Best of 2008: DJ Khaled

Why your single deserves to be on year-end best lists
My album is definitely classic, and also I put out two big singles, “Out There Grindin” and “Go Hard” with Kanye West and T-Pain. Those two records represent the ‘hood and the streets at the same time and they’re anthems. I put the best collaborations together and I rep the average person out there. I definitely feel I should be on that list because the people want it. I wouldn’t say [I’m disappointed that “Out Here Grindin’’ didn’t achieve the same success as "We Takin’ Over"]. I think it definitely achieved some success, but “We Takin’ Over” is a special record. You can’t duplicate a record like that. “Out Here Grindin” got the same on the charts as “We Takin’ Over.” It was a top 10 record on the charts. So, it had the same impact chart-wise. “I’m So Hood” was actually bigger. “I’m So Hood” was number three, so they always topping the charts. That’s not the question.

Proudest achievement
Dropping new artist Ace Hood on my label, Def Jam. That’s a huge achievement to actually have an album come out for a new artist, and to have it come out of my label. [Breaking an artist is] the toughest thing in the world and that’s why I feel so proud that we dropped Ace’s album and got nothing but great feedback. We had an in-store and 600 people were at the in store. It’s not about how much you’re going to sell your first time, it’s about how are you going to break a new artist and continue to make more albums. If you notice all our big superstars that we love have over five albums. Now [Ace is] accepted in the game, so now we’re going to make plenty more albums. That’s the key right there. The hardest part of breaking Ace Hood is people not from Florida or out of town getting to know him as fast as we wanted them to get to know him. When you have an album date, you have a timeline. It’s a hard journey because you’re going against big records like T-Pain, T.I., Beyonce, Rihanna, Jeezy and Lil Wayne. Radio stations only have certain amounts of slots that they can put a new record in and everybody has the record. So, to break the barriers, to get your record played, that’s the challenge. I’m so proud of my brother because he just dropped the album and I feel real good about it. He’s in the game and we’re going to make 10 albums with Ace Hood.

Most expensive purchase
Investing probably a million dollars back into my company to promote Ace Hood and DJ Khaled albums. I’m going to be real with you, a million on Ace Hood and a million on Khaled, so you would have to say $2 million. Part of it was the record company’s money, but it takes about a million dollars to put an album out with promotion, street promotion, making videos and staff.

One cutback due to the recession
Actually, I haven’t cut back on anything and maybe that’s the problem. [Laughs.] I don’t want to cut back because I feel like it motivates me to go harder.

Biggest disappointment
That we lost some soldiers. We lost Shakir Stewart and a friend of mine, Toro, a Miami artist.  Losing a great artist is sad. Shakir was one of the guys who gave me my label deal [at Def Jam] and he was a good friend of mine. Brothers work so hard to get where they’re at and they’re not here. [Shakir] loved Ace Hood and he gave me the opportunity to put Ace out, so it’s kind of f*cked up. But we love him, so we gonna keep reppin’ him.

Favorite album
Ace Hood and DJ Khaled. The DJ Khaled album [We Global] is just a full of classics: your favorite emcees on there, great production and anthems. Ace Hood is singing the words of the future; from the verse, that n*gg* talkin’ about the best. You’re going to see how much of a classic his first album is. You know how people are like -- a new artist drops their first album and you love it, and then they make four more and you realize how much their first album is a classic.

Hottest verse
“Go Hard.” Kanye really went in. Not just because it was my record, he’s just talking that sh*t on there.

Favorite rapper
Lil Wayne keeps doing hits and gets better and better and better. He’s the best in the game. I love  “I’m Me.” That record motivates me. The beat is hard and Wayne’s just kickin’ that sh*t. Then Tha Carter III came out and I love every song on there.

Favorite song to hear in the club
“Out Here Grindin’.” That sh*t is the anthem. You got the whole club singing the hook and you got the whole club singing, “W-E-T-H-E-B-E-S-T, DJ Khaled, that’s me.” Lil Boosie did that part and it’s just big.

Favorite producer
The Runners. I think they got the biggest sound out there right now.

Favorite new artist
Ain’t no other new rapper out there that’s bigger than Ace Hood.

Favorite website
Worldstarhiphop.com. They put those videos up there and it keeps you in tune to what’s going on in the music game, and then they have some crazy sh*t on there, it’s just crazy. They’re the most on-point site. You can tell those guys work 24 hours around the clock.