In commemoration of So So Def’s 30th anniversary, GRAMMY® Award-winning producer, songwriter, hip-hop artist, author, and DJ, Jermaine Dupri officially announced So So Def Festival, a celebration of hip-hop and R&B music.
The multi-day festival will feature performances from world-renowned artists who have collaborated with the mega hitmaker over the last 30 years. The two-day live music event will take place on October 7th from 12 PM – 11 PM ET and October 8th from 12 PM – 10 PM ET in Atlanta’s infamous Central Park.
Jermaine Dupri, a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, is one of the most successful producers in the music industry. He has established a prolific career as a hip-hop artist, award-winning producer, songwriter, author, DJ, and CEO of So So Def, which he founded in 1993.
The Otis Redding Foundation is proud to announce that songwriter, award-winning producer, DJ, CEO of So So Def, and entrepreneur Jermaine Dupri will be honored with the Otis & Zelma Redding Award of Respect at the highly anticipated 2nd Annual King of Soul Music Festival. Taking place in Macon, GA on September 8-9, the festival serves as a vibrant celebration of the incomparable legacy of Otis Redding, coinciding with what would have been his 82ND birthday on September 9. The event is a fundraiser for the new Otis Redding Center for The Arts. https://otisreddingfoundation.org/center-for-the-arts/the-new-center/
“We are thrilled to honor Jermaine Dupri at this year’s King of Soul Music Festival,” said Karla Redding-Andrews, Vice President and Executive Director of the Otis Redding Foundation. “We have known JD since he was a young man visiting the Big ‘O’ Ranch with his Dad and are so proud of his remarkable contributions to the music industry as a songwriter, award-winning producer, DJ, CEO of So So Def and entrepreneur. He was very close to my brother, Otis III, who passed away in April, and credits him with teaching him to make beats. JD aligns with Otis Redding’s spirit and the Foundation’s mission to inspire and empower young artists.”
“The Reddings and Otis III became my musical family before the world knew of Jermaine Dupri,” stated Jermaine. “While I understand the family is honoring me, in my mind, I am also honoring them for all they have allowed me to do, see and be a part of at a time when they didn’t have to.”
The festivities will kick off on Friday, September 8, with “An Evening of Respect” concert featuring the renowned Orchestra Noir at the historic Macon City Auditorium. Founded in 2016, Orchestra Noir has captivated audiences nationwide with its spectacular performances that pay homage to the cultural achievements of African American music pioneers across various genres, including classical, jazz, blues, hip-hop, and R&B.
The festivities will continue Saturday, September 9th with The Big “O” Homecoming Show & Dance at the magnificent Capitol Theatre. A star-studded lineup of renowned artists and musicians will perform on both nights to honor Otis Redding’s enduring musical legacy.
Jermaine Dupri is not stopping at Freaknik with his documentary skills. Dupri announced he and Drake have teamed up for a cinematic look into the legendary strip club Magic City.
According to the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, the doc will be called Magic City: An-American Fantasy and will explore the club’s place in Hip-Hop history and launching artists we have come to love since 1985. The doc will highlight Magic City’s role in crime, entrepreneurship, and women’s sexuality and commodification.
“Magic City is a second home for me,” said Dupri. “It’s the one place where celebrities, hustlers, politicians, and Atlanta locals all come together. I’ve watched it evolve over the years from a local joint to an internationally recognized spot. It’s about time we tell this story the right way.”
Joining Dupri and Drake’s DreamCrew Entertainment in creating the doc are producer Cole Brown, production company Scheme Engine and actress and Atlanta Hawks co-owner Jami Gertz.
Drake and Jermaine Dupri have concluded the production of Magic City: An American Fantasy, a three-part docuseries delving into the captivating story behind Atlanta’s iconic strip club, Magic City. With a star-studded lineup of executive producers and celebrity interviews, the series aims to showcase the lasting impact of Magic City on Atlanta’s music culture and […]
The Rap Gameis a TV show which premiered on Lifetime on January 1, 2016. Music producer Jermaine Dupri is the executive producer of the show, together with Queen Latifah and Shakim Compere. The show’s premise involves Dupri mentoring five aspiring rappers aged 12 to 16. The series portrays budding young artists navigating the highly competitive music industry. The contestants lived together in a house for approximately eight weeks. They undergo a series of challenges designed to test their lyrical skills, stage presence, and overall potential.
