It’s been a long time coming but it looks like we could expect two of hip-hop’s most prolific hitmakers will face off against each other at Verzuz. Diddy and Jermaine Dupri confirmed that they will go hit-for-hit in an announcement shared on Busta Rhymes’ Instagram page. “September 8th at the Garden, n***a,” Diddy tells Busta and Fabolous. “We’re gon’ have you out the rafters flying out the sky.” Busta added in the caption, “Sounds like we have an official date for @diddy @verzuztv @jermainedupri,” he wrote in his Instagram caption.
Despite Diddy’s confirmation, there hasn’t been a formal announcement from Swizz Beatz or Timbaland. In fact, Jermaine Dupri hasn’t even chimed in to address whether this date is set in stone. However, this is one of the Verzuz battles that fans have been waiting for since the inception of the series. Both Jermaine Dupri and Diddy have expressed interest in facing off against each other, although there haven’t been any concrete plans until now.
As Diddy and JD made plans to battle each other on Instagram Live last year, they later stated that they wanted to use that moment to showcase their respective labels. Both So So Def and Bad Boy’s influence on hip-hop and R&B as a whole remains evident these days, so they wanted to celebrate their history rather than compete. “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,” Diddy said last summer.
During JD’s appearance at I Am Athlete, he said that the two would be going hit-for-hit in 2023. The producer hyped up the upcoming event, comparing it to the Super Bowl. Overall, Verzuz has been rather lowkey since last summer, so we could imagine Swizz Beatz and Timbaland have been setting up some big battles for the return of the iconic live stream series. We’ll keep you posted on anymore details surrounding their battle. Check out Puff’s announcement above and let us know who you think will win. Are you Team So So Def or Team Bad Boy?
Jermaine Dupri, the executive producer for the upcoming Hulu documentary, Freaknik: The Wildest Part Never Told, addresses the outrage expressed on social media about the documentary’s content. The documentary promises to showcase the wild party atmosphere of the 1990s, and some social media users have expressed concerns about the depiction of such behavior. Dupri clarifies […]
Once the news of Jermaine Dupri’s Freaknik documentary hit the Internet, social media users of a certain age were copping pleas and sending warnings. At the same time, younger generations were curious to see what happened. Dupri pulled up to The Tamron Hall Show and spoke about the documentary, revealing it won’t be what many expect it to be.
“My vision of Freaknik is really a story about the South and Atlanta,” Dupri said. “It’s not really a story about what everybody keeps talking about. I don’t like that part because I feel like it’s a little disrespectful because I’m just telling a story of Atlanta, right? And how Atlanta was built into the place that it is today.”
He added, “People came to Atlanta through Freaknik and they stayed and that’s how Atlanta has become this multicultural place.”
You can hear JD talk about it below.
In a previous video uploaded to Instagram, Dupri revealed the doc was underway for Hulu. “This the first day of us shooting for the Freaknik documentary,” Dupri said. “So everybody that missed freaknik, we gon’ show y’all what y’all missed.”
Freaknik started off in 1983 when students from the Atlanta University Center (Morehouse College, Spelman College, and Clark Atlanta University) came together to throw a small picnic in a park near the campus for students who could not afford to go home for spring break.
Freaknik was an annual event that eventually expanded into a festival in the 1990s, complete with concerts, a basketball tournament, dance competitions, and even a job fair. About 300,000 people from all over the nation would attend the event at its peak.
But by 1999, Freaknik had relocated to the nearby Georgia county of DeKalb. However, due to increased police activity, the festival’s celebrations would become less vibrant. Former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed formally outlawed Freaknik and all associated activities in 2010.
There have been attempts to bring Freaknik back, but they have not been successful in attracting the same audience and attention as they did when it was popular.
Legendary producer, Jermaine Dupri has contributed to some of the most amazing moments in music. From discovering Bow Wow to his chart-topping hits with some of music’s GOATs, JD has had quite the career. Moreover, Jermaine Dupri sets his sights on the big screen. Currently, Dupri is working on the documentary titled Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told. The doc follows the infamous Atlanta spring break festival Freaknik and how it impacted the city and the South.
