DJ Khaled Talks Uniting Former Rivals JAY-Z and Nas on 'Sorry Not Sorry': 'It Was a Dream Come True'

"JAY-Z and Nas are my brothers," DJ Khaled tells PEOPLE while promoting his men's grooming brand BlessWell

Jay-Z, DJ Khaled, Nas
Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty; Matthew Eisman/Getty; Amy Sussman/Getty

DJ Khaled says bringing together former rivals JAY-Z and Nas on his latest album Khaled Khaled "was a dream come true."

While promoting his men's CBD grooming brand BlessWell that launched last week, the mega-producer, 45, tells PEOPLE that the collaboration with the two Brooklyn emcees on the song "Sorry Not Sorry" was years in the making.

"Man, it was a dream come true for me, but also a gift to the world. Just to be able to put that together was unbelievable," Khaled tells PEOPLE.

The Khaled Khaled artist described both Nas, 47, and JAY-Z, 51, as "my brother, my friend," adding, "I'm a big fan."

2021 Billboard Music Awards
DJ Khaled. Todd Williamson/NBC/Getty

"One day we were having dinner at Tao in LA and it was Mary J. Blige, Beyoncé, Nas, JAY-Z, Puff Daddy and more people were there," he recalls of the moment he realized he could ask the Brooklyn emcees and former rivals to collaborate. "JAY-Z and Nas are my brothers, but that day, I [saw] them together just having the best conversations and it was all laughing, enjoying good energy and good vibes. So I've always been wanting to make this record. So I'd seen that and I said, 'Man I can pull this off.'"

Khaled adds, "It took me I would say maybe four to five years to get the courage to ask. But I knew that day, that is possible, because I felt the love. I asked both of them [about] working on this album. And they were like, 'Let's do it.'"

"Sorry Not Sorry" also includes vocals from James Fauntleroy and Beyoncé (under the name Harmonies by The Hive) .

The BlessWell entrepreneur accompanied "Sorry Not Sorry" with a music video showing JAY-Z and Nas enjoying a game of poker while they rap about their humble beginnings and current success.

"The song is motivational and inspirational. That's what I love about it the most," Khaled tells PEOPLE of the song. "Because it's 2021 and these are two of our biggest MCs ever to do it. They're talking about motivation, inspiration, and where they're at in their life."

He adds, "I want people to hear that as a historic collaboration. It's also inspiring to say, man, our leaders, they came from nothing and look where they are now. I think that was just beautiful. Not only to get them on the record, but just the lyrics."

JAY-Z and Nas' feud began in the mid-'90s after they released their respective albums Reasonable Doubt and It Was Written, according to Complex.

Their rivalry escalated after JAY-Z released the 2001 diss track "Takeover" aimed at Nas who responded with the explosive song "Ether."

The two publicly called off their feud during JAY-Z's 2005 I Declare War Tour when he brought Nas on stage during the East Rutherford, New Jersey stop, MTV reported at the time.

Jay-Z, Nas
Jay-Z and Nas. Ari Perilstein/Getty; Dave Kotinsky/Getty

Khaled's collaboration with JAY-Z and Nas was one of the many tracks on Khaled Khaled that led the producer to his third No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart.

"Man, it feels great," he tells PEOPLE of the recognition. "This was a big accomplishment for me and my team, you know, for having a number one album in a time like this in a new decade. A new world, a new generation."

"Good music, great music, you can never stop," he continues.

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Khaled adds, "I put my heart and soul in this album, top to bottom. The fans spoke. And they made it No. 1, and they praise it and they say it's one of my best bodies of work. And I'm humble and I'm grateful and it only inspired me [and] motivated to do more. It feels amazing."

The album name also has special significance, he tells PEOPLE.

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"This is my 12th album and this album is Khaled Khaled – that's my real birth name. So I made sure if I'm gonna put my name on it like that, my birth name, I got to go all out," he shares. "This is the new chapter and the evolving, more evolving of Khaled."

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