KINGSTON, Jamaica — International record producer and music executive DJ Khaled today praised Jamaica as his home and labelled the island, its people and its culture as “beautiful”.

He was speaking during a special Jamaica Observer Instagram live with Sandals CEO Adam Stewart and Jamaica Observer Lifestyle Editor Novia McDonald-Whyte.

“Jamaica is a home for me, but also it’s part of my story,” the American producer said.

“Jamaica is so beautiful, the people are so beautiful, the energy is so beautiful, the culture is so beautiful. It’s special…When God made Jamaica, man, he really put his hands on that because it’s beautiful,” he continued.

DJ Khaled also paid homage to many Jamaican artistes — including the Marleys, Bounty Killa, Buju Banton, Sizzla, Capelton and Beres Hammond — whom he said he has built relationships with over his lifetime.

“I had a beautiful relationship with Dennis Brown, God bless him… All the artistes, Sean Paul, Shaggy, you know, we all came up together,” he said.

“I don’t wanna forget the Marleys — Ragga Ragga, and Junior Gong and Rohan, you know, Cedella Marley, Kimani Marley — those are family.

“I supported the Bob Marley festivals in Jamaica and the ones in Miami but besides playing with them, they’re really my friends and they put their hand on my shoulder as a kid…they used to let me go in their house, you know, travel with them and not only just dub playing with them but they let me in and they treated me like family,” the American DJ said.

DJ Khaled last week dropped his latest album “Khaled Khaled” which featured Jamaican Dancehall artistes Bounty Killer, Capleton, Buju Banton and Barrington Levy on the track Where I Come From.

He recalled one of his fondest memories in Jamaica when he said he discovered how special the island really is.

“I’ll never forget, it was in Jamaica, I forgot what part of Jamaica cause I touched it so much, I touched the whole island but it was a Bob Marley festival and they brought down everybody to perform…like Lauren, Busta, every incredible Jamaican artiste. But it started raining and I remember being backstage, the Marleys were like yo, they sent the band out on stage and the meditation started and they started playing some Bob Marley and the rain stopped — I can’t make this up,” DJ Khaled recounted.

“Jamaica musically is the most special(est) ever. You hear the lyrics, the words of the artiste, that say out their soul and heart and will guide you through life. You know how you could read the Bible or the Quran, whatever, you know, grail you read, but the lyrics, the voices from like a Sizzla and a Buju and a Bob Marley and the list goes on — there as so many —but these words guided me through the storm, through life,” he said.

“Khaled Khaled” is his 12th studio album.

Kelsey Thomas