It was 2013, and the internet was actually melting. DJ Khaled had just sat down in front of an MTV camera, looked directly into the lens with the intensity of a man who’d just discovered the meaning of life, and proposed to Nicki Minaj. He held up a 10-carat diamond ring. It was worth half a million dollars.
Most people thought he’d lost his mind. Or that he was truly, desperately in love.
Honestly? It was just the wildest marketing stunt of the decade. A few days later, the world got the dj khaled i wanna be with you lyrics and realized the whole "proposal" was just a setup for the second single from his album Suffering From Success.
That's Khaled for you. Total theater.
The Story Behind the Lyrics
The song isn't really a love ballad, despite what the title suggests. Produced by Lee on the Beats, it’s a high-gloss trap anthem that basically treats romance like a business transaction or a luxury lifestyle choice. You’ve got Future handling the hook, Nicki Minaj leading the charge, and Rick Ross coming in to talk about cocaine and Phantoms.
Khaled's genius—if we’re calling it that—is putting people together who shouldn't necessarily fit but somehow do.
The track opens with Future's Auto-Tuned warble. He’s talking about how "easy" it is to ball on someone. It's not about the emotional connection; it's about the fact that he can buy the purses, pay the bills, and "spoil you" without breaking a sweat. It’s peak 2013 Future.
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Nicki Minaj’s Show-Stealing Verse
Nicki absolutely clears everyone on this track. This was during her "Queen" era when she was blending high-fashion references with gritty hood metaphors. She starts off by demanding a partner with a "llama degree"—slang for someone who knows their way around a gun—but who also has the "limited edition Audemars."
She’s looking for a very specific type of guy:
- Someone who sends "a couple whips" (cars).
- Someone who takes her on "a couple trips."
- Essentially, someone who matches her tax bracket.
One of the most famous lines in the dj khaled i wanna be with you lyrics is her Jennifer Aniston reference. "Got the .22 on me, and it's thin / Shoot movies, Jennifer Aniston." It’s clever, it’s sharp, and it has absolutely nothing to do with DJ Khaled’s fake marriage proposal.
Interestingly, while filming the music video in a Miami nightclub, Nicki was reportedly unhappy with her wardrobe. There’s behind-the-scenes footage where she literally says, "Everything that I'm wearing is ugly." She still looked like a million bucks on that platform with the confetti falling, though.
Rick Ross and the "Cocaine Talk"
By the time Rick Ross slides in, the song shifts from a pseudo-love song to a standard Maybach Music Group flex. Ross mentions Kurt Cobain, Port Arthur, and the fact that his "chain drips like water."
He’s the "boss" character here.
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While Future and Nicki are playing with the idea of a relationship, Ross is mostly just there to remind you that he's rich. He even mentions giving a girl the keys to a car as soon as he bought it. It’s extravagant. It’s loud. It’s exactly what a 2013 Khaled record needed to be.
Why the Lyrics Still Matter in 2026
You might wonder why we're still talking about a song from over a decade ago.
The reality is that "I Wanna Be With You" was a turning point for how hip-hop used social media. That proposal stunt? It paved the way for the "clout-chasing" era we live in now. Before TikTok challenges and forced viral moments, Khaled was out here using MTV and a $500,000 ring to sell a single.
Facts at a glance:
- Release Date: August 2, 2013.
- Album: Suffering From Success.
- RIAA Certification: Gold (500,000 units).
- Chart Peak: #1 on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100.
Even though it didn't top the main Hot 100, it became a staple in clubs. The beat has that signature "Lee on the Beats" bounce—heavy on the 808s but polished enough for the radio.
What People Get Wrong About the Meaning
A lot of fans think this was a diss track or a serious confession of love. Neither is true.
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It’s a "vibe" record. It’s about the intersection of wealth and attraction. When Future sings "I wanna be with you," he follows it up with "everything you do is brand new." It’s the thrill of the new, the expensive, and the exclusive.
If you're looking for deep, soulful poetry, you're in the wrong place. But if you want a masterclass in 2010s "luxury rap," this is it.
The song actually holds up surprisingly well. Compared to some of the over-produced tracks of the late 2010s, there's a simplicity to the structure here that works. It’s just three heavyweights doing what they do best over a beat that knocks.
How to Use This Knowledge
If you’re a DJ or a playlist curator, "I Wanna Be With You" is a perfect "throwback" transition. It’s high energy and instantly recognizable because of Nicki’s verse.
For the casual listener, the best way to enjoy it is to ignore the cringe-worthy proposal videos and just focus on the flow. Nicki's "Gemini" line still hits for anyone into astrology, and Ross’s "Phantom cost like four dollar" is still one of the most absurdly cool lyrics he’s ever dropped.
Check out the official music video if you want to see a bunch of cameos from the 2013 rap elite—Birdman, Ace Hood, and even Ciara (who wasn't even on the song but was dating Future at the time) all make appearances. It’s a literal time capsule of a specific moment in hip-hop history.
Your next move: Listen to the track again and see if you can spot the subtle drum patterns Lee on the Beats added at the last minute to keep the production from feeling "too basic." You'll hear the extra tongs and percussion layers that weren't in the original demo.