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).
Sleep When I'm Gone
DJ Khaled Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
DJ Khaled!
We the best forever
Cash Money, Young Money
I'm for real about this shit
Let's go
[Chorus]
The sun goes down but I won't stop for nothing
I close my eyes, I'd rather sleep when I'm gone
Sleep when I'm gone
Sleep when I'm gone (Gone)
I'm lookin' at the clock like yay yay
Maps to my treasure, yay ay
(Time's on the side, whoa)
I close my eyes, I'd rather sleep when I'm gone
Sleep when I'm gone
Sleep when I'm gone
They say sleep is the cousin of death, guess we related
Cause I'm the most slept on, and the most hated
Hated by niggas with no hustle
Starin' at me in the club like I won't bust you
In the face with the spades, life is a card game
And I'm playin' spades, gamblin' with y'all change
Fuckin' basketball wives, while you at away games
Really fuckin' basketball wives, ain't gotta say names
Whole body tattered like a New York City freight train
Niggas get to barkin', put a bullet in the great Dane
Try me, end up like Rolly
Team full of animals, like I coach the heat
Four floor mansion, close to the beach
Six car garage, this how I'm supposed to eat
In Miami, rolling up kush on boat decks
Flaggin' down the waitress, wavin' my Rolex
[Chorus]
Yo, I don't survive the test of time doin' this shit so long
And only rest to rise again homie, I sleep when I'm gone
Look, a legend while I'm prime, and so current and they hate this
The streets classified me as another level of greatness
I don't fight for crowns at all, I let whack niggas bitch
And let 'em flip while they debate on who the king of this shit
Listen, see I don't waste time debatin' over those things
Because I'm God motherfucker, God create kings
Watch it, I'm hearin' that a lot of niggas mad through the grapevine
The piano soundin' beautiful and sad at the same time
The feelin' of a funeral, so study you niggas
Khaled, provide the theme music while I bury you niggas
Now there's no escaping the God, you better find a get away
'Fore I start wiling like Haitians and Jamaicans when it's Labor Day
Khaled, every time you know we gotta make 'em love it
And realize every thing is hotter when we touch it
[Chorus]
Ayo Khaled, let this shit breeze
Poor lil' rich nigga, that's me
Smoke comin' out the sunroof, blowin' on hasheesh
Can't stop now, cause I'm in too deep
One point five wide, every two weeks
Niggas wanna kill me, let the shells fall out
Life insurance in place, my kids gon' ball out
They kids gon' ball out, twenty years from now, pullin' cars out
You gon' think cocaine gettin' hauled out
Ass gettin' chipped in, crystal meth gettin' dipped in
All cause you let a nigga slip in
Aftermath, "0" five, G-Unit, "0" six
Everything else is gymnastics, watch the dough flip
Sittin' on the couch, smokin' up memories
Pourin' Jack Daniels, toast to my enemies
Fuck beef, nigga I ain't got the energy
Take the last shot to the dome, John Kennedy
[Chorus]
The chorus of DJ Khaled's "Sleep When I'm Gone" speaks about the value of time and the importance of making the most of it. He sees time as equivalent to money and wants to use it wisely. He doesn't want to waste his time sleeping but would rather rest when he's gone. He looks at the clock, emphasizing the value of time and the need for efficiency. The singer believes that sleep is related to death but isn't afraid because he has a plan for his life. The second verse tells of the singer's experience with haters who are jealous of his success. He doesn't concern himself with them, instead stating that he is "God" and "God create kings." He is aware that his music is classified as sad but feels fully in touch with his emotions. The song concludes with a verse that reflects on the singer's wealth and how he doesn't want to waste time getting involved in drama. He toasts to his enemies, acknowledging the value of his experiences but isn't afraid to take risks and take the last shot to the dome like John F. Kennedy.
Line by Line Meaning
About to change the game
I'm about to revolutionize the music industry
DJ Khaled!
Make some noise for DJ Khaled!
We the best forever
Our record label is the best and will remain the best
Cash Money, Young Money
Our record labels are making a lot of money
I'm for real about this shit
I'm serious about my work and my success
Let's go
Let's get started!
