DJ Khaled Album: “We the Best [Bonus Track]”

I was introduced to DJ Khaled when I looked in the liner notes of the CD that he released last year entitled "Listenn! The Album". It was there when I found out that he was also known as Beat Novacane, who produced tracks on various Fat Joe releases. "Listenn! The Album" was basically a mixtape that DJ Khaled released through Koch Records. However, he only produced 3 out of 17 tracks and one of those were the "Intro". The CD was driven by the lead single, "Holla At Me Baby" which featured Lil Wayne, Paul Wall, Rick Ross, Fat Joe & Pitbull, "Problem" which featured Beanie Sigel and Jadakiss and was one of the tracks that DJ Khaled actually produced, "Grammy Family" which featured Kanye West, Consequence and John Legend and "Born And Raised" which featured Trick Daddy, Rick Ross & Pitbull. There were other tracks that you could listen to other than these 4, but they just weren't as memorable or you had tracks where the artists were good artists they just didn't bring their "A" game to the tracks.

In January, yeah that's right, January I heard the track "We Takin' Over". It featured TI, Akon, Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Birdman and Lil Wayne. All of these artists, with the exception of Akon, were featured on Fat Joe's remix to "Make It Rain", so that is probably right around the same time when they made this track. Danja, who has co-produced pretty much anything Timbaland has worked on lately, produced the track which will still end up being the rap track for the summer unless you want to pop, lock and drop it for 3 months.

DJ Khaled's 2nd CD is entitled "We The Best" but it's pretty much "Listenn! The Album Volume 2". You get the same artists: Rick Ross, who delivers a decent intro this time around, Trick Daddy, Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Trina, Styles P., Young Jeezy and Bun B, who were all featured on "Listenn!". The only person missing is Pitbull who was featured on atleast 2 tracks last time around. The 2nd best track is "Brown Paper Bag" which features Young Jeezy, Juelz Santana, Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Lil Wayne and Dre of Cool & Dre. The track would be better if it wasn't for someone squealing "Broooown Paper Baaaag" on the hook (Tony Sunshine). I am not sure whose idea that was but they should have reconsidered their thoughts if they thought that was a nice hook. However, the Cool & Dre production and the artists' chemistry on the track will make you forget about the hook. "Before The Solution" features Beanie Sigel and is 1 of the 2 tracks that DJ Khaled produces on "We The Best". The other track is the Rick Ross featured "Intro". "Before The Solution" has Beanie Sigel bringing up several events like Jay-Z not showing up to visit him in prison, what's up with State Property, etc. The only problem is that Beanie is not talking about the topics 100% because he is supposedly saving the rest of the details for his new CD, "The Solution", like it's a sneak preview or something. The track is nice and so are Beanie's lyrics, you just will wish that Beanie presented everything in a different format. "I'm So Hood" features Trick Daddy, Rick Ross, T-Pain and Plies, who I originally heard on a track with Trick Daddy entitled "Duck Down" and who currently has the MTV Jam of the week with "Shawty", a track that features Plies with T-Pain on the hook. "I'm So Hood" is definitely in the top 5 on "We The Best" as all of the artists give good performances on the track from The Runners and T-Pain actually brings flavor from the track because he isn't in love with a stripper. "B**** I'm From Dade County" features Trick Daddy, Trina, Rick Ross, Dre from Cool & Dre, Brisco, Flo rida and C-Ride. The track samples 2 lines that Trick Daddy had on "Born And Raised" and is actually a tight song. If it had been cut down by 2 minutes the track would have even been better. The Runners also produce "Hit Them Up" which features Bun-B, who definitely has a nice verse and Paul Wall. Bun B and his partner Pimp C (UGK) also has one of the best songs out right now with Outkast with the "International Player's Anthem".

There are other tracks that are worth listening to like "New York" which features Jadakiss, Fat Joe and Ja-Rule, yes that Ja-Rule and the bonus track "No Hook" which features Styles P., Cassidy, Jim Jones and Rob Cash and even Shareefa, who was a "Boss" and ready to not "Cry No More" earlier this year, represents on the bonus track, "The Streets", which also features Willie Northpole.

However, there are some tracks that you'll be trying to figure out or wonder to yourself Why? as well. First we have "I'm From The Ghetto" which features The Game, Jadakiss, Trick Daddy and I'll assume Tony Sunshine on a Cool & Dre track. The lyrics aren't that bad but the cheesy chorus has to go. Another thing that will turn you off is that the track is put into a Jaheim "Fabolous", we made it out of the ghetto type format. I tried listening to this track again to see if it would grow on me, but it didn't work. Next up, is Lil Wayne and Birdman on "S" On My Chest". Lil Wayne has made 2 Carter CDs and a nice mixtape with "Dedication 2". I expect better from him than this. He's becoming too much of a hit and miss rapper. The dope cuts are nice but the bad tracks aren't even average. Last and maybe least is "The Originators" with Bone Thugs N Harmony. At times, you get the BTNH of old and with this track you get the why are they even still rappin' stage. Fellas you have a new CD out called "Strength & Loyalty". However, this track will make you want to leave the CD on the shelf.

Overall, "We The Best" has its moments. However, with the quality of the artists, you just expect better. Some artists are featured on various tracks on this CD but they don't bring their "A" game on every track they are featured on. If you collect CDs like I do you may want certain songs so you should buy this. However, if you are looking for a CD that you can listen to 5 years from now you may want to leave this one on the rack.