While Freaknik has a story that’s never been told, most people that attended would like to keep it that way. When word got out that there was a Freaknik documentary in the works, the internet went into a bit of a frenzy. Additionally, many users called out the blatant debauchery amongst the partygoers. Some said that there were going to be a lot of people in trouble for past actions at the festival. However, Jermaine Dupri appeared on the Tamron Hall Show to clear the air. When asked about the documentary and how people were uncomfortable with their past being unwillingly revealed, JD said he’d been awaiting to address these concerns.
Jermaine Dupri Clears The Air
Despite everyone’s worries, JD calmed everyone’s nerves saying, “My vision of Freaknik is really a story about the South and Atlanta.” “It’s not really a story about what everybody keeps talking about,” Dupri elaborated. Jermaine Dupri even admitted that he actually doesn’t like the freaky parts that surround the history of Freaknik. “I don’t like that part because I feel like it’s a little disrespectful because I’m just telling a story of Atlanta, right? And how Atlanta was built into the place that it is today,” he told Tamron Hall.
Not only that, the legendary producer noted that because of the infamous spring break event, it led to people staying in Atlanta. “People came to Atlanta through Freaknik and they stayed. I say that in ‘Welcome to Atlanta.’” he said to the talk show host. “And that’s how Atlanta has become this multi-cultural, multi-city place.” Jermaine Dupri stamped the party as one of the biggest roles in making Atlanta a multi-cultural, multi-city place. Did you go to Freaknik? Are you ready for the documentary? Let the HNHH crew know in the comments below!
Jermaine Dupri just wanted to post a video with him and Usher in peace, but it seems that Instagram trolls won’t let him get away that easy. Moreover, a hater took to the comments section of his video to remark on his old age in a pretty blunt fashion. As far as what the video showed, it was a simple video of Jermaine walking along with Usher and a crew of people, presumably after one of the latter’s Las Vegas residency shows. “Jd like 65,” the troll wrote in the comments section. “He should be sleeping.”
Furthermore, the North Carolina artist replied to that comment in a similarly simple but sincere way. “65!!!” the “Money Ain’t A Thang” star retorted indignantly. “You got me f***ed up!” Not only is Dupri still active in the music game, but he just released a hotly anticipated project. His collab tape with Curren$y, For Motivational Use Only, Vol. 1, released earlier in April, boasting features from the likes of T.I. and 2 Chainz. As such, it’s understandable that JD would be pretty taken aback by people bringing up his age when he’s still on his grind. For the record, Jermaine Dupri is 50.
Regardless, Jermaine has bigger fish to fry when it comes to beef- or, at least, he had. Last year, he got into a heated dispute with Bow Wow over who deserves more credit in his career’s evolution. Eventually, things got pretty sour, with them going back and forth on social media and dragging each other’s name through the mud. However, Bow Wow recently explained how Nelly helped mend their feud and put the past behind them. Ultimately, it came down to both men, of different generations and priorities, coming to understand each other more as they both entered a reflective, veteran status in the game.
Meanwhile, that’s not the only piece of gossip that circled in the hip-hop world about Dupri recently. Yung Joc compared him to Diddy last March, stating that the latter is more talented when it comes to knowing what’s “hot.” Wherever you fall on that debate, a potential Verzuz battle between the two, which JD said is in development, would make for quite the matchup. Regardless, check back in with HNHH for the latest news and updates on Jermaine Dupri.
Say what you want about Bow Wow, but you can’t deny his music career. Kids today may know the Ohio native from his social media antics, but that’s not who he is. Bow Wow is one of the original kid superstars. He has songs with some of the biggest rappers in Hip Hop. In case you didn’t know, Snoop Dogg is his godfather. Bow Wow was always in good hands.
