DJ Khaled - We The Best (2007)

No overnight success, DJ Khaled toiled as a disc jockey for years
before he became an immensely successful, larger-than-life figure in
rap music. Since the latter half of the 2000s, surrounded by a cast
of high-profile associates, Khaled has factored into triumphant
crossover singles that have seemed like events.

Arriving a year - almost to the day - after his superior "Listennn:
The Album", DJ Khaled's sophomore effort, "We The Best", is a mixed
bag. On the plus side there are the singles and highlights, all of
them infectious, grand, and inspired. Leadoff single "We Takin'
Over" is a star-studded, Akon-anchored anthem with swagger to burn,
while "Brown Paper Bag" twists a grand sample of Yvonne Elliman's
"If I Can't Have You" into a soulful tale of fast money.

On the latter, Jeezy, Weezy (Lil Wayne), and Rick Ross add up to
that rumored all-star edition of Boyz N Da Hood that never happened,
and if that isn't enough to draw the hip-hop regulars in, hearing
the Game, Jadakiss, and Trick Daddy all on the same track, "I'm From
The Ghetto," certainly will. Last of the must-haves is "Bitch I'm
From Dade County" with Khaled, Trick Daddy, and production team the
Diaz Brothers in fine pro-Florida form.

Besides the Diaz Brothers, Cool & Dre, The Runners, Danja, and Caine
Beats produce tracks while Khaled only helms two: the "Intro" (which
barely counts) and "Before The Solution", with Beanie Siegel once
again covering his iffy relationships with Jay-Z and Dame Dash.
Beanie has covered this drama much better elsewhere, up to and
including his guest shot on "Listennn", but the other tracks that
miss aren't as disappointing; they're just fair.

Khaled doesn't help much by doing his usual 'Listennnnnn!' and 'I
represent the ghetto!' shouts over songs he has little or no
connection with, and while the man has said this effort isn't about
his production skills but rather music he loves, it seems like all
the more reason to stay out of the way. Maybe it's an effort to ease
the geographical jumps - from Florida to the Cleveland-repping Bone
Thugs and on to "New York" - or a way to keep the momentum rolling
on this up-and-down effort.

Instead, it just points out these shortcomings when they could have
been less noticeable. Much more frustrating than a failure, "We The
Best" earns a slight thumbs up if you think of it as a disjointed
soundtrack or four-hit mixtape.