Jermaine Dupri: The Little Man With Big Accomplishments

Behind every rap song that has a catchy chorus and memorable lyrics by a rapper, there is another important ingredient that drives the record as a hit. This portion of the recipe is the beat, which is a huge factor that captivates the listener. The person who creates and mixes the beat and track overall is the producer. What would Hip Hop or any genre of music be like if there weren’t producers who provided the sound? Producers as musicians can be some of the most creative individuals artistically. The producer can be arguably more significant than the rapper when it comes to composing a holistic body of work. There has been a galore of Hip Hop producers who have made their mark on the music industry. Every region in rap music has its legendary producers who have provided the sound to get their area recognition. East Coast Hip Hop has had the likes of DJ Premier, Swizz Beatz, and RZA just to name a few who have helped to develop their musical style in the past. On the West Side figures like Dr. Dre, DJ Quik, and Daz Dillinger contributed to the gangsta rap and gangsta-funk beats that were so popular in the 1990s. Artists like Kanye West, No I.D. and DJ Hi-Tek assisted in helping fans notice the Mid West. Even beat makers like Mannie Fresh, DJ Paul & Juicy J, and Timbaland have made the South a hot bed sonically in a region that’s driven by the bass.

There have also been countless underrated producers whose contributions to rap and urban music in general have gone unrecognized at times. One producer in my opinion who falls under this category is Jermaine Dupri. After recently watching his 20^th Anniversary Concert for his record label So So Def, I thought to myself wow this dude really has a rich discography of produced material. Every artist who performed at the event where people he has produced for and protégés on his label. Some of the biggest celebrities blessed the stage at the show like Usher, Ludacris, Mariah Carey, and even Jay-Z. His successes have been numerous over the last few decades in the music industry not only as a producer but as a record label owner. 

Jermaine Dupri got his start in the business at a very young age. He is the son of Michael Mauldin who is a music producer also and a former president at Columbia Records. So I guess it’s only inevitable that he would’ve gravitated towards the entertainment field at some point in his life. At the age of 12 in the mid 1980s, he was a dancer for the once popular rap group Whodini. He also made an appearance in the video for their well known song “Freaks Come Out At Night.” In 1990 he produced his first act Silk Tymes Leather, a female rap trio.  Although the bunch flopped commercially, future prosperity came for Jermaine shortly after. The following year in 1991, he put together the duo Kris Kross after meeting them in an Atlanta mall. Kris Kross released their debut album in 1992 entitled Totally Krossed Out with Jermaine producing and writing the entire project. Their 1^st single “Jump” was a huge hit record on the pop charts. The song also became the 2^nd rap record to go #1 on the pop charts after Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby.” “Jump” spent eight consecutive weeks at #1 causing the single to receive multi-platinum certification. Totally Krossed Out went on the sell over four million copies making the then 13 year old duo Hip Hop’s youngest sensation.

 

The success of Jermaine’s protégé Kris Kross resulted in him starting his own record label So So Def Records in 1993. With the launch of the business, So So Def became one of the most successful urban record labels in mainstream music throughout the 1990s. After establishing himself as a rap talent scout, Jermaine showed his versatility by putting out the R&B quartet Xscape. Xscape’s debut album Hummin’ Comin’ At ‘Cha, was the 1^st release on the So So Def label in 1993. The project which Jermaine wrote and produced for became a platinum success. The LP spawned the two singles “Understanding” and “Just Kickin’ It,” which were huge hits on both the pop and urban charts. Xscape followed up Hummin’ Comin’ At ‘Cha with two more solo albums that also went platinum in the mid and late 1990s.

Jermaine’s So So Def label achieved some more unprecedented success in 1994. During this year, he brought forth to the mainstream his 1^st rap protégé Da Brat from his record company. Da Brat, who is a female rapper, began her career with Jermaine two years prior in 1992 when she won a local rap contest sponsored by Yo! MTV Raps. Yo! MTV Raps at the time was the most popular television program that showcased rap music videos. Winning the contest gave Da Brat the opportunity to meet Kris Kross, who introduced her to Jermaine. From this she was signed to So So Def, and her rap image was cultivated as a “female Snoop Dogg.” In 1994, Da Brat released her debut album Funkdafied, which was the second release from So So Def. The piece of work became the 1^st rap album to go platinum by a female rapper, and was entirely produced by Jermaine. Da Brat’s success continued throughout the 1990s with some maintained relevance. As an artist along with Xscape and Jermaine’s other R&B quartet Jagged Edge, Da Brat helped to establish So So Def as a legit music entity for the rest of the 1990s decade. This type of success with developing new talent in urban music proved that Jermaine was a creative genius.