P.S. How many times can you say "Listenn!!!" and "We The Best" on one CD, DJ Khaled? We get the point.

James' Top 5

1) We Takin' Over

2) Brown Paper Bag

3) Before The Solution

4) I'm So Hood

5) B**** I'm From Dade County

Honorable Mention:

Hit Them Up

No Hook

New York

"DJ" Khaled's sophomore effort is pretty easy to break down. Dude is trying to hard to come off hard and it's having the opposite effect on him. He looks more and more lame after every track. It's albums like this that make me say that rap is a lot like pro wrestling -- exaggerated and fake. "Brown Paper Bag" features Young Jeezy, Juelz Santana, Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Lil' Wayne & Dre (of Cool & Dre) on what is easily the corniest song of '07. I mean, have you ever seen or heard a guy trying so hard to prove how hard they are that they end up sounding or looking like a clown? Well that song, and so many of the other tracks on this album are like that. That's what makes this album so silly. Some will say I'm hating on the south, but this album could've come from Canada and I would've still been terrible. I'm still on my crusade to have Rick Ross placed in front of a firing squad because he's been garbage from day one. He alone is responsible for 3 or 4 songs going from "okay" to "doo doo" and he almost ruined "We Takin' Over". Anything Rick Ross doesn't destroy gets finished off by Baby aka Birdman. Him and Ross manage to soil too many songs to make purchasing this a good idea. It would also help a lot if Khaled would quit screaming "we the best" on every track. I'm not talking like once or twice either. He starts almost every song off with it and there are tracks where he says it at least 10 times. Another gripe of mine is that the large number of guests seems like overkill. Again, he's trying too hard.

The best songs on the album are the ones where Khaled abandons tries something different. Despite a hit and miss hook and Khaled's constant yapping, I found "Before The Solution" quite enjoyable after hearing Beanie Sigel unload over some dope production. "The Originators" is another interesting track that features Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. The problem with the good songs is that Khaled has to run his mouth for 45 seconds before the start of every song.

We The Best is actually one of the worst releases of 2007. It's generic, recycled material that anyone with even a little bit of common sense can see right through. Generic, thoughtless song titles, drugs, guns, jewels, lame rappers....I mean, this is straight up by the book factory rap. I see why he calls himself Beat Novakane now....my brain feels numb after hearing this. I recommend downloading the singles and steering clear of this sorry excuse for an album.

Standout Tracks: We Takin' Over (Remix) feat. Akon, R. Kelly, T-Pain, Lil Kim & Young Jeezy, Hit 'Em Up feat. Bun B & Paul Wall, The Originators feat. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, and We Takin' Over feat. T.I., Akon, Birdman, Lil' Wayne, Fat Joe & Rick Ross

Although there are a couple tracks on this CD that area "listen" worthy, DJ Khaled's over zealous way of getting on each and every track by screaming "We The Best" every five seconds gets highly annoying after the first couple tracks. The artist hold this CD together..not the beats or the DJ!!

I bought this CD on the strength of "We Takin' Over" and feel like a fool for that. I should know better than making an impulse buy just from hearing one song on the radio BUT I gave this CD the benefit of the doubt because of it being a "mixtape", therefore increasing the odds that it wouldn't be crap. Alright Khaled, Khaleed, whatever your name is, you got me. All you do is scream "N" this and "N" that as well as saying "We The Best At This"!! At what? Definitely not making a good album. This is coaster material. Save your money.

DJ Khaled's (A.K.A. Khaled Khaled) second release is "We The Best" (2007). I was not a fan of DJ Khaled's debut last year's "

. The follow up release is shorter and somewhat better. DJ Khaled and Rick Ross get their audience amped with a decent "Intro (We the Best)" which is followed up by a meaningless skit. The highlight of this album for me is the Danja produced first single "We Takin' Over" a bonafide hit which features appearances from Akon, T.I., Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Birdman and DJ Khaled's Terror squad leader Fat Joe. I don't care for a lot of the radio singles these days, but this track is an exception. Danja's production, Akon's memorable singing and the variety of guest appearances make this track a winner. The second single "Brown Paper Bag" follows, Young Jeezy, Juelz Santana, Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Lil Wayne & Dre kick rhymes over Cool & Dre's production. The production and lyrics are on point, I agree with the reviewer who finds the chorus cheezy, though I can look past that. "I'm So Hood" has T-Pain, Trick Daddy, Rick Ross and Florida rapper Plies teaming up for a semi-decent track. When I first heard "Before the Solution", I thought Beanie Sigel was going to rip up the track, the end result though was a track that does not live up to expectations. "I'm From the Ghetto" is a softer more laidback track which features a children's chorus and guest appearances from The Game, Jadakiss, Trick Daddy & Dre - conceptually it's a decent track which has the Rapper's rhyming about their hoods and upbringing's, musically it's less then memorable. Paul Wall & Bun B provide an average banger with "Hit 'Em Up" while Lil Wayne & Birdman deliver a typical cash money cut with "'S' On my Chest". Trick Daddy, Rick Ross, Trina, Dre, Flo-Rida, Brisco & C-Ride rep their hood on "***** I'm From Dade County", then Bone Thugs-N-Harmony drop in for the lengthy "The Originators". Sometimes a good movie has a subpar sequel, that's how I feel about Jadakiss, Ja Rule & Fat Joe's "New York". Production on this release is solid (DJ Khaled does way to many annoying shoutout's and handles a minute amount of the production). "We Takin Over" elevates this release some for me, all the same I would not recommend "We The Best" for the collection. 2.5.