DJ Khaled‘s new single with Kendrick Lamar, Big Sean and Betty Wright, “Holy Key,” arrives tomorrow [Friday, July 22].
Shortly after touting Lamar’s verse would be the highlight of his album Major Key, Khaled announced the release date for the song. He announced the song is titled “Holy Key” and it also features Big Sean and Betty Wright. In that same Snapchat where he big upped his K. Dot verse, Khaled also teased, “I got this Big Sean verse. Aw man, it’s so crazy.”
So, what are some of the keys to the song’s release?
1. Will Kendrick Lamar and Big Sean try to slaughter each other?
Will this be “Control” II? Is Big Sean out for revenge? This will be a competition. Both of these artists know the stage a DJ Khaled song puts them on. It’ll be on Apple Music also, so maybe there will be some 6 God shots? Who knows. Big Sean is one of the most slept on, and Kendrick is a natural competitor, so this shall certainly be interesting. Khaled said once in an interview with Hot 97 he doesn’t condone beef on any of his records, so there won’t be any T.I./Ludacris situations, but friendly competition doesn’t seem too far fetched at all, especially considering these rappers’ history.
2. Will Kendrick’s verse really be one of the most talked about?
“Before I say this I wanna be clear, Kendrick Lamar went so hard, his verse I feel like is going to be one of the most talked about verses.” Of the album? Of all time? Not sure. But, it’s not like K. Dot to not live up to the moment. Kendrick may use this platform to address a big issue, he may use it to big himself up, but Khaled isn’t just blowing smoke. This feels like “F*cking Problems” all over again, huge commercial record in the making, Kendrick along side another heavy hitter MC, and another chance for him to prove why he’s at the top of the game. He usually takes those chances, and goes all “Control” verse, so we’ll see what happens this time.
3. Will “Holy Key” outdo the success of previous Major Key releases?
So far we’ve gotten “For Free” and “I Got The Keys” from DJ Khaled’s upcoming Major Key album. “For Free” was a little underwhelming after much hype about the Drake vocals, and “I Got The Keys” didn’t do much better in terms of longevity. We’ve obviously heard better from Drake, Jay Z, and Future, so their shortcomings won’t necessarily equal a sub par outcome for “Holy Key.” With Big Sean always having something to prove, and Kendrick Lamar being Kendrick Lamar, “Holy Key” won’t be short of bars, and with Betty Wright on the hook, “Ultra Light Beam” may have to move to the side as rap’s token gospel song after Friday.