After being discovered by Jermaine Dupri, Bow Wow became the hottest thing in Hip Hop. In fact, many rappers wanted to be Bow Wow as rappers started putting “Lil” before their monikers. Bow decided to drop his after other artists were copying his style. Early in his rap career, Bow crossed over into Hollywood. After releasing his second album, he even starred in the basketball movie, Like Mike.
Along with filming movies and TV shows, he also spent time being the host of BET’s 106 & Park. Bow has done a lot in his career and remains relevant today. His music cannot go unnoticed, though, as he is vital to Hip Hop. Let’s look at some of his best songs, in no particular order.
“Fresh Azimiz” ft. Mike Jones (2005)
Bow Wow has always rapped a big game even when he had the “Lil” in front of his name. It’s no different here in “Fresh Azimiz.” The way Bow raps the chorus makes for a catchy phrase to use. “You ain’t fresh as I’m issss” was a popular saying after this song was released, and it’s still remembered today. Additionally, this track scored Bow another Top 40 hit. It originally had three verses from Bow, but Mike Jones is featured, substituting his second verse.
6. “Ain’t Thinkin’ ‘Bout You” ft. Chris Brown (2010)
Besides making hits with Omarion, Bow Wow also sees success with Chris Brown. A few years after “Shortie Like Mine,” they both linked up for “Ain’t Thinkin’ Bout You.” This song differs from what we usually hear from these two. Instead of catering to the ladies, Bow Wow and Breezy make an anthem for the fellas. In what can be labeled a breakup anthem, neither artist thinks about their failed relationship. “Ain’t Thinkin’ Bout You” is the first single Bow released as a Cash Money artist.
5. “Bounce With Me” ft. Xscape (2000)
“Bounce With Me” is our introduction to Bow Wow. Later, we realize he was one of the kids at the beginning of Snoop Dogg’s “Gin & Juice” video. That was just a cameo, but he showed off in his debut. “Bounce With Me” set the tone for his debut album, Beware of Dog. It was also a lead song for the movie Big Momma’s House.
Clearly, Jermaine Dupri knew what he was doing with Bow Wow. After discovering Kriss Kross, JD knew how to make records everyone enjoyed. Kids, teens, and adults danced to this song. The young star rolls through the neighborhood in the video as everyone enjoys the song. It gave Bow Wow his first No. 1 on the Billboard Rap chart.
4. “Bow Wow (That’s My Name)” ft. Snoop Dogg (2000)
Bow Wow must be one of the biggest kid stars ever! He was just a phenomenon. “Bow Wow (That’s My Name)” told you all you needed to know about the young rapper. Out the gate, Snoop and Dupri’s protégé lets it be known that he’s the hottest thing in music. Move over, Backstreet Boys!
The video was even better as he ran around town, away from the crowd of people chasing him. He transforms into a dog at points in the video, making this his signature that mirrors Snoop. The visual appeared on BET’s 106 & Park so much it was retired from the network’s popular show.
There were a lot of hits off Bow Wow’s fourth studio album, Wanted. “Let Me Hold You” is another one. This is the first time he joins forces with Omarion. The platinum record reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Once again, Bow Wow always manages to speak to the ladies. He continues to grow up right before our eyes. The lane he is in with creating timeless R&B/Hip Hop hits suits him well. “Let Me Hold You” shows Bow makes these songs with ease.
Ciara and Bow Wow collaborated for a massive R&B-Hip Hop hit. Off Bow Wow’s Wanted album, “Like You” is the perfect song for a young couple in love. This is precisely what Bow Wow and Ciara were. At this time, Bow and CiCi were dating, and the media loved them. They were at the top of their careers, and this song gave both artists another Top 10 hit. It was reported that the two were engaged for a short stint.
This song is still Bow Wow’s highest-charting song to date. The Ohio native has been a favorite amongst the ladies since he started. He continues to make songs catered to them and excels at it. “Like You” is undoubtedly one of the more popular tracks of the 2000s.
