DJ Khaled talks new album, his love for the fans
DJ Khaled has been a popular DJ and record producer for nearly a decade, collaborating with some of the biggest names in hip-hop, but he’s best known for his SnapChat presence.
When he is not producing catchy songs, like those on his latest album, “Major Key,” Khaled is busy entertaining millions of followers from around the world via SnapChat. He provides fans with insight into his personal life on a day-to-day basis and offers his advice on how to achieve success.
CBS News caught up with the social media icon at the Bud Light Party Convention at New York City’s Playstation Theater.
You have made several albums but your most recent one, “Major Key,” has really resonated with fans. What does this album mean to you?
This one is special. I mean, all of them are special, but this one is a little more because the inspiration for this was all for my fans: fan love. They inspired me to just go all out. I already go hard, but this time I wanted to go all out, meaning I wanted to make every phone call and stay in the studio to make sure everything was perfect. From top to bottom, I wanted to put together an amazing body of work and as soon as “Major Key” came out, I saw the fans agree that I put amazing body of work out. That was the key.
You changed the key emoji for millions of people on social media. What made you want to allow fans into your life through SnapChat?
I mean, it’s just me being me. I wanted to let my fans get to know me more besides what they know from my hit records and my albums. I’m letting them know who I am behind the scenes, and even in my crib and into my daily routine. And that is inspiring because while I’m inspiring the world, I’m really inspiring myself; so basically we are inspiring each other. And it’s going to give them the keys that I never got. People hid them from me so I’m now going to give them the keys to success from my perspective. You know and just keep winning.
Do you have fans approaching you all the time shouting some of your own quotes and sayings?
Yeah, fans love it. It’s like I know all my fans and my fans know me. It’s like everywhere I go all they gotta say is “fan love” or “hilly” or something and I just know they are part of the team you know.