ALBUM ANALYSIS: GOD DID by DJ KHALED

DJ Khaled masterminded a cohesive project centered around God's faithfulness despite other people's doubts—the theme courses through almost every song on the album. 

It’s an easy listen. Fifty-seven minutes go by quickly because each song is worth at least one listen.  Since the project overflows with sonically different features, it avoids the pitfall of sounding like one monotonous song. The album brings back some of the familiar cadences from the artists I've grown to love over the years. In my opinion, it feels nostalgic yet fresh.

I WAS RELUCTANT AT FIRST...

When I initially heard that DJ Khaled had an album in the works this year, I can't say I jumped for joy. Of course, I recognize his talent, his longevity in the music industry, and his ability to make indisputable anthems. However, his riotous personality combined with my own ignorance of his role as a producer led me to categorize myself as "not a DJ Khaled fan". 

Yet, an incredible interview - which I'll discuss later - led me to listen to this album, and I am so glad I did. Hearing artists like Jay-Z, Eminem, Lil Wayne, Jadakiss, and others rap how they did during high points in their careers evoked nostalgia. Artists such as Drake, Future, Latto, Rick Ross, Lil Baby, City Girls, SZA, Lil Durk, Gunna, and more have earned their spots in my music library, making this album an all-around banger. 

During the first listen, I tried not to look at the tracklist. I wanted to enjoy the surprise of hearing an artist’s voice first slide on the beat. However, there were several moments where I deviated and just HAD to confirm whom I was listening to at that very instant. 

It must have been the affirmations Khaled was spitting because something made artists and producers get into their creative bag! A few featured artists delivered some of the best verses I've heard from them on singles in a while. Since it is a DJ Khaled album, I will venture out and say that most songs could be classified as singles. Based on the quality that was provided, I would love to hear some of these songs outside.

I noticed so much praise on this LP. I read a comment on Instagram describing how good it felt to hear something uplifting after all that's been going on the past few years. I totally agree. From the gospel inspirations to the vulnerable, optimistic lyrics of featured artists, a sense of hope permeated the air as I listened to it.

UNDERSTANDING KHALED'S ROLE IN MUSIC

For a long time, I didn't understand DJ Khaled's role because he didn't rap or sing. Eventually, I learned that he is an executive producer. But, I still didn't fully comprehend.  This album showed me how Khaled nimbly curates a perfect DJ set for listeners - rightfully earning him the first part of his name. However, instead of combining already developed songs, he invites artists to manifest the ideal songs he's crafted in his head. Seemingly obvious to some, it took me listening to 'GOD DID' to realize that. 

DJ KHALED'S INTERVIEW WITH SPEEDY MORMAN

I would be remiss if I did not mention the effect Speedy Morman's interview had on my listening experience. I wasn't a huge DJ Khaled fan, but watching their exchange pushed me to give the album a try.

Can we also acknowledge how well Speedy conducts his interviews? A true chameleon, he successfully connects with each of his guests to uncover information viewers might not normally hear. Even Khaled had to take a moment to give Speedy his flowers. 

During the interview, I found the conviction in DJ Khaled's words very compelling. Even the narration of his encounter with GOD regarding the album's title conveyed the fire in his belly.  Khaled managed to weave his main message through what seemed like random interruptions to the conversation. All of these remarks eventually returned to the same central theme.

In a way, the album accomplishes the same feat. The sporadic interjections from our favorite artists, the changing sounds, diverse rhythms and beats all fold into one thematic message:  GOD Did.

TRACKLIST HIGHLIGHTS

GOD DID ft. LIL WAYNE, JAY-Z, JOHN LEGEND, FRIDAYY

Not gonna lie, this song brought me to tears the first time I heard it. The 8-minute song exceeded my expectations. Fridayy's woeful singing over the piano set the tone for a beautifully crafted, heartening record. With destiny-affirming statements strung through verses from Rick Ross and Lil Wayne, listeners are prepped for Jay's elegant narration sprinkled with billionaire boasts. Fridayy and John Legend close out the song allowing listeners to let their minds wander on what God has done for them. It's a great piece, and I listen to it quite a bit.

USE THIS GOSPEL (REMIX) ft. KANYE WEST, EMINEM

Remixed by Dr. Dre, this song sounds refreshingly different from the original, which was featured on "JESUS IS KING". Eminem provided a faster speed and spit what I consider to be the most heartfelt bars on the entire album.  I look forward to hearing his verse every time I listen to the song.

