Rhap Session: DJ Khaled

On DJs getting more national exposure
"DJs have always been stars, but now I'm opening the door even more. It's one thing to play music, it's another thing breakin' music. I was the first DJ ever on that '106 & Park' couch. So I delivered a huge video for 'We Takin' Over.' We spent a lotta money and I told the director Gil Green that my favorite videos were [The Notorious B.I.G.'s] 'Hypnotize,' Nas' 'Hate Me Now' and Biggie's 'Victory.' We put all them elements into one video. [We spent] like $600,000. In the 'driving backwards' scene I didn't just drive backwards, we was on the highway and stopped traffic. Now DJs gotta come out and become artists. Some of them may not have the capabilities to become an artist, but they can still A&R albums or produce. I always tell every DJ, especially in radio, to have a plan B ready."

On the Miami hip-hop scene
"When I first moved to Miami, you had DJ Uncle Al, Luke and Trick Daddy. Uncle Al was a ghetto star. You know how Fatman Scoop makes records? He did it like that over bass and some gangsta stuff, too. But he passed away in 2001. Before the world got him, I helped break Trick in Miami. 'Nann Nigga' was maybe his first single, but before that he had other records. His presence in Miami was big. He was so 'hood that we all loved him. We got different sounds, but [cocaine synths] definitely is one of our sounds 'cause we got the Port of Miami and the 'hood over there. Miami had a lotta drugs, so these guys are just talkin' about what they know."

On breaking into radio
"At first underground [radio] was the biggest thing, 'cause at that time they didn't play hip-hop like that. Other stations were playing more R&B. My station, Mix 96 or 'The Underground,' was in an apartment and [it was] the one that I got a lot of my relationships off. Trick Daddy broke off 'The Underground.' My show was every day from like two to six, but I used to be on there until four in the morning and wouldn't stop. Sometimes I would go 24 hours. I used to sleep in the place. I had Wyclef, KRS-One, Fat Joe, Big Pun, Cam'ron and the Sporty Thievz. Back in them days everybody came through. Then Luke had a show on Power 99 Jamz. That was the first change on major radio and he asked me to host with him as DJ, so that's when it started gettin' crazy."

On Miami's breakthrough
"[2006] was one of the biggest years for Miami. I was buildin' my movement, Rick Ross and Cool & Dre were doin' their thing. We are like best friends now, but when I first met [Ross] we ain't like each other 'cause I told him his music wasn't all that. He was lyrical and dope, but he was rappin' to the wrong beats. He made a freestyle back in the day dissing me, but it never got out. That's how we built our relationship, by me keepin' it real with him. I came by myself and he had about a hundred n*gg*s with him. We ended up talking and I was explaining the business to him. And from that day on he's always been humble and working. He was quiet for like five years and used to write for a lot of people. Then outta nowhere E-Class gave me 'Hustlin'.' I was already workin' on my album. So I dropped 'Holla at Me' and put him on there. Dre had 'Chevy Ridin' High' with Ross at the same time. So Miami was feelin' big. Then 'Born N Raised' came out. I don't know how everybody felt outta town, but in Miami it was like, four records at the same time? Wow, this our city. So it unified us and the music was so incredible."

On crowning the King of Miami
"I wanted to pay homage to Luke because a lotta people didn't pay homage. So I had to crown him one time [in the 'Born N Raised' video]. A lotta people got mixed feelings about him, but he helped me out a lot. He opened the doors for Miami, period. He had Trick Daddy, JT Money and Pitbull signed at one time and got them in the studio recording. That's our Afrika Bambaataa."

On Miami hip-hop's future
"The movement in Miami is gonna be even bigger this year. Ross is gonna drop [sophomore album] Trilla. [Labels] call me every day like, 'Who's hot?' Plies is from Fort Myers and he's hot in Miami now. He's got that record with T-Pain, 'Shawty.' He's on my album, too. He did a song with Trick Daddy, 'Tuck Ya Ice (Remix)' and 'Duck Down' with Biggie and Trick."

On managing The Runners
"DJ Nasty discovered The Runners. Nasty's my brother from Orlando. I helped him shop beats for The Runners. Then I was like, 'Yo, we should manage them.' Every big manager was trying to manage them. Nasty and I sat down with The Runners and they was all for it. Now they did five songs with R. Kelly. More music from Rick Ross. They working with Mariah Carey and Keyshia Cole. They did three tracks with T.I. and joints with Fat Joe, Cassidy, Britney Spears and [Pussycat Doll] Nicole Scherzinger. Their music speaks for itself, but the team is so powerful. I want them to be rich."

On his creative process as a producer
"I do my drums first, and then sometimes I come in with the melody and strings to get a warm feel and then I start coming in with the chopping sounds, the horns and the hi-hats moving fast to slow and certain drop-outs. My strong point is the dramatic sound. My sh*t sounds like a movie score, real big and theatrical. The intro and the chorus are so important because those are the things that people remember. Cool & Dre and The Runners make so much sh*t, they get me hype and I go home and make sh*t. They're like the new Timbaland. They don't sound like Timberland, but I'm sayin' that Timbaland was that n*gg* that was always here and everybody was there. That's how The Runners are. Dre writes great hooks. After working with an artist he just knows what to give an artist. He can transform in any mode, from R&B to hip-hop to soul. I learned to be versatile from him."

On making albums
"My album has gotta sound big. Some records will make you go crazy and some will touch your heart, but every record just sounds real big. 'Born N Raised' was huge in Miami and it's got the same tempo as 'Hustlin'.' It got that bounce. [For my albums] I pick the beats that I love and feel that other people would love. Then I'll sit and figure out which artist I'm gonna put on it. For album cuts, I like street records where you're in your car and wanna smoke out to it. For my singles, I like club songs 'cause you win in the club and on the radio. Danja is a friend of mine and I seen him come up. I reached out to him for 'We Takin' Over' knowing what kind of record I wanted. One time Ross did a freestyle over [Nelly Furtado's] 'Promiscuous' and it was so crazy I was like, damn, that's how I wanna make my record. I told Danja I wanted a big record like 'Promiscuous,' but add some thug-life to it."

On the mixtape game
"I'm sure [DJ Drama's arrest] woke everybody up 'cause nobody wants to get that kind of publicity. But the DJ ain't a criminal. Some labels have clearance forms for a mixtape that they're promoting so it won't go into a situation like that. But we from the streets so we put tapes out for listening pleasure. We ain't gonna do all that bullsh*t to listen to music. Rules and regulations ain't gonna stop mixtapes, ever. It's impossible. But I don't put no mixtapes out. I drop albums. I'll host a mixtape. If someone asks me to use my voice, you'll get permission from me. I'm clearin' myself."