At the beginning of his songs, DJ Khaled is known to yell two things: "DJ KHALED!!!" and "WE THE BEST!!!" These taglines are indicative of the Miami-based producer’s masterful self promotion skills and life mantra. He runs his own label (called We the Best Music Group, obviously), and has a history of releasing Billboard Top 40 hits featuring his pals, like Drake, Rick Ross, Chris Brown, and many, many more. But with greatness, as DJ Khaled tells it, comes pain—a reminder he likes to deliver with his classic, suffering-from-success pose. With Khaled’s residency at Tao Las Vegas on the horizon (named, yes, We The Best: Vegas Edition), GQ called up the man himself to put together a guide for channeling your inner bestness.

DJ Khaled’s 10 Pillars of Being the Best

1. Avoid Haters

"For me, there’s never been a situation where the door’s open and someone says, ’C’mon Khaled, come win!’ It’s always been, ’Lock the door. If he gets in, he’ll win.’ The fuckboys want you to lose. They want you broke. They want you miserable. They want to finish you."

2. Expect Suffering

"I have a saying: Not everyone can handle success..._ I _can. Success comes with amazing things, but a ton of weight on your shoulders. People depend on you and expect that things are always gonna be great. Some can’t handle that. But on the record: I’m telling you I can."

3. Shine On

"When you deal with Khaled, you’re gonna get that he has a good heart, he’s a winner, and he’s got the glow. The glow is your soul, the kind of person you are. When I look for other people, I look for that glow. If the room is dark, that person’s shining."

4. Say No to Yes Men

"If you’re yes-ing an artist, and it becomes the wrong move, I’m the guy that says, ’You played yourself.’ You have to tell [people] shut up and ask for help, or give advice. There’s nothing wrong with making someone feel good, but play it safe."

5. Have Vision

"You’ve gotta be confident, but you’ve also gotta be humble in your craft and your vision. You can’t let nobody interfere with your vision. It takes hard work, blood, sweat, tears, and a lot of passion. It’s about understanding your goal. It’s about bossing up."


6. Pay Homage

"If there’s a champion in the same room as you, greet yourself and praise them. I respect somebody who does that, because you’ve got to hustle, and I get it, because I’m a hustler. Praise and respect somebody and, trust me, your blessing is gonna come—I’m living proof."

7. Never Hate

"Don’t talk about people behind their back. When you need that person, you’re gonna be kissing their ass. You can’t be the best by being disloyal or dishonest or fake. At the end of the day, it comes down to your character."

8. Show Love

"I put friends under my wing so they can be great. If you make it to the top, you’re part of a champion brand, so it’s on you to take yourself to the next level _with _the team. The more blessings you give, the more blessings you get back."

9. Embrace Loneliness

"It’s cool to be lonely at the top—you realize who’s who. At the bottom, everyone acts like they’re rooting for you. But at the top of that mountain, you see some other shit: the same people who rooted for you are the same people that want you to fail. That’s part of success."

10. Be Great

"You knock down the door with your greatness. I don’t care who you are or how much you hate: You can’t stop greatness. Every opportunity you get to do what you need to do, it’s gonna show. Your success and hard work is what breaks the door down."