Jermaine Dupri

Artist Image: Jermaine Dupri
Attribution
Image Credit: Eva Rinaldi (Jermaine Dupri), CC BY-SA 2.0

Biography

Dupri got his start as a dancer for the hip hop group Whodini when he was twelve. He made an appearance in their music video for the song "Freaks Come Out At Night". In 1990, he produced his first act- the female hip hop trio Silk Tymes Leather. He later formed the teen duo Kris Kross (Chris Kelly and Chris Smith) after meeting the boys at a local mall in 1991. The group's first album, Totally Krossed Out, was released in 1992 and went multi-platinum due to their singles "Jump" and "It's a Shame". He established his own record label called So So Def Recordings in 1993. Shortly after, he discovered female R&B group Xscape at a festival in Atlanta and signed them to the label. Their first album, Hummin' Comin' at 'Cha, went platinum. During the same year, on Yo! MTV Raps he met Da Brat through Kris Kross, signed her to his label So So Def Recordings, and released her debut Funkdafied (1994) which went platinum. So So Def Recordings entered into a distribution partnership with Columbia Records in 1993. He contributed to Lil' Kim's 1996 album, Hard Core on the track "Not Tonight". In 1998, Jermaine Dupri was involved in the release of Destiny's Child's eponymous debut album. Dupri renewed the focus on his own music career and released The Party Continues, the lead single from his debut studio album Jermaine Dupri Presents Life In 1472: The Original Soundtrack. Also that year he met Lil Bow Wow and signed him to So So Def Recordings. The two would later part ways but continued to collaborate on later projects. The deal with Columbia was terminated in 2002, and in 2003 Dupri switched to Arista Records. Jermaine worked on Mariah Carey's Christmas album, Merry Christmas II You, as well as with Weezer and Lil Wayne on the song "Can't Stop Partying." He also collaborated with DJ Chuckie to make a vocal version of the song "Let The Bass Kick". He contributed to several of Mariah Carey's albums, most notably working with her on 2005's The Emancipation Of Mimi with the smash hit "We Belong Together". It stayed at number one for fourteen non-consecutive weeks, becoming the second longest running number one song in US chart history, behind Carey's 1996 collaboration with Boyz II Men on "One Sweet Day". He has also made a contribution to R&B singer Usher's career, producing many songs from his albums My Way, 8701 and Confessions. On October 7, 2013, he replaced Randy Jackson as Carey's talent manager.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed
Number of Albums 14
Record Label
Website
Wikipedia Jermaine Dupri on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

What is the name of the GRAMMY Museums official streaming service?

COLLECTION:live

... for more than 25 years. Watch the historic panel discussion now on COLLECTION:live , the GRAMMY Museums official streaming service: WATCH Welcome to A...
What was Jermaine Dupri's business sense?

innate

...d Russell Simmons Def Jam, Jermaine Dupri created a powerhouse with his innate business sense, coupled with an ear for hits, an eye for talent, and th...
Who did Dupri dance with at 12?

Diana Ross

...ience. By the time Dupri was 12 years old, he had danced onstage with Diana Ross , with rap trio Whodini, and at Fresh Fest, one of the first big hipho...
At what age did Dupri dance with Diana Ross?

12

...thful edge that spoke directly to a young audience. By the time Dupri was 12 years old, he had danced onstage with Diana Ross, with rap trio Whodini, ...
What was the name of Dupri's first album?

So Def

...upri had produced his first album and released mix tapes under the name So Def . At 19 years old, Dupri discovered and developed the teenage hiphop duo...
How old was Dupri when he released his mix tapes?

15

...ap trio Whodini, and at Fresh Fest, one of the first big hiphop tours. At 15 years old, Dupri had produced his first album and released mix tapes unde...
At what age did Dupri discover and develop the teenage hiphop duo Kris Kross?

19

...produced his first album and released mix tapes under the name So Def. At 19 years old, Dupri discovered and developed the teenage hiphop duo and sens...
What was the name of Dupri's hiphop sensation at 19?

Kris Kross

... Dupri discovered and developed the teenage hiphop duo and sensation, Kris Kross , whose debut album reached No. This arrangement provided Dupri the fr...
When was Jermaine Dupri Mauldin born?

Asheville, North Carolina

...r more fortunate circumstances. Born Jermaine Dupri Mauldin in Asheville, North Carolina , on September 23, 1972, he was the only child of Tina (Mosely...
Who was the son of Tina (Mosely) and Michael?

Jermaine Dupri Mauldin

...Born Jermaine Dupri Mauldin on September 23, 1972, son of Tina (Mosely) and Michael (a Columbia Records executive) Mauldin. The four producers, accord...
Who described the harsh upbringing of his artists?

Dupri

...30. Speaking in the profanityladen street talk with which he identifies, Dupri described the harsh upbringing his artists have had, and spoke of his o...
Dupri spoke of his own love for what genre?

rap

... the harsh upbringing his artists have had, and spoke of his own love for rap and appreciation of R&B. Keen Business Sense Speaking about his early st...
What genre did Dupri try to explain his success in?

gangsta rap

...about his early start in the music business, and vigorously defending gangsta rap , Dupri tried to explain his success. I always watch each market and ...
What is the name of Dupri's mother?

Tina (Mosely) Mauldin

... North Carolina, on September 23, 1972, he was the only child of Tina (Mosely) Mauldin and Michael Mauldin, a road manager for groups like Brick, the ...
What group did Michael work for?

