DJ Khaled gets a ton of credit from Music Times for running the year's best promotional stunt, even if it's for one of the year's less stellar hip-hop videos.
Back in late July, Khaled shocked viewers when he proposed to Cash Money label-mate Nicki Minaj while on MTV. Just to prove he meant business, he showed off a 10-karat ring. Just to further prove he wasn't joking, he told Los Angeles hip-hop station Power 106 during an interview that he was still sincere in his offer. Funkmaster Flex, a DJ for New York City station Hot 97, told listeners that there was no way Khaled was serious, and then he played the emcee's new single "I Wanna Be With You," featuring Minaj, to prove it. Although tabloids were let down, fans and listeners had to admit the strategy caught out attention. Finally, the video for "I Wanna Be With You" debuted Tuesday. The question: were there any hot and heavy interactions between Khaled and Minaj?
No, alas. Instead, it was pretty much another cut-and-dry party-in-a-night-club setting. Khaled spent most of the video spending way more attention to the coterie of attractive women filling the set than to Minaj, who delivered most of her solid verse while seated.
Perhaps the biggest appeal of the video was the awkward comicality of Khaled trying to find stuff to do while Minaj, Rick Ross and Future handled the vocals (Khaled gets a bar or two, unsung, at the end of the song). The emcee-in-charge can be seen mouthing the words to the song as Future sings the hook, frequently pointing at the ceiling of the club a la Busta Rhymes in "Arab Money," and proudly showing off a single sneaker.
Rick Ross gets some props for wearing a Tommy Bahama-style button-down with his collection of chains, but overall this video is more of the same. But then again, DJ Khaled got us to watch it, which proves the guy has a knack for PR.
