DJ Khaled
Biography
Khaled Mohamed Khaled, known professionally as DJ Khaled, is an American DJ, record producer, and music executive. He was born on November 26, 1975, in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Palestinian immigrant parents. His parents were musicians who played Arabic music, and they supported his early interest in rap and soul music. In his youth, he worked in a local record store, which fueled his passion for music.
Career Beginnings
DJ Khaled's career began in the 1990s as a radio host for the Miami station 99 Jamz. He gained popularity and transitioned to working with the hip-hop collective Terror Squad as a DJ for their live performances. This experience allowed him to build connections within the music industry, meeting artists like Birdman and Lil Wayne in his early days.
Rise to Stardom
In 2006, DJ Khaled released his debut studio album, "Listennn... the Album," via Koch Records. The album featured numerous high-profile artists and premiered at number 12 on the Billboard 200 chart. This marked the beginning of his successful formula of creating star-studded anthems. His second album, "We the Best" (2007), included the hit single "I'm So Hood." He continued to release a string of successful albums, including "We Global" (2008) and "Victory" (2010).
Major Label Success
Khaled's fifth album, "We the Best Forever" (2011), was his major-label debut and brought him mainstream prominence with the top-ten single "I'm on One," featuring Drake, Rick Ross, and Lil Wayne. He achieved further success with albums like "Major Key" (2016), "Grateful" (2017), "Father of Asahd" (2019), "Khaled Khaled" (2021), and "God Did" (2022), with several of them debuting at number one on the Billboard 200. His single "I'm the One," from the album "Grateful," became his first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100. Throughout his career, he has sold over 75 million records.
Business Ventures
Beyond his work as an artist and producer, DJ Khaled is a savvy entrepreneur. In 2008, he founded his own record label, We the Best Music Group. The label has released his own music and signed artists like Ace Hood and Kent Jones. He is also a published author, with his book "The Keys" becoming a New York Times Best Seller. Khaled has engaged in numerous endorsement deals with brands such as Apple Music, Ciroc, and Weight Watchers. Additionally, he has ventured into acting, appearing in films like "Bad Boys for Life" (2020) and "Spies in Disguise" (2019).
Personal Life
DJ Khaled is married to Nicole Tuck. They have two sons, Asahd Tuck Khaled, born in 2016, and Aalam Tuck Khaled, born in 2020. He is known for sharing his family life on social media, particularly his journey as a father. Khaled gained significant media attention for live-streaming the birth of his first son on Snapchat.