His fifth studio album We the Best Forever (2011) also saw similar commercial success, and helped bring Khaled to international prominence, as it featured the song "I'm on One", which was his first top ten hit. His sixth and seventh albums, Kiss the Ring (2012) and Suffering from Success (2013), charted in the top ten on the Billboard 200, and his eighth studio album, I Changed a Lot (2015), peaked at number 12.[5] In 2015 and 2016, Khaled gained worldwide attention as a media personality, due to his activity on social media. This foresaw the release of his ninth studio album Major Key (2016), which gained critical and commercial success; it debuted at number one the Billboard 200, was certified gold, and received a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album.
He released his tenth studio album, Grateful, in 2017, which contained the singles "I'm the One" and "Wild Thoughts", which charted at number one and number two on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, and was also certified platinum. His eleventh album, Father of Asahd, was released in 2019; it peaked at number two, and the song "Higher" won Best Rap/Sung Performance at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, Khaled's first Grammy award win. His eponymous twelfth album was released in 2021.
Outside of music, Khaled has gained success as a writer, with his book The Keys featuring on the New York Times Best Seller list. He has also featured as an actor, appearing in Spies in Disguise (2019) and Bad Boys for Life (2020).
Holy Ground
DJ Khaled Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
DJ Khaled
Where thou standeth is holy ground, yeah (holy ground)
Where thou standeth is holy ground (holy ground)
I shot him down to the ground, never to be found
No wickedness, only righteousness abound
But I shot him down to the ground
I fear no evil crown, no, no
Have you ever heard it was written? (Written) Yeah, yeah
Just like the anointed, your judgement shall be tripled
Lord, God
Where thou standeth is holy ground, remember that (holy ground)
Where thou standeth is holy ground (holy ground)
A rebel is a warrior, just give him a cause
No more badass, no more wars
The state of play ain't pretty over
But a real soldier keep marchin' on
Let not another generation face this evil oppression
Wholesale incarceration, felonize the all black
The poor still living in a state of shock
The time you took I know I will not never get back, but
Where I standeth is holy ground, yeah (holy ground)
Where I standeth is holy ground (holy ground)
A rebel is a warrior, just give him a cause
No more badass, no wars
The state of play ain't pretty over
But a real soldier keep marchin' on
Let not another generation face this evil oppression
Wholesale incarceration, felonize the all black
The poor still living in a state of shock
The time you took I will never get back, but
Where I standeth is holy ground (holy ground)
Where I standeth is holy ground, tell ya (holy ground)
Where I standeth is holy ground (holy ground)
Where I standeth is holy ground (holy ground)
Remember that
Holy ground
Holy ground
Holy ground
Holy ground
Holy ground
Where I standeth is holy ground (holy ground)
Where I standeth is holy ground, remember (holy ground)
Where I standeth is holy ground (holy ground)
Where I standeth is holy ground (holy ground)
The lyrics of DJ Khaled's "Holy Ground" are a mix of spiritual references and calls for social justice. The lyrics talk about how standing in a particular place can be considered holy ground, but also mention that a rebel can still be a warrior if they are fighting for a just cause. The lyrics also delve into the issue of oppression, particularly the systematic incarceration of Black individuals, and implore listeners to take action to prevent future generations from experiencing the same oppression.
The chorus repeats the idea that where one stands can be considered holy ground, which could be interpreted in a religious context or as a metaphorical reference to any place that is important or meaningful. DJ Khaled speaks of shooting someone down with "word, power and sound," suggesting the importance of using words and music to create change. The lyrics also mention the idea that judgment will be tripled for those who have been anointed, which could be a reference to religious anointing or the idea that those who hold positions of power will be held more accountable for their actions.
The verses of the song return to the theme of social justice, with lines like "let not another generation face this evil oppression" and a call to end wholesale incarceration and the felonization of all Black individuals. The repetition of the line "no more badass, no more wars" suggests that there is a need to move beyond violent confrontation and find other ways to create change. Ultimately, the song seems to be a call to action, urging listeners to consider where they stand in the world, both physically and metaphorically, and to take action to create a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Where thou standeth is holy ground, yeah (holy ground)
The place where you stand is sacred and should be treated as such
Where thou standeth is holy ground (holy ground)
Your current position should be respected due to its spiritual significance
I shot him down to the ground, never to be found
I eliminated evil and it will never return
No wickedness, only righteousness abound
There is only goodness and justice present
With word, power and sound
By communicating, strength and influence, I defeated evil
I fear no evil crown, no, no
I am not intimidated by the power of the wicked
Have you ever heard it was written? (Written) Yeah, yeah
Have you ever read or heard the scripture?
