12 Major Keys Straight From The Snapchat God Himself

When you interview DJ Khaled, iconic rapper, Snapchat master, and music mogul, a couple of things are sure to happen.

First, he will be on his phone the whole time. But it won't feel rude, because it's obvious that he is never not on his phone. When I spoke with him, Khaled was intensely editing a picture of himself on his iPhone 7, outfitted in a red case. (Me: "Whenever you're ready," meaning, whenever you get off the phone. Him: "I'm ready," meaning, I am always on my phone.)

Second, he will be surrounded by apple-flavored Ciroc, because he is never not promoting a brand. In fact, that's why he's in this trailer on Hollywood Boulevard at 4 p.m. on a Monday, speaking with me. He's hosting a history-making event for Ford, joining the car company for the first-ever vehicle reveal on Snapchat. Usually cars are presented to a group of auto traders and industry writers. This year, the brand-new EcoSport was introduced on stage, and on the app, to a screaming crowd of millennials.

Finally, the interview will quickly turn into a "mogul talk," because Khaled is never not giving advice to his fans (and journalists) alike.

Seated across from him, with his ginormous diamond watch and newly buzzed hair (I saw him get the cut on Snapchat a few hours before I met up with him), I realized that, much like the mantra printed all over the Ford event — "Go Big, Live Small," referencing a common theme that millennials are more interested in purchasing experiences instead of material goods — Khaled always goes big, and lives small. His larger-than-life presence, which commands any stage he gets on (he'd later perform with two surprise guests: Fat Joe and Remy Ma) is juxtaposed to his daily mantras. His "keys" as many know them.

His tiny slivers of advice are often simplistic in their meaning, but that's what makes them so applicable. (So applicable in fact, that he's turned them into a book, The Keys, out November 22.) They can be applied to anyone's life, no matter their age, occupation, or lifestyle. So, instead of writing about my time with the performer, I am going to share with you 11 keys that he gave me during our conversation, surrounded by Ciroc, cell phone chargers, and bags of Chick-fil-A. (All interviews from here on out should involve me being asked: "Would you like any Chick-fil-A fries?")

In the words of Khaled, "You're gonna love it."