During his reign with So So Def in the 1990s, Jermaine further established himself as a go to producer in rap and R&B music outside of his record company. He produced various remixes to commercial singles by artists like The Notorious B.I.G., Mariah Carey and Total. He went on to produce original songs for artists like TLC, Lil Kim, Aaliyah and Mase who all had mass popularity during this time period.

 

One artist in particular he provided the sound for to assist in him becoming a superstar entertainer is Usher. From the late 1990s on into the 21^st Century he produced numerous chart toppers for the R&B singer. After his debut LP failed to create any huge hits, Usher broke into the pop mainstream with his second album My Way in 1997. My Way spawned three huge Top 5 hits on the pop charts with “You Make Me Wanna,” “Nice & Slow,” and “My Way.” All three of these records were produced by Jermaine. “Nice & Slow” became Usher’s first #1 hit on the pop charts helping to solidify him as a musical phenomenon. My Way also went on to sell over six million copies showing that Usher found his match in a producer that could give him a signature sound. In the 2000s, the chemistry between the producer and singer duo of Usher and Jermaine Dupri was very evident with impactful songs. Jermaine went on to produce four out of eight #1 pop hits four Usher during this decade. The height of their success came in 2004 when three of the produced #1 hits were notable singles on Usher’s 4^th LP Confessions. All three songs which were “Confessions Part II,” “Burn,” and “My Boo,” caused the Confessions album to sell over 10 million records domestically. The body of work also went to sell over 20 million records worldwide. Producing for such a monumental album conveyed that Jermaine was a go to guy for mainstream popularity as a composer.

This kind of momentum was even more evident with his production work for Mariah Carey in 2005. After Mariah received both negative critical and commercial reception to her early 2000s albums Glitter and Charmbracelet, she recruited Jermaine to play a part in her career turn around. Jermaine created four Top 40 pop hits for The Emancipation Of Mimi project that made Mariah a force to be reckoned with like she was throughout the entire 1990s. Jermaine added two more #1 pop hits to his production resume for Mariah with “We Belong Together” and “Don’t Forget About Us.” Another Top 5 record entitled “Shake It Off” from the same album ruled the charts and airwaves also. All of these singles resulted in The Emancipation Of Mimi being one of the most successful comeback albums in music history. The album sold over six million copies, and was the highest selling album out of any music genre in 2005. Working on such projects like The Emancipation Of Mimi and Confessions arguably made Jermaine the most significant producer in the mid 2000s commercially. 

With So So Def in the 2000s, Jermaine enjoyed even more success with his protégés and artists he brought forth to the public eye that he produced for also. Capitalizing off his success with young talent like Kris Kross and Da Brat in the 1990s, he presented another teenage act to the world in the early 2000s. The introduction of Lil’ Bow Wow resulted in the new artist becoming the 1^st urban heartthrob for the teenybopper demographic in the new millennium. Lil’ Bow Wow released his 1^st album Beware Of Dog in 2000 showcasing two Top 20 pop hits with “Bounce With Me” and “Bow Wow (That’s My Name).” Both singles were produced by Jermaine helping the then 13 year old receive double platinum certification with his debut album. Jermaine continued to produce other hits for Bow Wow in the 2000s decade solidifying the young man’s career.

  

The landscape of mainstream Hip Hop changed in the 2000s with its migration to the South. The epicenter of the Southern movement was the city of Atlanta, which is also the hometown of Jermaine and is where So So Def is located. So it’s only proper that Jermaine dug into that same talent pool in his back yard. Emerging Atlanta rappers like Bone Crusher, Dem Franchise Boyz, and Rocko all released albums on the So So Def label throughout the 2000s decade. Even the popular soul singer Anthony Hamilton was brought forth to the forefront for R&B listeners on So So Def. All of these projects extended the legacy of the record label and Jermaine also. Even  Atlanta native Lil Jon, who was an A&R and intern at So So Def from 1993-2000, got his start in the music industry with Jermaine before coming into his own as a producer/artist.

