Half a dozen cameras see a hornet yellow helicopter barnstorm the field twice before the director cuts. DJ Khaled and his entourage—Drake, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Birdman, Mavado, Ace Hood, and Fаt Joe—slowly retire to their tour busses while the camera team races to the pool for the next scene. The stars observe Khaled bin Abdul Khaled’s overwhelming gravity. He is imposing with a boss’ gut and a tidy buzzcut and beard. 

Rap stars are filming a dazzling, ’90s-themed video for his 2013 summer song, “No New Friends,” at this nouveau riche palace with a moat an hour outside Miami. Khaled periodically shouts his nаme over the beаt but doesn’t rap or produce the song. It was a trump card gambit that few, probably none, could pull off since it bent all the laws of the hypercompetitive music industry. Khaled enticed Drake, Rick Ross, and Lil Wayne to collaborate on a great song for his new album, Suffering From Success. How can you persuade the star players in this game to give you their best new content while you receive top billing?

The 37-year-old started in New Orleans, banging rap and soul to his Palestinian immigrant parents’ Arabic music. They encouraged their kid to embrace the sounds of a new country and work at a local record store, where he started his career. Khaled’s DJ ear has led him to encourage budding artists before they’re big for 20 years. They repay him with their voices and position later in their careers.