Playing Catch-Up With DJ Khaled and Statik Selektah

 

Patreon subscribers already know about the ridiculous side project I've taken on on top of everything else I do on these damn sites (what can I say, I like to keep busy): track-by-track, essay-length analysis of each album released by DJ Khaled and Statik Selektah. With these dueling series I intend to draw parallels between the two "disc jockeys" (I put that in quotes because only Statik actually works as a DJ these days) and their shared mission of delivering entertaining, engaging music while exposing as many of their famous friends to their respective audiences as humanly possible. Also, the catalogs of both men act as a who's who of their respective versions of our chosen genre for whatever year their projects were released, fascinating time capsules into what each thought hip hop sounded like in that moment.

Reading through a single essay for every single track on both men's debut projects, DJ Khaled's Listennn... The Album and Statik Selektah's Spell My Name Right (The Album), both of which helpfully included the phrase "the album" in the titles just so we wouldn't get confused, may sound like a daunting task, but I believe that isolating the tracks allows for each song to receive the maximum amount of attention, especially as it's isn't as though these compilations were ever supposed to act as cohesive albums. I mean, neither of these guys is The Alchemist, and only Statik actually produces every fucking song on his projects, which also begs the question: just what does DJ Khaled actually do?

Catch up with Season One of both The DJ Khaled Chronicles and The Spectacular Stories of Statik Selektah, also known as my collections of write-ups for each of their respective debuts, by clicking through each song title while you wait for Season 2, which is forthcoming. And if you haven't yet subscribed to the Patreon, I highly recommend it, and not just because you'd be directly supporting me and my continued writings - you'll also be granted instant access to, as of this writing, nearly one hundred exclusive posts that won't ever show up on this feed. Those of you two who want, need, or crave more content can get it for just three bucks a month. Enjoy!

DJ Khaled - Listennn... The Album (June 6, 2006)

1. Intro
2. Born-N-Raised (feat. Pitbull, Trick Daddy, & Rick Ross)
3. Gangsta Shit (feat. Young Jeezy, Bun B, Slick Pulla, & Blood Raw)
4. Grammy Family (feat. Kanye West, Consequence, & John Legend)
5. Problem (feat. Beanie Sigel & Jadakiss)
6. Holla At Me (feat. Lil Wayne, Paul Wall, Fat Joe, Rick Ross, & Pitbull)
7. Addicted (feat. Juelz Santana)
8. Watch Out (feat. Akon, Styles P, Fat Joe, & Rick Ross)
9. Destroy You (feat. Krayzie Bone & Twista)
10. Never Be Nothing Like Me (feat. Lil' Scrappy & Homebwoi)
11. Candy Paint (feat. Slim Thug, Trina, & Chamillionaire)
12. MIA (feat. Lil Wayne)
13. Where You At (feat. Freeway & Clipse) (UNLOCKED FOR ALL)
14. Still Fly (feat. Birdman & Chop)
15. Dip Slide Ride Out (feat. T.I., Big Kuntry King, & Young Dro)
16. Movement (feat. Dre)
17. The Future of Dade (feat. Brisco, Dirty Red, Dela, Lunch Money, Co, Hennessy, & P.M.)


Statik Selektah - Spell My Name Right (The Album) (November 6, 2007)

1. Spell My Name Right (Intro) (feat. DJ Premier & Termanology)
2. Stop, Look, Listen (feat. Styles P, Termanology, & Q-Tip)
3. Express Yourself '08 (feat. Termanology, Talib Kweli, & Consequence)
4. 6 in the Morning (feat. Joell Ortiz, Kool G Rap, & Sheek Louch)
5. What Would You Do!? (feat. Freeway, & Cassidy)
6. Make a Movie (Interlude) (feat. DJ Khaled)
7. Bam Bam (feat. Red Café, Termanology, & Mims)
8. G-Shit (Showoff Mix) (feat. Uncle Murda, Sev-One, Termanology, & Jadakiss) (UNLOCKED FOR ALL)
9. Back Against the Wall (feat. Royce da 5'9" & Cormega)
10. Hardcore (So You Wanna Be) (feat. Reks, & Termanology)
11. No Mistakes Allowed (feat. Doug E. Fresh, Tony Touch, Scram Jones, Dp-One, DJ Gi-Joe, DJ Revolution, & Esoteric)
12. Knockin' Em Out (Interlude) (feat. Clinton Sparks)
13. Punch Out! (feat. Big Shug)
14. The Good Life (Give It Up) (feat. Lil Fame)
15. Big Dreamers (feat. Reks)
16. No Holding Back (feat. AZ & Cormega)
17. Got Me Goin' (Hip Hop) (feat. Slum Village & Granite State)
18. Time to Say Goodbye (feat. Evidence & The Alchemist)
19. It's Over Now (feat. Termanology & A.G.)
20. Talk to Me (feat. Jon Hope, Reks, & Skyzoo)
21. Did What We Had to Do (Showoff Mix) (feat. KRS-One, Larry Cheeba, & Large Professor

-Max