The past couple months DJ Khaled has been winning and using the power of Snapchat to transform himself into a megastar while promoting his latest album, ‘Major Key.’ That move proved to be a smart one as the hype has naturally continued. Liners like “did the Drake vocals get in yet?” and “you know everything is top secret” have become day-to-day language for all of us. Khaled teased the features on the album by asking his engineer Juan if the vocals were in yet. After all the top secret vocals came in, they combined to create magic for the self-proclaimed “King of the Anthems.”
The features on the album combine old school names like Jay-Z and Nas with new school superstars like Drake, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Nicki Minaj, Future and Big Sean. The combination of features shouldn’t surprise you as Khaled is known to combine artists you would never expect to be on a track together. His past records like “All I Do Is Win” featuring Rick Ross, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg and T-Pain are proof Khaled has in A&Ring records.
Khaled kicks off the album with a rare pairing of Jay-Z and Future on “I Got The Keys.” On the song Jay, which is one of my favorite rappers go retro with it as he swags out with tenacious wittiness. Many people say Hov is taking some jabs at Drake on the song and responding to “Summer Sixteen.” The bars are definitely on point and it’s exciting to see Jay dropping new material. Khaled broke down how he got Hov on the track with The Rap Radar Podcast.
“I play him the record and I’m vibing, you know, I got that eye so I’m looking to the side, I don’t want him to know I’m looking, and I see him vibing,” He told Elliot Wilson and B-Dot. “The first part is an instrumental so that’s when I’m really looking because, the great ones, that’s when they really just start going so I look and I just see him start rhyming in his head and mumbling…when the beat stopped, he’s just like, ‘Leave that for me.’”
Future comes on the song and adds that southern trap hook he’s notoriously known for.
One of my personal favorite songs on the album is “For Free” which features Drake. The funky guitar on the production make for a fun-filled track perfect for radio and clubs. Every collaboration between these two from “I’m On One” to “No New Friends” to “Fed Up,” have turned into hits. All vibes.
On “Nas Album Done,” the legend himself, Nas, spits fire bars over a sample of The Fugee’s “Fu-Gee-La.” Nas uses Khaled’s “Special Cloth Talk” lingo on the hook and drops a powerful line on his second verse where he says, “Khaled called me while I was in album mode, so I put it on hold for the ‘Major Key’/My albums done ni**as wait and see.” The line put the Internet in a frenzy as Nas’ album tease was enough for fans to start making up release dates.
Khaled gets J. Cole on the record “Jermaine’s Interlude,” which is interesting being that Cole hasn’t really dropped any material this year. Cole uses the soulful song to discuss his pain, hardships, struggles with record labels and never giving up. Ironically enough he mentions contemplating retirement, which had fans in a total uproar on Twitter.
Being on the radio everynight, I always pay close attention to songs that I can play on the Power 106 LIFTOFF. Both “Do You Mind” featuring Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, August Alsina, Jeremih, Future & Rick Ross and “Ima Be Alright” featuring Bryson Tiller & Future I can see being in rotation every night. The songs fit all the aesthetics that radio listeners look for, which are: star power, nice melodies and catchy hooks.
Khaled clearly has the anthem-making formula down to a science. He teams the hottest artists with the hottest producers in the game and puts those top secret vocals to use over the sickest beats. Be sure to cop my brother DJ Khaled’s eighth studio album, ‘Major Key’ on iTunes right now!