DJ Khaled does more than make hits, he’s passing down generational wealth
DJ Khaled’s latest release Father of Ashad is his greatest work yet. With the intentional makeup of single after single and hit after hit, the album is certified to be successful.
But that accomplishment is not really for DJ Khaled’s sake. The father of Ashad made sure his son would reap the profits from the album’s success.
At a #CRWN TIDAL event, I had the opportunity to watch the premiere of DJ Khaled’s documentary Father of Asahd: The Album Experience on the making of the album and his subsequent interview with fellow Queensite Elliot Wilson.
In DJ Khaled fashion, the hype over his album was high. DJ Khaled emphasized his hard work on making every record great as opposed to good.
And it is great. Even the intro “Holy Mountain ft. Buju Banton, Sizzla, Mavado, and 070 Shake” is a certified BANGER.
But this article isn’t about how great the album is, or how fire the music videos are. It’s about DJ Khaled’s specific decision to officially name his son Asahd as an executive producer.
In our capitalist society, the easiest way to get ahead is to build on generational wealth. Whether that’s physical assets, money or academic, networks and professional achievements, you need to finesse the system to your advantage.
Plus, children of immigrants are keenly aware of this importance because the story immigrant parents often tell are stories of sacrificing whatever generational wealth they had in their native countries.
The son of Palestinian immigrants — a country ravaged by decades of war and apartheid –0 DJ Khaled made sure to pass on his success to his son Asahd.
His choice to set Asahd up for success this early on was a smart one. The world can be cruel and economic instability is rampant. still, it’s not just about getting that bag. It’s about keeping it, for yourself and those that come after you.
Khaled also had some wise words for keeping wealth. In a world where it can be hard to move up a tax bracket, once you do get some spendable money you can still have the anxiety of keeping it. Khaled explained that as soon as you get some money you should “invest it in money that you can enjoy.”
Khaled said he’d rather invest his money in houses because it’s tangible,
“If I’m stressed out, I’m stressed out on marble floors with marble walls… and if I ever need money I take a piece of marble out.”
During the documentary, the reminder that DJ Khaled was doing this for his son was always there. Despite DJ Khaled’s big hype personality and (justified) self-congratulating nature, his love for his son as an extension of that is what it was all about.
Nevertheless, DJ Khaled does deserve chops for making something never seen before. But his public emphasis on his son’s wealth is really what’s worth celebrating.