DJ Khaled talks fatherhood, Nipsey Hussle and new album ‘Father of Asahd’

DJ Khaled has taken being a doting, devoted dad to a new level with “Father of Asahd,” his star-studded new album that dropped on Friday.

For the second time, his 2-year-old son Asahd with wife Nicole Tuck — whose birth he streamed live on Snapchat in October 2016 — served as executive producer of one of his albums, after getting the same title on 2017’s “Grateful.”

“He inspires [me],” says Khaled, whose son was in the studio for the making of his new LP. “Asahd, for me, is the purest form of love. He’s my son and, like, everything I do is for him. So imagine being in the studio with your son or your daughter, and whatever you’re doing is gonna be better and greater. It’s just beautiful.”

Khaled gives full credit to Asahd for making him a better artist — and a better man. “As a father, my whole life changed,” he says. “I walk different, I breathe different, I look different, I think different…He just brings this special joy and energy around me where I make sure everything is perfect because I am the father of Asahd.”

Fresh off of a performance as musical guest on “Saturday Night Live” last weekend, Khaled spun songs from his new album at the Pepsi #Summergram kickoff event on Monday night at Rooftop at Pier 17. After being introduced by supermodel Chrissy Teigen, he rocked the crowed with some of his new jams, including “Wish Wish” (featuring Cardi B and 21 Savage), “You Stay” (featuring Meek Mill, J Balvin, Lil Baby and Jeremih) and “Just Us” (featuring SZA), which he also performed on “SNL.”

During the hottest late-night gig in the game, Khaled also paid tribute to Nipsey Hussle, the recently slain rapper who appears on the uplifting “Higher” with John Legend. “I mean, it affected all of us,” says Khaled of Hussle’s March death. “It’s just sad; it’s something we never want to see happen. So it’s our duty to continue his message — and his message was love. The marathon continues. Long live, Nip.”

But among the who’s who of contemporary R&B and hip-hop stars who Khaled has collaborated with, he bows down the most to Queen Bey. “I worked with Beyoncé, so that’s the biggest. I feel like I can retire and I did it all,” says the 43-year-old DJ, who opened for Beyoncé on her “Formation” tour and also during “On the Run II,” her joint trek with husband Jay-Z. “All praise to Beyoncé!”

While both Beyoncé and Jay-Z appear with Future on the banger “Top Off,” Khaled says that it was another artist who was the hardest to wrangle for “Father of the Bride.”

“I would say the toughest to get for this album was SZA…in a beautiful way,” he says. “She kept tweaking [‘Just Us’] until the day before the album came out. Every time I was supposed to turn the album in, she had a change…I coulda gave up, but I didn’t fold. And me and her really connected as friends.”

So with his all-star album coming out just in time to turn up many a Memorial Day weekend party, what’s Khaled’s secret to the perfect summer soiree? “Being happy, having joy, feeling good. And being responsible…in a way where you’re enjoying yourself, but at the same time you’re respecting yourself.”

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