Each week, the contestants are ranked based on their performances. Their ultimate goal is to secure a recording contract with Dupri’s label, So So Def Recordings. Guest mentors, including prominent figures in the rap and hip-hop industry, appear throughout the show. They typically provide guidance and inspiration to the contestants. Jeezy, Usher, T.I., Snoop Dogg, Ludacris, and Da Brat have appeared on the series.
The Rap Game has generally been praised for its authentic portrayal of the music industry’s challenges. The show has also been lauded for providing a platform for young talent to shine while offering viewers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to succeed in hip-hop. One of its biggest successes is Latto. Jermaine Dupri recently gave his thoughts on Latto and responded to criticisms that he might have “dropped the ball” with the Atlanta raptress. The legendary producer said that he produced and put out Latto’s first song, but she only caught mainstream attention after she changed her image and started making music for an adult audience. Besides Latto, the show has had five seasons and four other winners. Here is a rundown of what they are currently up to.
Latto (Season 1, 2016)
Miss Mulatto changed her stage name to just Mulatto following her win in 2016. She released her first mixtape, MulaMob, later that year. Her 2019 EP, Big Latto, caught the attention of RCA Records, leading to the “Big Energy” rapper securing her first record deal. The project included the single “Bitch From Da Souf,” which went viral and was later remixed with features from fellow southern rappers Saweetie and Trina.
In 2020, Latto released her debut studio album, Queen of Da Souf, which charted at No. 44 on the Billboard 200. The project was generally met with positive critical reception. The album included notable tracks like “Muwop” featuring Gucci Mane and “On God.” Latto’s feature on the remix of Chloe x Halle’s “Do It” also received significant airplay. She would stop using the name Mullato after criticism stemming from the derogative origins of the name.
Latto has amassed a billion streams on Spotify thanks to hit singles like “Big Energy,” “Bitch From The Souf,” and “Muwop.” Her new single “Put It On Da Floor,” with less than a month on YouTube, currently has 2.2 million views.
Mani Da Don(Season 2, 2016)
Mani wasted no time in capitalizing on his newfound fame after winning the second season of The Rap Game TV show. He founded his own label, Fly City Entertainment, and signed himself. He released his debut single, “You Thought,” in 2016. The song showcases his lyrical prowess and upbeat style. The track received media attention and began Mani’s journey in the commercial music landscape.
Mani released his official debut album in 2021 called Had a Talk Wit da Streets, And I Forgive You. “Meet da Rubberbandit$ (Ha Ha Ha)” and “Prada Mama” are his most streamed songs on Spotify. The former is his latest single from the South Central L.A. native. “They Know Me” is his most-viewed song on YouTube, with over 600,000 views. Mani has consistently delivered projects since The Rap Game gave him a platform. His latest single, “Brrkn & Heels,” released two weeks ago, already has 20,000 views.
Nova (Season 3, 2017)
After winning Season 3 of The Rap Game TV show, Nova released his debut single, “Stay Over,” which showcased his lyrical talent and unique rap style. Jermaine Dupri produces the song and features R&B crooner Jacquees. Spotify has listed one official album from the Pennsylvania native called The Quarantine. Nova released the project in 2020. It features songs like “Devastated,” “Dream Catcher,” and “Tales.” Nova’s most streamed songs on Spotify include “Look Out Below,” “Go Harder,” “Stay Over,” and “Riding My Wave.” All these singles have over 150,000 listens. Nova hasn’t uploaded any new music on YouTube since The Quarantine album, but his most popular music video, “Save The Kid,” has 1.4 million views.
Steet Bud (Season 4, 2018)
The Season 4 winner of The Rap Game is Street Bud, real name, Sen’Derrick Marks Jr. Steet Bud hails from Atlanta, Georgia. The rapper is the youngest TV show winner at just 13 years. In the wake of his triumph Street Bud released his debut single, “Run My Check Up,” in 2018. The single helped the rapper launch his rap career.
Street Bud released his debut album Back 2 the Lab in 2020. The project included standout tracks like “Get It” and “No Cap.” In 2020, Street Bud collaborated with popular rapper and mentor Quavo, from the hip-hop trio Migos, on the track “Open House.” The song was well-received, further enhancing Street Bud’s profile in the industry. “Open House” is currently his most successful single, earning over three million spins on Spotify.
