It’s become almost mandatory that every rapper, DJ and so forth claim that he or she is the best in their field. But when making it a slogan for your team or set, that’s when the naysayers will multiply in abundance. Just ask Miami DJ Khaled, whose continuous hollering of ‘We The Best’ has put him under the firing line by many. But for every doubter, there’s an abundance of supporters, including some heavyweight talent which goes from Miami all the way to NYC. So how will an album fare from a DJ who (fortunately) does very little rapping? This is the question that We The Best Forever will hope to answer.
Khaled’s project unsurprisingly opens with a grand offering – coming in the form of the middle finger to the world anthem ‘I’m On One.’ With an all-star cast of Lil Wayne, Rick Ross and an inspired Drake, the level is raised from early on We The Best Forever.
Following on from that is another heavyweight encounter, ‘Welcome To My Hood,’ where again the stellar cast of Rick Ross, Plies, T-Pain and Lil Wayne demolish their verses. Horrifically however, Khaled himself steps into the booth on the remix – but fortunately his bars do little to deter the role the album’s already heated opening. A theme of arrogance, bravado and male testosterone engulfs WTBF.
Steering the Miami DJs ship of money, sex and power are a range of hood favourites and superstar performers, providing numerous hit and miss moments. Serving a reminder of why he remains one of the most consistent rappers of the last decade, Ludacris steals the thunder from Jeezy on ‘Money’ with an onslaught of trademark barbs and wit.
The DJ rolls out the red carpet to welcome on hand Hip Hop royalty, with Mary J Blige adding some R&B class to ‘It Ain’t Over Till Its Over,’ a fairly good reworking of Biggie Smalls‘ ‘B.I.G’, whilst the serial show stealer Busta Rhymes again takes the plaudits on ‘Sleep When I’m Gone Money,’ which also enrolls the wails of Cee Lo Green and the gravelly tones of Game.
As expected, We The Best Forever comes with the bragging and thugging on record as well as the straight up ignorant, with the Ace Hood and Waka Flocka Flame infested ‘I’m Thuggin’ producing the most mind-numbing moment. Khaled’s album, when steering away from the muscle flexing, mean mugging material, does provides some decent, more refined offerings than the usual barks. Akon and B.O.B change the mood on ’My Life’ whilst the YMCM youngsters take on an urban disco-like vibe on ‘A Million Lights.’
With lyrical cliches, beats to shake the neighbourhood and an excitable DJ making himself known at every given moment, Khaled proves to be ‘the’ current DJ of the moment. Having found the formula for conducting the material to get the clubs maniacal, We The Best Forever is a satisfactory compilation of hood rappers and mainstream favourites; steamrolling through potential hits and already established favourites. Definitely a record in which its lifespan will last until the next summer, for the time being, fans can take comfort in the DJ providing an imposing score for the hoods and clubs worldwide.
DJ Khaled – We The Best Forever
Released: July 15, 2011
Label: Cash Money Records
Buy: iTunes UK / iTunes US / Amazon UK / Amazon US