Khaled KFOX 6-11, Monday-Friday. #1 radio show doing double digit numbers. You know? We hurtin’ em!
You’ve done a lot of projects with a variety of artists? Who is the best to work with and who is the worst to work with? You can air ‘em out here...
The best to work with was Fat Joe, Big Pun, Wyclef, Lil Wayne, I love working with Lil Wayne, he’s my favorite rapper right now. Lil Wayne is dope. Rick Ross is fun to work with. He’s incredible. Somebody I didn’t enjoy to work with? Ah, I never really had that problem because a lot of people love my energy. They let me do what I gotta do. You know? So, I never really had that problem.
You talked about Pun. Are there any plans to release a posthumous Pun album
like they’ve done with the Biggie and Pac?
I know Joe really doesn’t like to exploit his best friend like that, you know what I’m sayin’? He passed away and we gon’ keep his name alive. That I know of, they’re not trying to put an album out to make money or stuff like that cause it don’t make sense. You know what I’m sayin’? Let the man be in peace, you know?
Can you shed light on some experiences with Pun or your fondest memories
Yeah...The Yeeah Baby album. When we has working on it, he came to Miami and he picked me up and we all went to Wet Willy’s and we had a big van and he was lettin’ me listen to his album and we had the doors open and everybody surrounded the van. They loved Pun so much. He was asking about my opinion on songs and I felt real good that he let me listen to his album and let me vibe with him. We brothers you know what I'm sayin’? But at the same time, Pun was the best. And then, watching him work was incredible because he was just so talented, man. He’d go in the booth and just spit flames. And when he performed, it’s amazing, man because the people loved that dude, you know? He was a funny dude, man...He was mad funny.
Any last thoughts to the readers on DX?
DJ Khaled album on June 6. Battlerap.com, Beat Novocain all in there. Log onto battlerap.com it’s going to be incredible. Matter of fact, we gon’ make history with that. It’s goin’ be so phenomenal and so incredible and so nice.
Recently, the DJ took some time out to speak with DX about a slew of topics including beef with 50 Cent and Cuban Link, being Arab American, remembering Big Pun and what it means to be a part of Terror Squad. Read on for the details...
What would be your best advice for up-and-coming artists trying to join battlerap.com’s contest?
My advice is to have your game on point, man because there’s a lot of money on the line and at stake. At the same time, a lot of peoples’ listening to see who’s going to win these things to get future record deals and contracts out, you know what I mean? Basically, just be real hungry and have that winning attitude.
Your new album’s on its way right? What’s going on with that?
June 6 is DJ Khaled’s album. It’s called Listennnn… and it’s crazy. I got a hit single out right now. I’m shooting the video March 19 with Lil’ Wayne on it. Paul Wall, Fat Joe, Rick Ross, Pitbull and the track’s produced by Cool & Dre/Myself DJ Khlaed-Beat Novocain. The album contains nothin’ but fire, man. It’s going to be crazy. Y’all are gonna really love it.
Being Arab American and so prominent in the Hip-Hop community, what was it like growing up? What has that experience been like as you got older?
Um, it’s beautiful, man. I rep my people. I rep my culture and you know I rep America and I rep my people everywhere. I live a great life, man. I never had no problems and I get love everywhere.
Your alliance with Terror Squad is evident and I read somewhere that Fat Joe is your best friend. How involved were with the whole 50-beef and what was it like around that time for the camp?
Any beef that Joe’s involved, I’m involved. And any beef I got, Joe’s involved too. And we’re not looking for beef. I’m just sayin’ someone messes with Joe, they mess with me. Someone messes with me, they mess with Joe. Someone messes with Terror Squad, they mess with me and Joe. So, I don’t know how to explain it. Like them guys-they start acting crazy and they not on my mind. They not on my radar, you know what I‘m sayin’? They definitely not on my radar. They not on Joe’s radar. We make great music and we got a lot of fans and a lot of support. And I promote nothing but positive movements, so I’m not into the violence but at the same time-nobody here is pussy, either. You know?
It’s one thing for an outsider like 50 to dis members of your crew, but what is your group’s stance on Cuban Link who used to be part of TS but left? He had some pretty harsh things to say there...
What do you mean? He had hard things to say where?
He was dissin’ Fat Joe on a few mix tapes and...
Obviously, nobody’s even heard about it. So, that should just answer your question right there. But like I said, I’m not here to promote negative shit but like, I can’t speak for other people. All I can say is that I’m Terror Squad and I’m proud of it. And anybody that hates on Terror Squad, tell them to have a nice day.
You killin’ em with kindness?
None of them guys are on our radar, you know what I’m saying? You don’t see Khaled talking about it. You don’t see Joe talking about it. You see these guys talking about it so obviously they live off of that. We trying to do big things and give to the community and drop an album and have fun, swimming in blue waters!
Now, what are the next projects coming out for Terror Squad?
Remy got her album out. I’m droppin’ mine June 6. Tony Sunshine is finishing up his album. Fat Joe is in the studio right now working on his solo album. It’s coming out incredible. I did like two tracks on that album. Dre from Cool & Dre is dropping his album. I produced his next single coming out with Keyshia Cole on it. It’s going to be real big. And I know Joe signed a Reggaeton artists. He’s working with him. We doing a lot of things, you know what I’m sayin’? Joe’s doing movies, TV shows, and me I got my radio show with KFOX, DJ Khaled KFOX 6-11, Monday-Friday. #1 radio show doing double digit numbers. You know? We hurtin’ em!
You’ve done a lot of projects with a variety of artists? Who is the best to work with and who is the worst to work with? You can air ‘em out here...
The best to work with was Fat Joe, Big Pun, Wyclef, Lil Wayne, I love working with Lil Wayne, he’s my favorite rapper right now. Lil Wayne is dope. Rick Ross is fun to work with. He’s incredible. Somebody I didn’t enjoy to work with? Ah, I never really had that problem because a lot of people love my energy. They let me do what I gotta do. You know? So, I never really had that problem.
You talked about Pun. Are there any plans to release a posthumous Pun album
like they’ve done with the Biggie and Pac?
I know Joe really doesn’t like to exploit his best friend like that, you know what I’m sayin’? He passed away and we gon’ keep his name alive. That I know of, they’re not trying to put an album out to make money or stuff like that cause it don’t make sense. You know what I’m sayin’? Let the man be in peace, you know?
Can you shed light on some experiences with Pun or your fondest memories
Yeah...The Yeeah Baby album. When we has working on it, he came to Miami and he picked me up and we all went to Wet Willy’s and we had a big van and he was lettin’ me listen to his album and we had the doors open and everybody surrounded the van. They loved Pun so much. He was asking about my opinion on songs and I felt real good that he let me listen to his album and let me vibe with him. We brothers you know what I'm sayin’? But at the same time, Pun was the best. And then, watching him work was incredible because he was just so talented, man. He’d go in the booth and just spit flames. And when he performed, it’s amazing, man because the people loved that dude, you know? He was a funny dude, man...He was mad funny.
Any last thoughts to the readers on DX?
DJ Khaled album on June 6. Battlerap.com, Beat Novocain all in there. Log onto battlerap.com it’s going to be incredible. Matter of fact, we gon’ make history with that. It’s goin’ be so phenomenal and so incredible and so nice.
