There is no decision more important and more vital in determining the trajectory of our lives more than the name our parents gave us. As we are baptized with a label—as we are christened with a handle—we eventually become that which our parents dreamed for us. Our names are truly our destinies, it’s almost Khaled as in immortal.
It is the truly the damndest thing; how we become our names is sublime in ways our minds cannot really fathom. Take a moment and reflect for a second, think about your name and how you either became your title or became the opposite. Names have gravity to them, they can either pull us in one direction or bend us in an opposite paradigm.
If your name is Miriam, most likely you are a giver and love to take care of others with a mix of motherly care and sisterly compassion. If your name is Solomon, you are most likely wise beyond your years and can decipher meanings in places where most see nothingness. If you name is Bethlehem, you are a house to others and your heart gives shelter to those who feel left out. It’s as though names are the compass which gives direction to our lives and the beacons which guides us in from the darkness.
Let me introduce you to one person in particular whose name has had a direct impact in his journeys, he goes by the name of DJ Khaled and he is a world famous maestro of music who is able to move mountains with his turntables and arouse people with each utterance. There is a reason for this, Khaled means immoral in Arabic. How fitting, his presence is in fact everlasting; when he says “and another one”, people pay attention because they know what is coming next.
Khaled started with humble beginnings; as all prophets of music and messengers of melodies do. Born on November 26th, 1975 in New Orleans otherwise known as the Big Easy to Palestinian parents who immigrated to the United States, Khaled grew up a devout Muslim. At a young age, Khaled developed a fondness for rap and soul music. By the time he was a teenager, Khaled started working at a local Merry-Go-Round record store which helped lay the foundation for his music career.
There to support his dreams were his parents; instead of beseeching him to go in another direction or telling him to become something other than what he envisioned for himself, his mom and dad encouraged him to chase his dreams. True love is not the one that curves wills but that which propels ideas with gentle guidance and reassuring nudges. That is precisely what Khaled’s parents provided, they were the North Stars that charted a course towards stardom for their son.
Khaled eventually touched down in the Big Apple once he got a job at the prestigious “99 Jamz” in the 1990’s. In time he leveraged his position and his prodigious talent to attain a large following. He started working with the Terror Squad where he DJ’d their live performances; always a larger than life presence, Khaled became the epicenter of the show. His voice became a siren to partygoers and his cadence became the soundtrack for endless raves.
If you listen closely, you can hear Khaled grinding in the background. Always on the beat, he doesn’t rest, he is always in search for the next soundtrack. A gift to gab and a present of his presence could not be denied, he burst through the stratosphere and has become one of the most highly sought-after musicians of his time. His brand has graced the White House, the Grammys, Super Bowls and more. DJ Khaled went from being a businessman into being a business man!
ALL PRAISE TO THE MOST HIGH 🤲🏽 ITS ALL ABOUT SPREAD THE LOVE 🖤 AND LIGHT 🌞#TheFirstOne wit DJ KHALED FEAT @diddy https://t.co/hmx8nvONYd pic.twitter.com/0Vrrsovk8n
— DJ KHALED (@djkhaled) December 10, 2020
But a man is not a man who does not take care of his responsibilities, what makes Khaled immortal is not his music but his kindness. He takes his responsibilities as a father seriously; still a devout Muslim, he is more of a servant of Allah than he is a sampler of music. I am in awe of people who reach stardom and retain their humility and their empathy. Khaled is that kind, a prince of a man who has verily become the essence of his name.
“My parents raised me to be a hardworking person,” Khaled told NBCBLK’s Alex Titus. “They had so much going on all at once and were still able to maintain a great household. That rubbed off on me and that’s why I’m able to juggle all of these different things going at the same time.”
Immortal indeed, far after his last song has been played and long after his last spin on the turntables, what will be remembered about Khaled is not his hustle but his humble roots. Khaled could not help it, he became that which his parents named him. Think twice about the name you give your children, how you brand them can in time become the flair that blesses them up! cc @djkhaled #AndAnotherOne Click To Tweet
“If I’m gonna tell a real story, I’m gonna start with my name.” ~ Kendrick Lamar
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Teodrose Fikremariam
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