Suffering From Success

Those who would accuse DJ Khaled of using an overly audacious album title for this seventh studio effort are quickly schooled once "Obama [Winning More Interlude]" hits the speakers. On the opening cut, real world audio of a national news broadcast finds America's 44th President entering an auditorium to the traditional "Hail to the Chief," but the music quickly switches to Khaled's platinum single "All I Do Is Win." In true Presidential style, Obama steps on the song's hook, asking the audience "How do you like my new entrance music?" and they go wild, because Khaled won the popular vote for the United States' hypeman-in-chief, plus he's the czar of mainstream hip-hop compilations that just happen to be filled with new tracks. Suffering from Success is more of the glorious same, as Khaled continues to win, win, win no matter what, filling hooky highlights like "No New Friends" with high power guest stars, which in this track's case, means the billion dollar trio of Drake, Lil Wayne, and Rick Ross. Canadian hitmaker Boi-1da helms the cut while big-time producers like J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League (creating well-funded mayhem with Future, Ace Hood, and Plies on "Blackball") and Timbaland (who also raps on the hard-hitting, mega-posse cut "You Don't Want These Problems") make sure the beats are what's poppin' in 2013, while folks like Meek Mill (clever and cool on "I Feel Like Pac/I Feel Like Biggie") and Mavado (offering dancehall vibes and sweet nothings to Nicki Minaj on the great "Give It All to Me") help round out a lightweight album that's otherwise big pimping and bottle service. Khaled does his usual cheerleading and gets some production credits himself, but the real trick he pulls off is inspiring all these artists to somehow save up all these high-grade club tracks and singles for the DJ's annual dispatch. Suffering from Success, once again.