DJ Khaled’s Best Music Videos: Breaking Down His Most Expensive Productions and Celebrity Costs

With his music videos, which serve as cinematic brand statements, and chart-topping hits, DJ Khaled has completely reimagined the image of the modern hip-hop mogul. Known for collaborating with A-list artists such as Drake, Beyoncé, and Jay-Z, often with extravagant sets and lavish visuals, DJ Khaled approaches each video as a high-stakes investment.

In this article, we rank DJ Khaled's biggest budget music video to date, examining the resources, production process, and business logic behind the visuals that helped cement his status as a prominent hip-hop curator and strategist.

DJ Khaled's music video budgets have increased as he has transitioned from a regional radio host to a global hip-hop figure. Starting in the late 1990s on Miami's WEDR 99 Jamz, Khaled established early industry connections with artists such as Fat Joe and Trick Daddy.

These relationships laid the groundwork for his debut album Listennn... the Album (2006), which debuted at No. 12 on the Billboard 200. But it wasn't until he embraced the role of executive producer, a self-styled "Quincy Jones of hip-hop," that his vision and budgets expanded.

Khaled's business model prioritizes visibility and cultural dominance. With royalty rates of around 4.5%, albums frequently serve as loss leaders, and many artists rely on platform deals and brand endorsements to generate significant income. In 2021, for example, DJ Khaled earned $27 million from endorsement deals with Apple, CÎROC, and Weight Watchers. These revenue streams fund larger music video productions.

Khaled also plans his collaborations carefully, featuring up-and-coming artists on his tracks before collaborating with established names, such as Beyoncé and Jay-Z, to maximize his reach and appeal. His ability to orchestrate talent, capital, and narrative into a cohesive brand experience has made big-budget videos not a luxury but a necessity in his empire-building playbook.

High-production visuals are central to DJ Khaled's brand strategy. While these videos involve high production costs, they contribute to his net worth. They're strategically crafted to leverage social media platforms, facilitate collaborations, and create a cultural impact. Below are his most expensive and iconic video productions to date, ranked by scale, reach, and estimated investment.

This video for this single was filmed at a luxury mansion in Malibu, California, prominently featuring its grounds in bright sunlight. It has garnered more than 1.8 billion views on YouTube and is Khaled's most successful hit. This video emphasized opulence and achieved widespread cross-demographic appeal.

Featuring four high-profile artists, aerial cinematography, and a stylized summer aesthetic, the production budget for this video was likely upwards of $1 million. Directed by Eif Rivera and produced by Artists and Derelicts, it was a key component of the promotional campaign for his album Grateful.

This vibrant, visually colorful video was filmed in Little Haiti, Miami. The overall atmosphere and mood of the video, combined with Rihanna's outfits, music sampling, and visual elements, created a nostalgic '90s vibe. Rihanna's presence alone elevated costs, but the real value came from leveraging her global reach.

The video surpassed 1.2 billion views and led to brand collaborations, specifically with Fenty and Beats by Dre. Director X helmed the shoot, with production support from DNA Inc.

Drake appears briefly in this video while Justin Bieber takes center stage, playing himself in a stylized, self-aware narrative. Directed by Colin Tilley, it features scenes set in luxurious interiors at night. With 331 million views, a production budget between $700,000 and $1 million is plausible.

Casting Bieber was strategic. While his fee may have been steep, his reach among Gen Z gave the video legs well beyond hip-hop circles.

Filmed at DJ Khaled's lavish mansion, this video features six chart-topping artists and combines elements of romance and luxury. Directed by Gil Green, it achieved 456 million views. With heavily choreographed scenes, multiple stylists, and a large crew, the video's budget likely exceeded $ 600,000.

It captured Khaled's shift toward cinematic storytelling, featuring glossy visuals, elevated fashion, and a star-studded cast. While the production was complex, it contributed to his long-term brand elevation.

Bright, clean, and visually playful, the "No Brainer" music video is a spectacular studio-based production. Directed again by Colin Tilley, it has reached 372 million views. The video prominently features bold color palettes, a modular set design, and youth-friendly choreography. Despite its contained setting, reports suggest that the video cost around $500,000 to create due to the top-tier cast and a significant investment in post-production.

This music video proved that Khaled doesn't need elaborate locations to maintain visual impact — just the right cast and clever direction.

Beyoncé is frequently listed among the world's highest-paid celebrities. She possesses star power and visual influence, and her work on Khaled's videos has raised the bar for wardrobe, choreography, and direction.

Jay-Z, widely recognized as hip-hop's first billionaire, makes budget demands even higher because of his high net worth, business prestige, and cultural weight. His 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction and 2022 Emmy win only add to this.

Drake, who is typically included in lists of the world's highest-paid celebrities, drives the global popularity and cross-genre appeal of hip-hop. These stars increase visibility and commercial value, which is why high-profile DJs, such as DJ Khaled, have high video budgets.

DJ Khaled's lavish video productions generate returns that far exceed their aesthetic value. Rich visual content enhances chart performance, increases YouTube visibility (his channel has garnered over 7 billion views), and reinforces his image as a luxury brand.

His billion-view collaborations exemplify how high-end visuals translate into fan engagement, algorithmic lift, and monetized attention. These videos bring in top-notch collaborators, help Khaled win awards, get him GRAMMY nominations, and keep him relevant in the market.

As albums serve as loss leaders, his real return on investment stems from monetized content ecosystems powered by sponsorships, endorsements, and virality, all anchored by music videos built to dominate digital platforms.

DJ Khaled's approach to music video production is less about excess and more about calculated brand architecture. He places himself at the nexus of culture and business by combining powerful imagery with elite talent and high-end aesthetics. His entertaining videos are a source of social media buzz, contribute to streaming growth, and often lead to deals and collaborations across various industries.

In an era where visuals drive discoverability, Khaled treats every release as a multimedia campaign. The result? Sustained industry relevance, cross-platform monetization, and a blueprint for how hip-hop moguls can convert creative ambition into measurable business success.