Columbia Records

...Mauldin on September 23, 1972, son of Tina (Mosely) and Michael (a Columbia Records executive) Mauldin. The four producers, according to the news maga...
What was the name of a song written and produced for Kris Kross?

Jump

...Jermaine Dupri shot to prominence in April 1992 when Jump , a song he wrote and produced for Kris Kross, topped the Billboard Hot 100. By the end of th...
When was Life in 1472 released?

1998

...he end of the '90s, Dupri had a platinum album of his own, Life in 1472 ( 1998 ), supported by a Top Ten R&Bhiphop hit with JayZ, Money Ain't a Thang. T...
In what year did Jump top the Billboard Hot 100?

1992

...Jermaine Dupri shot to prominence in April 1992 when Jump, a song he wrote and produced for Kris Kross, topped the Billboard Hot 100. By the end of th...
What was the name of Dupri's 1998 album?

Life in 1472

... 100. By the end of the '90s, Dupri had a platinum album of his own, Life in 1472 (1998), supported by a Top Ten R&Bhiphop hit with JayZ, Money Ain't ...
What year did Dupri release Instructions?

2001

... through the following decade. Dupri issued another album, Instructions ( 2001 ), and added to his stack of pop number ones with four more smashes headl...
When did Jermaine Dupri Mauldin enter the entertainment industry?

as a youngster

... Mauldin, Jermaine Dupri Mauldin entered the entertainment industry as a youngster . In 1982, at a Diana Ross concert promoted by his father, he accept...
What was the name of the music executive whose son was born in Carolina?

Michael Mauldin

...l of Fame. The Asheville, North Carolinaborn son of music executive Michael Mauldin , Jermaine Dupri Mauldin entered the entertainment industry as a yo...
Who was Dupri's production partner on the track?

Joe The Butcher Nicolo

...ot into production. Dupri's production partner on the track was Joe The Butcher Nicolo , with whom he continued to work on his commercial breakthrough....
What did Mauldin learn to do?

DJ

... fully immerse himself in the culture, the younger Mauldin learned how to DJ , started rapping, and got into production. Dupri's production partner on ...
What album went quadruple platinum in less than a year?

Totally Krossed Out

...he continued to work on his commercial breakthrough. Parent album Totally Krossed Out topped the Billboard 200 album chart and went quadruple platinum...
What hip hop group did Dupri join when he was twelve?

Whodini

... along with Ross. Dupri got his start as a dancer for the hip hop group Whodini when he was twelve. He made an appearance in their music video for the...
Who introduced Jermaine Dupri to the music business at an early age?

his father

...tlanta. Dupri was introduced to the music business at an early age by his father , a concert promoter and manager of rap and R&B groups. His career as ...
At what age did he begin his career as a performer?

twelve

...d manager of rap and R&B groups. His career as a performer began at age twelve , when he started a threeyear stint as a breakdancer with the New Yorkba...
How long was he a breakdancer with the New York based rap group Whodini?

threeyear

...oups. His career as a performer began at age twelve, when he started a threeyear stint as a breakdancer with the New Yorkbased rap group Whodini at th...
What was the name of the female quartet whose first album sold more than a million copies?

Xscape

...illion copies. The first act signed to the label was the female quartet Xscape , whose first album Hummin Comin at Cha (1993), sold more than a million...
How many albums did the four producers sell?

70 million

...record labels did three decades agoand selling plenty of albums, some 70 million among the four of them. Remarkably, not one of the four producers des...
On what date was he born in Asheville, NC?

September 23, 1972

...now. Born Jermaine Dupri Mauldin in Asheville, North Carolina, on September 23, 1972 , he was the only child of Tina (Mosely) Mauldin and Michael Mauld...
Who were Dupri's parents?

Tina (Mosely) Mauldin and Michael Mauldin

...olina, on September 23, 1972, he was the only child of Tina (Mosely) Mauldin and Michael Mauldin , a road manager for groups like Brick, the S.O.S. Id ...
Where did his family relocate to for better opportunities?

Atlanta

...ived his own drum set at age threethe same year the family relocated to Atlanta for better opportunities. Pree and for Cal Dupree, a local DJ, Dupri b...
When did his dad arrange a show a concert of young stars?

1982

... child. He had not even turned 10 when he started a music career. So, in 1982 his dad arranged a show a concert of young stars. The life u want is wai...
What was the name of the video that Jersmaine starred in?

Freaks Come Out At Night

... age of 12, Jermaine got acquainted with a band Whodini. He joined the music group and starred in their video clips, such as Freaks Come Out At Night ....
What was Dupri's first act?

Silk Tymes Leather

...country. Then in the year 1990, Dupri produced his very first act Silk Tymes Leather , a female hip hop trio. Soon after this, he made a group Kriss Kr...
Who were the two members of Kriss Kross?

Chris Smith and Chris Kelly

...p hop trio. Soon after this, he made a group Kriss Kross with Chris Smith and Chris Kelly and released an album Totally Krossed Out in 1992. He soon d...
In what year did Dupris release his first single?

1997

...a Records and started working hand in hand for distribution. In the year 1997 , the American rapper cum record producer produced several songs for Ushe...
What label did Dupri switch to after his contract with Columbia ended?

Arista Records

...ife In 1472. Soon after this release, the contract between the rappers label and Columbia got terminated and this made Dupri switch to Arista Records ....