1. “Shortie Like Mine” ft. Chris Brown & Johntá Austin (2006)
Bow Wow knows how to make a hit. He grabbed Chris Brown and Johntá Austin for “Shortie Like Mine.” He adds another ballad for the ladies to his catalog as he praises his special woman throughout the song. Actually, “Shortie Like Mine” is one of the first videos to integrate social media. At this time, MySpace was huge, and the music video incorporated similar Myspace features. Bow Wow was ahead of his time with this one.
Jermaine Dupri and Curren$y have announced another show highlighting their joint EP For Motivational Use Only. The show is set for New York City’s Webstar Hall on Thursday, May 4.
The show arrives on the heels of both their EP release and the Atlanta performance of the set of songs. Tickets for the Webstar Hall show are available here.
At The Eastern in Atlanta, Georgia, Jermaine Dupri and Curren$y debuted a live demonstration of the music-making process behind their eagerly awaited and collaborative EP For Motivational Use Only.
Bringing South Side to The Eastern, Jermaine Dupri and Curren$y gave concertgoers a live demonstration of the music-making process behind their recently released EP. The stage set was made to resemble Dupri’s renowned Atlanta recording studio. The audience was also exposed to behind-the-scenes video footage of their real studio sessions during the performance, providing them a genuine glimpse into the recording process between the two musicians. The renowned producer also performed the tunes live while the rapper from Jet Life Recordings told stories about the creation of each song.
Dupri gave an audio introduction to the audience before he and Spitta launched into a performance of the EP’s “SoSo Jet,” “Never Enough,” and “Off The Lot” with 2 Chainz. Before he and Dupri resumed the EP with “Screen Fall” and their most recent hit, “Never Fall Off,” featuring T.I., the New Orleans-based rapper took hold of the stage and performed a few fan favorites. Before the show’s second half began, the Grammy® Award-winning producer gave a solo performance of R&B and Hip-Hop hits, including “Money Ain’t A Thang,” which features Jay-Z. “Fortune 500” and their debut hit “Essence Fest” served as the concert’s closer.
You can see images from the night below and hear the full project here.
On a recent episode of Math Hoffa’s My Expert Opinion podcast, Bow Wow revealed that Nelly had to step in and cool off his beef with Jermaine Dupri. For those unaware, the two fought over Shad Moss regretting signing with JD and Dupri later taking credit for Bow’s success. While he didn’t get into details, the 36-year-old said that the “Dilemma” hitmaker helped bring down tensions between them. Not only that, but he expressed gratitude for Nelly being willing and able to ease his issues with Jermaine Dupri. Regardless of their recent spat, it seems they were all able to remember the good things they did for each other.
“The best way to explain it without going way too deep into it- and I told him this because we had a real talk recently,” Bow Wow began. “Last month, I pulled up to the studio, and Nelly had to be there to be the mediator. I said, ‘I’ll come inside when you there. But you gotta be there. You gotta be right in the middle of this s**t.‘
Bow Wow Reveals Nelly’s Role In Easing Jermaine Dupri Beef
“Nelly’s like an uncle, like a big brother,” he continued. “So I walk in and I told [Jermaine Dupri] to my face like, ‘You like Star Wars so much, right? That’s what we is. You Obi-Wan and I’m Anakin.‘ That’s all it is. That’s the relationship. I’m the young n***a who wanted all the info. I’m ready to go, I’m ready to go and it’s, ‘No, Bow Wow…’ That’s all Anakin was. Obi was the teacher, Anakin was the student. When Anakin wanted to go out, get it cracking, ‘No, Anakin. Stand back, you not ready.’
“So that’s the whole thing is that we’re the same, very competitive,” Bow Wow concluded. “I’m smart because I learned from you, could potentially be even smarter because I had three n***as who I learned s**t from. You had no one you learned s**t from. So I learned from you, I learned from Snoop, I learned from Puff, I learned from Birdman. Like listen sometimes, but JD is stubborn though.” Let us know your thoughts on this development in the comments and return to HNHH for more on Bow Wow, Jermaine Dupri, and Nelly.