Tyeler Reign (Season 5, 2019)
The fifth season of The Rap Game aired in 2019 and crowned Tyeler Reign as its winner. Tyeler is a rapper from Los Angeles, California. Tyeler’s most popular single on Spotify is “I Promise.” The song has over 150,000 streams. Her “Petty” lyric video on YouTube has over 230,000 views. Tyeler isn’t as active with releasing projects as the other winners. Her official YouTube channel mostly consists of personal life content. Spotify has listed one EP from the rapper, including her popular “I Promise” single.
Grammy Award-nominated recording artist Latto’s career has drastically improved since her reality TV debut. Many fans of the “Put It On Da Floor” rapper aren’t even aware of her time on The Rap Game. However, the show’s co-producer and host, Jermaine Dupri, hasn’t.
During a recent interview with HipHopDX, the music mogul addressed the public’s thoughts on how he handled Latto’s career after she won the show’s game prize.
“People keep saying, ‘Jermaine, you dropped the ball on [Latto]. But what I think people don’t understand is, I put Latto’s record out,” said Dupri, referring to the deal promised to Latto for winning the season.
Viewers were under the impression that the winning contestant would be granted an exclusive recording contract with Dupri’s legacy label, So So Def. Dupri said that was indeed not the case. “The deal was, if you win on The Rap Game, you get a single from Jermaine Dupri on So So Def,” said Dupri. T”hat single [Who is You] came out.”
He added, “The problem was that Latto was 16 years old, and the outlets didn’t support it. And nobody was like speaking on it. Nobody talked about it. If you watched the TV show, you saw it…But people didn’t really start talking about Latto until she started making more vulgar records, dressing more sexual, and being more adult.”
Latto’s recollection of the event differs from Dupri’s account. In 2016, she told VladTV that she was offered a deal with Dupri’s label but ultimately turned down the contract because, “It wasn’t enough money.”
Latto has gone on to achieve great success while Dupri has continued to add to his legacy with an upcoming Verzuz battle slated for September. There doesn’t seem to be a loser in this scenario.
Time to press pause on the VERZUZ battle talk between Diddy and Jermaine Dupri. TMZ notes no official plans for the battle are in place, despite the viral video showing the Bad Boy hitmaker hyping up a September date.
Check out the footage from the backstage conversation of the forthcoming battle between Diddy and Dupri HERE
Diddy and Jermaine Dupri previously agreed to put their catalogs up against each other last summer.
“Since we ain’t fucking with Verzuz no more since ’cause they fucking around with our boys, we don’t need to be going against each other,” Diddy said last August. “Let’s come together and do that Bad Boy, So So Def in Atlanta. It ain’t no Verzuz, it’s just hit for hit.” Dupri replied. “Let’s do it.”
As of now, it’s unclear when Diddy and Jermaine Dupri will be going with for the upcoming Verzuz battle.
Despite recent announcements by Diddy in a recent video, the Verzuz official site and Instagram page have yet to confirm the highly-anticipated Verzuz battle between Jermaine Dupri and Diddy. While Diddy claimed the battle would occur on September 8 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, the official Verzuz platform has not made any […]
Hip-Hop mogul Diddy has announced a Verzuz battle with legendary producer Jermaine Dupri, which will take place in September in New York City. The highly-anticipated battle was originally planned for 2022. During a recent conversation with New York rappers Busta Rhymes and Fabolous, Diddy confirmed an upcoming Verzuz battle where he will face off against […]
The long-awaited return of Verzuz is upon us, and the comeback event will ensure it’s well worth the wait. After a nearly year-long hiatus since the last event, which featured R&B stars Mario and Omarion, Verzuz will return on September 8, pitting superproducers Diddy and Jermaine Dupri against each other in a matchup the duo previously confirmed in October. On Sunday, Busta Rhymes posted a video to his Instagram Story in which Diddy confirmed the next Verzuz date and promised to have Busta “in the rafters” of Madison Square Garden, “flying out the sky.”
No doubt, Diddy’s gift for showmanship will serve him well at the next Verzuz, which he initially refused to do as a result of Swizz Beatz and Timbaland’s lawsuit against Triller. However, it seems once the Verzuz founders reached a settlement with the streamer, all bets were back on the table. The battle between the Bad Boy Records and So So Def founders could see appearances from the likes of former Verzuz participants The Lox, Mase, Mary J Blige, and more on Diddy’s side, while JD could tap Bow Wow, Da Brat, and a string of JD’s collaborators including Ludacris, Usher, Monica, and more. You can find more info at VerzuzTV.com.
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