The album cover of 'Khaled Khaled' by DJ Khaled is projected on the InterContinental Dubai Festival City.
The album cover of 'Khaled Khaled' by DJ Khaled is projected on the InterContinental Dubai Festival City.
The album cover of 'Khaled Khaled' by DJ Khaled is projected on the InterContinental Dubai Festival City.
The album cover of 'Khaled Khaled' by DJ Khaled is projected on the InterContinental Dubai Festival City.

DJ Khaled’s new album cover projected onto Dubai Festival City hotel


Saeed Saeed
  • English
  • Arabic

DJ Khaled's name is up in lights in Dubai.

To celebrate the release of the newly released Khaled Khaled, the album's cover, showing the Palestinian-American hip-hop star on his knees in prayer besides his two sons, will be projected onto the InterContinental Dubai Festival City until Saturday.

A representative from Sony Music Middle East confirmed plans for one of the new tracks to feature in Imagine, Dubai Festival City Mall's water fountain show, during the Eid break.

The Dubai projection is part of a global marketing campaign for one of this year’s biggest hip-hop albums, which includes a billboard of the album cover in DJ Khaled's home city of Miami.

His industry clout is also reflected in the music; collaborators read like a who’s who list in the hip-hop and pop worlds.

Guest artists include Jay-Z, Nas, Drake, Megan Thee Stallion, HER, Post Malone and Justin Bieber.

Such diverse names allow DJ Khaled, born Khaled Mohamed Khaled, to drop bangers for both radio and the streets.

This was demonstrated with the twin release of the gospel-tinged Thankful with RnB crooner Jeremih and rapper Lil Wayne and Sorry, Not Sorry, a monumental hip-hop track featuring former bitter rivals turned moguls Jay-Z and Nas.

With 14 tracks featuring nearly two dozen stars, expect the We the Best artist to dominate the airwaves and streaming platforms this summer.

A shout out to the Middle East

This is not the first time the region got involved in a DJ Khaled’s campaign.

For the release of 2019's Father of Asahd, he recorded a video in the midst of private jet paying tribute to his Middle Eastern heritage and fans.

“This is DJ Khaled and big up to the Middle East,” he began.

“You know I am Palestinian. That’s right, Palestinian. My mother is from Ramallah and father is from Mazra'a ash-Sharqiya. Big up Jerusalem.

"My album is available right now and it is called Father of Asahd. Abu Asahd (Father of Asahd in Arabic). Middle East, this one is for us."

Khaled, 45, was born in New Orleans to Palestinian parents who immigrated to the US.

He got his foot in the industry through his DJ work and hosting gigs on radio.

One of the first monikers Khaled used was Arab Attack, a name he dropped after the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001.

Not long after, he returned with the name DJ Khaled and has been a chart-topping success ever since.

He is one of number of Arab hip-hop producers making waves in the industry.

They include Drake's right hand man, the Lebanese-Canadian Noah Shebib, and Snoop Dogg collaborator, Farid Nassar, the Palestinian-American known by the moniker Fredwreck.

Command%20Z
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3ESteven%20Soderbergh%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EMichael%20Cera%2C%20Liev%20Schreiber%2C%20Chloe%20Radcliffe%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A03%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

WHAT%20ARE%20THE%20PRODUCTS%20WITHIN%20THE%20THREE%20MAJOR%20CATEGORIES%3F
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAdvanced%20materials%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20specifically%20engineered%20to%20exhibit%20novel%20or%20enhanced%20properties%2C%20that%20confer%20superior%20performance%20relative%20to%20conventional%20materials%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAdvanced%20components%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20includes%20semiconductor%20components%2C%20such%20as%20microprocessors%20and%20other%20computer%20chips%2C%20and%20computer%20vision%20components%20such%20as%20lenses%20and%20image%20sensors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAdvanced%20products%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20includes%20personal%20electronics%2C%20smart%20home%20devices%20and%20space%20technologies%2C%20along%20with%20industry-enabling%20products%20such%20as%20robots%2C%203D%20printing%20equipment%20and%20exoskeletons%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3ESource%3A%20Strategy%26amp%3B%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
SECRET%20INVASION
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ali%20Selim%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Samuel%20L%20Jackson%2C%20Olivia%20Coleman%2C%20Kingsley%20Ben-Adir%2C%20Emilia%20Clarke%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo

Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic

Power: 242bhp

Torque: 370Nm

Price: Dh136,814