Curren$y has been a mainstay in the Southern rap scene for over a decade. Covering the moody landscape of Southern rap, he’s known for his clockwork output and swaggering verses. The New Orleans-born artist has been collaborating with underground artists throughout his career. Some of his most notable collaborations have been with The Alchemist, Freddie Gibbs, and Wiz Khalifa. He remains a household name in the Southern rap scene with a fifteen-year career.
As for The Alchemist, the two released Continuance back in 2022, their third studio release as a duo. Polishing their past sound, many held that Continuance was one of the better rap projects in 2022. With ForMotivational Use Only, Vol. 1, Curren$y is wisely sticking with iconic producer collaborations. This time, it’s with music legend Jermaine Dupri. The So So Def icon has produced hit records for artists such as Mariah Carey, Usher, Ludacris, Jay-Z, and LL Cool J.
Curren$y’s collaboration with Dupri has been years in the making. About teaming up with him, he said, “I had my mind made up even since the ‘Jump’ remix by Kris Kross and SuperCat that I wanted to work with him. I’d crossed paths with the legend from making moves with Lil Wayne, but it was clearly not my place to introduce myself. I had to play my part. The universe is the universe though, and it makes things right when it’s the right time.” In retrospect, it’s good to see the dedicated MC get his mainstream shine.
The EP Blends Southern R&B & Trap Styles
At its core, For Motivational Use Only, Vol. 1 is an ode to Southern rap. In an interview with Rap Radar, Dupri stated, “Part 1 is a real southern record that the south really needs.” The producer and Curren$y team up for 22 minutes of braggadocios verses and colossal beats. A true summer-time jam, the booming 808s are perfect for a warm weather drive. While much of For Motivational Use Only, Vol. 1 shoots for a trap-heavy sound on the likes of “Off the Lot,” you also have your cuts such as “Fortune 500,” which edge towards more of a lo-fi quality. Dupri showcases his ability to produce in various soundscapes, solidifying why he remains one of the most in-demand producers in hip-hop.
Curren$y spends much of the project flexing his wealth. Driving around in a fresh Cadillac, he doesn’t shy away from hyping himself up with bars such as “My diamonds are brighter than yours” or “The quarterly projections lookin’ like a straight blessing” on “Never Enough.” However, he isn’t surface-level in his description of wealth. As he puts it, it took years of hard work and suffering. He references his impoverished circumstances and his mother’s tireless work ethic throughout the record, stating, “Mama worked like a slave, that’s I work so damn hard when it come to getting paid” on “Never Enough.” His pen game is laid back yet hyper-focused from start to finish. For Motivational Use Only, Vol. 1 is a celebratory ode to where he’s currently at in life.
Curren$y Recruits Heavy Hitters
Additionally, For Motivational Use Only, Vol. 1 features fellow Southern MC counterparts 2 Chainz and T.I. They pop up on “Never Fall Off” and “Off the Lot,” two of the better cuts off of the EP. Surprisingly, it’s the first time T.I. has appeared on one of Dupri’s beats. Curren$y is one of those MCs that warrants more respect in hip-hop circles than he does in the mainstream. It explains why he’s consistently able to garner big-name features on his projects. Founding Jet Life Recordings back in 2011, he also references his wide portfolio throughout the EP.
As implied by the record title, there’s more to come from the Southern duo. In a quote from Curren$y’s Instagram, he stated, “We have a zillion songs recorded at this point, but we have selected 7 to form an EP and drop at midnight.” A successful first installment in the duo’s series, it will be exciting to see how they build on the sound of For Motivational Use Only, Vol.1 for future records. The duo hinted at a heavier feature list featuring the likes of Nas for the next volume.
In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising if Volume 2 of this series grows on the grandeur soundscapes of the first volume. More time spent in the studio between the two Southern counterparts should enable them to continue to pick at the margins of their respective potentials. With Curren$y existing in the pocket of psychedelic jazz beats over the past few years, For Motivational Use Only, Vol. 1 signifies a bold departure from his usual comfort zone.
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