In a recent interview as the latest Rolling Stone cover star, DJ Khaled candidly discussed his financial challenges during the mid-2010s, revealing that he was on the brink of losing his home.
The music mogul, known for his motivational speeches and music success, disclosed a rare glimpse into his personal life in the interview. He admitted that around 2015, he was “hustling not smart” before finding success with his Snapchat activities and his chart-topping album, Major Key, the following year.
While DJ Khaled is now thriving in his business ventures, there was a time when the hitmaker of “God Did” had to struggle to come up with a substantial rent payment to retain his Miami mansion. He had invested a significant portion of his capital into his We The Best company.
“I remember I had like a month to come up with this [large] amount of money. I kept saying, ‘There’s no way in the world that we worked this much this far and we don’t have anything to show for it.’ I changed that right away,” he recalled.
He added, “I was like, ‘Yo, if I want a family, I got to get my stuff right.’ And I gambled on myself. I always bet on myself from day one. But I tripled down that day.”
Despite his tremendous success, DJ Khaled underplays the role of analytics in his creative decisions, emphasizing that he relies on his instincts.
“You got people that work behind these desks, they hide behind their desks, and they’re not even in the field,” he explained. “If you’re not in the field, how are you going to feel something? Some people work off of analytics. I work off of heart, blood, sweat, and tears.”
In another part of the interview, Khaled clarified the meaning behind the title of his upcoming album, “Til Next Time.” He assured fans that it doesn’t mean he’s retiring.
“I’m treating it like it’s my last album. But it’s not a goodbye,” he said. “You’re going to start seeing and hearing about all these new things that I’m doing. I’m going to be doing more TV and film. We’re taking over the TV and film.
“That’s what ‘Til Next Time’ is — it’s like, I’m going to give you an incredible album, but also while I’m giving you that incredible album, you’re going to see all these big new moves that I’m doing and new categories that we’re going to take over.”
Written by:
Dana Sterling-Editor
