He's got the key to success – Palestinian artist DJ Khaled tops US charts... again

Grateful was released on June 23 through his own record label, We the Best/Epic Records and earned 149,000 equivalent album units in six days, according to Nielsen Music.

Out of the 149,000 album units sold, 50,000 of them were traditional album sales.

Grateful is the Palestinian artist’s second number 1 album, after his last album Major Key earned a number 1 spot on the US Billboard charts after selling nearly 100,000 album units and 59,000 album copies in its first week of release.

Prior to his number 1 streak, DJ Khaled had five other albums that made it to the top 10 in the Billboard 200 charts. His career took a leap for the better after he became a Snapchat phenomenon late 2015.

Palestinian pride and DJ Khaled

Palestinians on social media have undoubtedly taken pride in their fellow countryman’s success, reminding their own social media followers that the superstar has Palestinian roots, while rejoicing every time DJ Khaled embraces his Palestinian roots on his social media accounts.

He is often seen embracing his Palestinian roots through food, posting photos and videos of traditional delicacies and deserts like knafeh, the popular Palestinian celebration of sugar invented in Nablus.

However, he is sometimes criticised for not speaking out about the Palestinian cause and the struggles of his people.

Despite criticism, both professional and personal, DJ Khaled's success is undeniable. Palestinians are clearly proud of his success, but many still question whether how well he is using his platform.