‘GOD DID’: Album review

GOD DID Album by DJ Khaled. Photo courtesy of Hypebeast.com

On August 26th, DJ Khaled released his fourteenth studio album, “GOD DID”. The album has eighteen star-studded tracks just like any other Khaled album. The lead single was AN underwhelming Drake and Lil Baby collaboration that sampled The Bee Gees “Stayin’ Alive”. 

The album’s promotion was over the top but that’s what people have come to expect from Khaled. DJ Khaled’s social media presence and catchphrases sometimes overshadows his role in rap as a master curator. Fans and critics have questioned what DJ Khaled actually does on his album’s but, he has delivered undeniable classics over the years. I believe “GOD DID” has a few of those moments. 

There is no positive anthems on this album like “All I Do Is Win” or “Higher”, on the album. But there are times when Khaled diverts from his usual formula, like the intro track by Drake “No Secret”. Whenever Drake and Khaled have linked up for a record in the past it has sounded like a, fun summer song. “No Secret” is a short but tone setting intro over a OVO SoundCloud era type beat. 

“GOD DID” then goes into a  dramatic beat, fit for legends. The standout track is of course titled “God Did”. In a Complex interview prior to the release of the album Khaled was quoted saying “This is one of Jay-Z’s best verses ever.” Was it? Not to me, but it was a great verse. Lil Wayne was the real star of that song, “dread locks, face tats I’m the apex.”Taking a moment to  acknowledge his cultural influence on today’s rap stars. 

The album has times where you wouldn’t mind not hearing this song again or you’ve felt like you heard it before. From first glance of the track list and features I mentally picked out songs I thought would be good but was left disappointed. They just looked good on paper. Bills Paid is the the best example of this. A Latto and City Girls song should be a new women anthem but Khaled failed to make the two acts connect. This happens on “Big Time, Keep Going, Fam Good, We Good, and Use This Gospel”. Some of those songs pair artist who have had success in the past but they failed to replicate that success on “GOD DID”. 

Going for the home run with big names simply doesn’t pay off on most of the album. It does pay off on “Beautiful” by Future and SZA. SZA sounded like an angel which is followed by Future leaning into his social media persona with lyrics like “Every single night we burn sage cuz we toxic”. 

Artist shined on records where it was just them. “Jadakiss Interlude, Way Past Luck, Juice Wrld Did, and Grateful”, were some of the best songs on the album. Jadakiss added a grimy,boom-bap feel that the album needed. 21 Savage floated over the beat while poring out his feelings. Juice Wrld’s track was a reminder of how talented he was. And Vory delivered a touching vocal performance on “Grateful”, the last track on the album. 

I added eight of the eighteen tracks to my library. “GOD DID” isn’t a classic album by any means but does offer some memorable moments. The album sometimes feels like a circus act, just random things happening. But it definitely a better album that Khaled’s last outing, “Khaled Khaled”.