Just like the anointed, your judgement shall be tripled
You will face three times the consequences, just as it is written in the Bible
Where thou standeth is holy ground, remember that (holy ground)
It is important to remember that your current location is sacred
A rebel is a warrior, just give him a cause
A person who rebels against injustices is a powerful force
No more badass, no more wars
We should strive for peace and put an end to violence
The state of play ain't pretty over
The current situation is far from perfect
But a real soldier keep marchin' on
A truly strong person perseveres and continues forward despite difficulties
Let not another generation face this evil oppression
We should work to eradicate injustices so future generations do not suffer
Wholesale incarceration, felonize the all black
The mass imprisonment and criminalization of Black people is unjust
The poor still living in a state of shock
The impoverished are still experiencing trauma and distress
The time you took I know I will not never get back, but
Although I cannot regain lost time, I will keep moving forward
Where I standeth is holy ground (holy ground)
My position is sacred and should be respected
Where I standeth is holy ground, tell ya (holy ground)
I want to remind you that where I stand is sacred
Holy ground
A repeated affirmation that the location is sacred and should be respected
Lyrics ยฉ BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Charles Fox, Khaled Khaled, Mark Myrie, Norman Gimbel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gkennedy_32
[Intro: DJ Khaled]
We the Best music
DJ Khaled
[Verse: Buju Banton]
Where thou standeth is holy ground, yeah (Holy ground)
Where I standeth is holy ground (Holy ground)
I shot him down to the ground, never to be found
No wickedness, only righteousness
But I shot him down to the ground
With word, power and sound
I fear no evil ground, no, no
Have you ever heard it was written? (Written) Yeah, yeah
Just like the anointed, your judgement shall be tripled
Lord, God
Where thou standeth is holy ground, remember that (Holy ground)
While I standeth on this holy ground (Holy ground)
[Pre-Chorus: Buju Banton]
A rebel is a warrior, just give him a cause
No more badass, no more wars
The state of play ain't pretty over
But a real soldier keep marchin' on
Let not another generation face this evil oppression
Or stay incarcerated, feeling nice in all black
The poor still living in a state of shock
The time you took I know I will not never get back, but
[Chorus: Buju Banton]
Where I standeth is holy ground, yeah (Holy ground)
Where I standeth is holy ground (Holy ground)
[Pre-Chorus: Buju Banton]
A rebel is a warrior, just give him a cause
No more badass, no more wars
The state of play ain't pretty over
But a real soldier keep marchin' on
Let not another generation face this evil oppression
Or stay incarcerated, feeling nice in all black
The poor still living in a state of shock
The time you took I will never get back, but
[Chorus]
Where I standeth is holy ground (Holy ground)
Where I standeth is holy ground, tell ya (Holy ground)
Where I standeth is holy ground (Holy ground)
Where I standeth is holy ground (Holy ground)
Remember that (Remember that)
[Refrain]
Holy ground
Holy ground
Holy ground
Holy ground
[Outro]
Where I standeth is holy ground (Holy ground)
Where I standeth is holy ground, remember (Holy ground)
Where I standeth is holy ground (Holy ground)
Where I standeth is holy ground (Holy ground)
@rodgergknowlesjr4232
Yooooooo... Goose bumps... I'm getting that Psalms 23 vibes right now
@jrdread1
Wicked intro to the Album! Started and finished it with Rasta ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ
@zoyablair6206
Buju u did not play with this damn song ๐ซ๐ซ๐ซ๐๐ฝ๐๐ฝ๐๐ฝ๐๐ฝ
@Gorrgrim
i dont understand
@Steadymedz
Gorrgrim classes are on Sundays!!
@thomasmaine3599
@Gorrgrim Lauryn Hill - Zion :)
@emalynhourani4612
Gorrgrim he wasnโt playing around when he sang it
@milesmanges
Bless to hear Buju, still a champion
@ClintonSlyMusic
A rebel is a warrior just give him a cause
No more borders, no more wars
The state of play ain't pretty over broad
But a real soldier keep marchin' on
Let not another generation face this evil oppression
Wholesale incarceration, felon-ize the whole block!
The poor still living in a state of shock
The time you took I know I wouldah never get back, but
@phatblok3628
๐ฏ