Album Review: DJ Khaled-Victory

Posted On: March 1, 2010
Posted By: odeisel
Comments: 2

By Odeisel

His slogan rings in your ear and he seems hell bent on not letting you forget it. WE DA BEESSST. Whether you agree with him or not, you cannot deny DJ Khaled’s enthusiasm and steadfast adherence to his cause. This time around, on his album Victory, Khaled assembles an all-star cast, along with some lesser known talents to actually prove his mantra true.

The album begins with an overdramatic monologue that borrows heavily from “Victory,” Biggie’s crowning achievement, even drafting Busta Rhymes and Diddy on the help out. From there we get a string of heavy hitting songs with Rick Ross pulling yeoman work. “All I Do Is Win” features a laser sharp Luda, once again pushing his cognac between rhymes, and a silky smooth Snoop with the obligatory T-Pain hook. “Put Your Hands Up” finds Ross outshining the snowman Jeezy, who actually acquits himself well on the track with Plies and Schife picking up the scraps.

The final track in the Ross leg of the album is the highlight of the album “Fed Up” which boasts Usher on the hook, Jeezy again, and Young Money mavens Drake and Weezy batting cleanup. The pace is a solid bounce with Drake providing the change of pace flow with a beat change and taking the song out on the close. Best song on the album.

The album’s title track “Victory” finds Nas abandoning the save the children rap for hat hardcore flossy Escobar steeze that fits well on this album. John legend croons the hook on this piano paced hard drum banger. The album’s first lull comes with the overly produced “Ball” which features Jim Jones rapping off beat and filling every space with weak ad libs. The hook is nothing to write home about either. *Insert Free Max B*. Bun B, Birdman, and Souljah Boy drop an ode to having more money than you with “Rockin All My Chains On.” Not as bad in your ears as it sounds on paper. Solid car music. Stunt Motivation 101. The second misstep comes with the Buju Banton, Busta Rhymes Bounty killer vehicle “Killing Me.” Not trash but a definite cliché of Hip-Hop Reggae collab and the overall metaphor “She’s a murderer killer everybody in the club” is played and corny.

Rum stars on “Bringing Real Rap Back,” a strange song on many levels. You usually don’t hear a non 90’s rapper talk about bringing real rap back and the “Hustle & Flow” retread beat sort of defeats the point, but the overall sentiment is cool. “Bring The Money Out” brings the balling back with Nelly, Lil Boosie and Ace Hood. The song is weak in construction, in lyrics, and in construction compared to the rest of the album. The beat thumps but it’s not enough to save this.

“On My Way” features a cavalcade of rappers over a run of the mill beat. It’s Miami collabo x without any real star power. The rappers (Kevin KC Cossum, Ace Hood, Ball_Greezy, Desloc Piccalo, Ice Berg, Gunplay, Rum, Young Cash) don’t do a bad job, particularly Ball Greezy and Ace Hood, but we’ve heard this song with bigger, better rappers. The beat doesn’t deviate and that’s too straight with this many rappers on a record. Victory closes out on a change of pace with the Pitbull and Jarvis driven “Rep My City.” This ode to the 305 serves the album well by providing different production and stands out because of that difference and Pitbull’s delivery.

Victory starts out like a giant, lulls towards the third quarter and rights itself at the end. The star of the album is Rick Ross, with several sterling performances throughout (Luda, Drake, Jeezy, Nas). Unfortunately the album’s arrangement puts all the good songs together while unfortunately leaving the less than stellar songs to fend for themselves with no help. That aside, this is a good album. The production, while a bit typical in spurts is strong and the performances are there as well. I don’t know if ALL Khaled does is win, but this is a “w” in the books.

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