I'm countin' my time, cause my time is my money
I value my time because it directly corresponds to how much money I make
The sun goes down but I won't stop for nothing
It doesn't matter what time it is, I'm always working towards success
I close my eyes, I'd rather sleep when I'm gone
I'll rest when my work is done and I'm gone from this world
They say sleep is the cousin of death, guess we related
Sleeping can be compared to being dead, so I'll sleep when I'm truly gone
Cause I'm the most slept on, and the most hated
People don't appreciate my hard work and therefore underestimate me
Hated by niggas with no hustle
People who don't have a strong work ethic are often the ones who dislike me
Starin' at me in the club like I won't bust you
People might underestimate me and think I won't retaliate, but they are wrong
In the face with the spades, life is a card game
Life is a game like cards and I use violence where necessary to succeed
And I'm playin' spades, gamblin' with y'all change
I'm willing to take risks with my life and devalue others in order to succeed
Fuckin' basketball wives, while you at away games
I am using and sleeping around with professional athletes' wives while they are away playing games
Whole body tattered like a New York City freight train
My tattoos and physical appearance reflect my reckless and tough lifestyle
Niggas get to barkin', put a bullet in the great Dane
If someone tries to intimidate me or insult me, I'll do whatever it takes to shut them up
Try me, end up like Rolly
If someone tries to test me, I'll make them regret it
Team full of animals, like I coach the heat
The people I surround myself with are just like me and are willing to do whatever it takes to win
Four floor mansion, close to the beach
I'm extremely successful and living in a luxurious mansion
Six car garage, this how I'm supposed to eat
I have multiple cars because that is how successful people are supposed to live
In Miami, rolling up kush on boat decks
I'm living the high life, smoking weed on my yacht in Miami
Flaggin' down the waitress, wavin' my Rolex
I'm so wealthy that I feel entitled to special treatment and like showing off my expensive possessions
Yo, I don't survive the test of time doin' this shit so long
I've been successful for a long time and have stood the test of time
And only rest to rise again homie, I sleep when I'm gone
I don't need much rest because I'm always working and will only stop once I'm gone from this world
Look, a legend while I'm prime, and so current and they hate this
I'm currently successful and at my prime, but people still hate me because of my success
The streets classified me as another level of greatness
People in the streets regard me as one of the greatest due to my success
I don't fight for crowns at all, I let whack niggas bitch
I don't waste time fighting with people who are beneath me
And let 'em flip while they debate on who the king of this shit
I don't care about being king, and I let others waste time arguing over it
Listen, see I don't waste time debatin' over those things
Arguing over meaningless things is a waste of my time
Because I'm God motherfucker, God create kings
I'm so successful and powerful, that I'm the equivalent of a god and can create whoever I want to be king
Watch it, I'm hearin' that a lot of niggas mad through the grapevine
I know that many people are talking bad about me behind my back
The piano soundin' beautiful and sad at the same time
The sad and beautiful sound of a piano represents the mixed feelings people have towards me
The feelin' of a funeral, so study you niggas
People are so upset and hateful towards me, it's like they're mourning my death
Khaled, provide the theme music while I bury you niggas
Khaled, put on the music while I take down my enemies
Now there's no escaping the God, you better find a get away
Once I've set my sights on someone, they can't escape me easily
'Fore I start wiling like Haitians and Jamaicans when it's Labor Day
If you don't find a way to escape me, I'll start causing chaos and destruction like people during Labor Day celebrations
Khaled, every time you know we gotta make 'em love it
Khaled and I always make music that people love
And realize every thing is hotter when we touch it
When Khaled and I work together, everything becomes better and more successful
Poor lil' rich nigga, that's me
I might be wealthy, but I still face hardships and struggles
Smoke comin' out the sunroof, blowin' on hasheesh
I'm smoking weed and enjoying life, regardless of my problems
Can't stop now, cause I'm in too deep
I'm too far gone to give up now, and I have to keep pushing forward
One point five wide, every two weeks
I'm making a lot of money every two weeks
Niggas wanna kill me, let the shells fall out
People might wish that I was dead, but I'm ready to defend myself
Life insurance in place, my kids gon' ball out
I'm prepared for any situation, and my children will be able to live comfortably even after my death
They kids gon' ball out, twenty years from now, pullin' cars out
My grandchildren will also be successful, pulling expensive cars out of their garages
You gon' think cocaine gettin' hauled out
My success is so big that it will be like cocaine being taken out and transported
Ass gettin' chipped in, crystal meth gettin' dipped in
People will be so envious of my success, they'll start to lose their minds
All cause you let a nigga slip in
This is happening because someone made the mistake of underestimating me
Aftermath, "0" five, G-Unit, "0" six
I've been successful since these years and I'll continue to be successful in the future
Everything else is gymnastics, watch the dough flip
Everything else in life is trivial and not as important as making money
Sittin' on the couch, smokin' up memories
I'm relaxing and smoking weed, reminiscing on my past success
Pourin' Jack Daniels, toast to my enemies
I'm drinking and celebrating, even if it's at the expense of my enemies
Fuck beef, nigga I ain't got the energy
I'm done with meaningless conflicts and arguments
Take the last shot to the dome, John Kennedy
If someone comes after me, I'm ready to retaliate and kill them just like John F. Kennedy's assassination
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: JAYCEON TAYLOR, FLOYD HILLS, TREVOR SMITH, THOMAS CALLAWAY, KHALED KHALED, KELLY SHEEHAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@seatedheats8014
Anyone else here because busta posted this verse on a dre beat?
@user-sm2sn2fr5m
⚡⚡🙌🏼⚡⚡
@quietfoalsocray170
u know this is on the radio right
@ownedboi
Amazing
@Kidreddd
game killls it
@quietfoalsocray170
yeah
@FilipaaQ
LOOOL
@MrCookabrickga
NITE OWL ANTHEM
@Febreze99
4 dislikes... humm, must be bird mans crew
@tino.stylestvtv6221
Busta killed it he was better to me