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.
