DJ Khaled 40th birthday: How Cash Money producer earned respect of Rick Ross, Jay Z and hip hop

DJ Khaled may not be in the spotlight on stage or the main focus of his music videos but his name is a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. The rapper, producer and of course DJ is marking his 40th birthday today (26 November) and all corners of hip hop will no doubt come out in force to celebrate.

The stars aligned in 1993 as the musician, real name Khaled bin abdul Khaled, met Lil Wayne and Birdman, who would go on to form the YMCMB family, in a New Orleans record store and a long-standing friendship was formed. The Gold Slugs hitmaker went on to become a successful radio DJ in various cities before landing a gig as the resident DJ for hip hop collective Terror Squad, which comprised Fat Joe, Big Pun and Remy Ma, to name a few.However, Khaled began to stand out on his own in 2006 when he released his debut album, Listennn... The Album before being appointed president of Def Jam South in 2009. So far, Khaled has released eight albums in total with his highest charting entry on the US Billboard 200 chart being his 2012 LP Kiss The Ring, which boasts features from the likes of Kanye West, Meek Mill, Chris Brown, Big Sean and Nas.