Grateful is distinguishable from the nine previous
DJ Khaled albums by its cover alone -- a regal portrait of platinum fraternal shepherd, self-hype man, and producer
Khaled beside son
Asahd and a young tiger. Bestowed with an executive production credit,
Asahd is present in more than a visual sense. On the "Sesame Street visits a black church" number "I Love You So Much,"
Khaled and
Chance the Rapper exalt their kids, with the former in endearingly effusive overdrive, beaming "You're an icon, you're a legend" and, motivated perhaps by witnessing
Asahd devour some strained carrots, "the greatest that ever did it." That and the album's concluding moment of touching thanks are among the most family-friendly tracks in the
Khaled discography, which swells here with 21 additional selections of mostly celebratory bluster. By late-2010s'
Khaled standard,
Grateful is typically overstuffed. Due to the plinking "I'm the One," led by
Justin Bieber, and "Wild Thoughts," a
Rihanna-fronted update of
Santana's "Maria Maria" (itself partially a flagrant
Timbaland rehash), the album had major hits before it arrived. More emblematic are the two other pre-album singles that didn't fare as well: "Shining," featuring
Beyonce and her husband ("21 Grammys -- I'm a savage"), is energized but only adequate, while "To the Max" is a scampering platform for
Drake in half-hearted woeful braggart mode.
Khaled old guards such as
Rick Ross,
Lil Wayne,
Mavado, and
Nas make requisite notable appearances, while newer collaborators
21 Savage and
Migos add some youthful energy with contributions to the album's comparatively street-oriented, paper-chasing, ominous-sounding second half. The beats are fully outfitted, and several are suitably immense, but they blur into one another as they serve as a spirited if mostly unremarkable summertime backdrop. Compared to
Major Key, there's a little less objectification going on. Just as significant, the second track on which
Chance is featured isn't the lone gospel connection. Almost lost in this lengthy flow of content is an a cappella
Betty Wright interlude and what trails it: an uplifted
Cool & Dre co-production fronted by
Alicia Keys with a clean and righteous verse from
Nicki Minaj, "Go to war for every black queen that they lynched, and my pockets on chubby but they can't be pinched." [
Grateful was also released in a two-disc Deluxe Edition.] ~ Andy Kellman
![Grateful [Deluxe Edition]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0889854466527_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg)
![Grateful [Deluxe Edition]](http://vs-images.bn-web.com/static/redesign/srcs/images/grey-box.png?v11.7.2)
![Grateful [Deluxe Edition]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0889854466527_p0_v2_s600x595.jpg)
![Father of Asahd [Deluxe Edition] [Boxset]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0190758439723_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "Father of Asahd [Deluxe Edition] [Boxset]")