BIG TIME ft. FUTURE, LIL BABY

This song right here!? I am glad it's on the album. There are several personas that Future raps in. The one that he brought out in this song is one of my favorites. Never lacking arrogance, he carried the hook in a slow drawl, adding his inimitable adlibs throughout the songs. Lil Baby effortlessly hopped on the beat in a fashion that made me want to hear more of him. Others must feel the same way since his verse is marked as "most replayed" on the official YouTube music video.

KEEP GOING ft. LIL DURK, 21 SAVAGE, RODDY RICCH

DURK! He came out the gate so hard! This is the Durk I love to hear. He gave us his trademark sound that's been missing on these recent singles and features. We got a taste of that energy on "Every Chance I Get", but he took it a step further on this perfect beat. Roddy Ricch on the chorus elevated the song and brought in 21 Savage's bars seamlessly. In keeping with the album's theme, almost every song mentioned God in one way or another. This is the first song that made that influence threatening, which I actually liked.

PARTY ft. QUAVO, TAKEOFF

Sampling Eddie Murphy’s “Party All the Time”, which was produced by Rick James, this song embraced an 80’s pop sound. Somehow, this era-specific vibe blended perfectly with the Migos' trademark sound. Quavo's high energy is paired with Takeoff's measured, low-pitched delivery to create this lively anthem. Despite the absence of Offset's quick, rhythmic flow, the song maintained its upbeat tempo.

BEAUTIFUL ft. FUTURE, SZA

Chills came over me when I heard SZA's voice midway through the track. Because I didn't look at the feature list for my first listen, she was a pleasant surprise. Her passionate singing made me learn the lyrics so I could sing along as earnestly as she did. Combined with Future's melodic sweet nothings, this is a quintessential toxic love song. Listen to it and tell me you don't feel like laying in a hammock on a tropical island with bae.

IT AIN’T SAFE ft. NARDO WICK, KODAK BLACK

When I heard Kodak Black's intro on top of this crazy beat -produced by Tay Keith - I already knew to add this to my list of guilty pleasures. Then, Nardo Wick hopped on with a menacing tone that contrasted Kodak's youthful pitch. This is the type of song you drive fast to.

LET'S PRAY ft. DON TOLIVER, TRAVIS SCOTT

This song is such a vibe. It's a great mix of a trap beat, Don Toliver's beautiful singing, and Travis Scott's songlike rapping. Simply put, listen to the song. It can quickly become a favorite.

THESE STREETS KNOW MY NAME ft. SKILLIBENG, BUJU BANTON, CAPLETON, BOUNTY KILLER, SIZZLA

JAMAICA DID! Period. I'm so glad Khaled included this song on the album to remind everyone that these legendary Jamaican artists still make BOPS. The intro includes a fervent recitation of Psalm 1:1 by Capleton, followed by thundering raps and Buju Banton’s haunting voice as he sang “These streets know my name". I especially appreciate how each artist switched their flows to cruise on the beat.

GRATEFUL ft. VORY

Grateful is the perfect topping to a praise-filled album. Vory sings reverently about the grace of God, despite the hardships that come along with everyday life. This song samples "Let The Blessings Flow" by YouTube worship singer, Nancy Grandquist. To sample this little-known song makes me believe that DJ Khaled was in a state of praise and worship during the creation of this album. It seems like this album was his own form of worship.

JADAKISS INTERLUDE ft. JADAKISS

The passion Jadakiss brought to this track is almost equivalent to what we saw during the Dipset and  The Lox VERZUZ show.  In fact, this song's intro uses a clip from that very show. Jadakiss shined at the VERZUZ, leaving fans and media talking about his performance for days.  But a moment like that can easily fade to the back of people’s memories. I believe Khaled put Jadakiss on the album to ensure that the moment got stamped on a track as well as on the stage.

SUMMARY

Instant replay! When the album restarted, I was excited to hear it again. There's a song for almost everyone to vibe to. 

As I stated before, Khaled's ability to curate an ideal DJ set from scratch is exceptional. The way that he masterfully leverages his relationships reveals his passion for collaboration, his expert musicality, and his desire to foster community through music. 

I'm here for it!