All of these achievements from Jermaine Dupri as a producer in urban and pop music and as a record label owner with So So Def Records make him worthy of proper praise in the industry. Although his height is a small stature of 5’4, you can’t discredit a music creator who has produced nine #1 hits on the pop charts. His catalogue can be put up against any Hip Hop and R&B producer with legendary status.               

New York Hip Hop: The Past, The Present & The Future

New York City is a place that’s considered the epicenter of the United States and possibly even the world. The city is widely recognized as the mecca for fashion, basketball, and even the tasty dish of pizza. New York City is also the birthplace and Holy Grail for the cultural phenomenon of Hip Hop. Hip Hop has had a mass affect nationally and internationally for all people no matter the gender or ethnicity. Since the late 20^th Century until the present times, this enriched culture has been a part of our everyday lives as human beings. The origination of Hip Hop was brought forth to the world in New York City, and any listener of the culture’s music should be conscious of this. Every Hip Hop element of graffiti, emceeing, deejaying, breaking, and beat-boxing was created in the New York City borough of The Bronx in the mid 1970s. From The Bronx this sudden movement made a massive spread into the other four New York City boroughs of Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island along with the Tri-State area. In a metropolitan area filled with allure and reverence, Hip Hop is another notch under the belt for New Yorkers to take pride in since that’s where the culture was created. The brand of Hip Hop the New York way with its culture and music especially have went through its ups and downs within the last 35 plus years. 

The Late 1970s-1980s

Hip Hop as a musical genre was ushered into the mainstream with the 1979 hit record by The Sugar Hill Gang entitled “Rapper’s Delight.” This song was the first Top 40 mainstream hit that took over the radio airwaves just in time for the arrival of the 1980s. Although The Sugar Hill Gang is from Englewood, New Jersey, it was known that this new art form they demonstrated derived from “The Big Apple.” By the early 1980s people throughout the United States in various locales looked to New York City for a full representation of all the major elements and techniques of the Hip Hop genre. Every place from Houston to Los Angeles imitated the art form that was introduced from New York City. This effect from such a large place conveyed that the culture was to be in use nationwide and even globally with time.

Throughout the 1980s, there was a plethora of Hip Hop artists who were New York City natives that became star and superstar figures for a new generation of music listeners. In the early 1980s Harlem native Kurtis Blow became the first solo emcee to receive a major label record deal. Although he signed with the successful Mercury Records in 1979 at the age of 20, he released the first hit record by a solo artist in 1980 entitled “The Breaks.” This pivotal rap song was the first single to be certified gold by a rap artist. The record also reached the #4 spot on the U.S. Billboard R&B Chart in the same year. Kurtis Blow as an entertainer was the first emcee to go on a national and international tour, and to ink the first endorsement deal by signing with Sprite. All of these acts by Kurtis Blow proved that an emcee can have mainstream marketability. Even though Kurtis Blow was the epitome of Old School Rap with his simple rapping technique, he influenced rappers who came out directly after him. As a rapper he also represented the exuberance of the art form still in its youth through popular party music. Other popular rappers in the early 1980s like The Treacherous Three, Spoonie Gee and The Fearless Four just to name a few, released fun party music that was played at every dance function in Hip Hop’s earlier stages.

At this time also different styles of rap emerged from New York City to help the genre grow and become versatile. Legendary rap group Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five released the game changing single “The Message” in 1982. This particular song featured the bunch speaking on relevant social topics like crime and poverty in the inner-city. The record showed that rap music can go beyond the party scene, and speak on social issues with sophisticated commentary. This was the introduction of conscious rap to the listening masses, which has influenced the variety of content that rappers have even today.

Transitioning into the mid 1980s brought in another style of rap that connected with a huge body of listeners. Rap rock was a cross-genre that blended conventional rap lyrics with hard rock arrangements musically. Queens natives like LL Cool J and Run-D.M.C. along with Brooklyn bred Beastie Boys implemented this style into their music to appeal to a white audience. In 1985 Run-D.M.C. released their second album King of Rock showcasing this specific musical blend. Doing such a thing assisted in breaking down the barriers between rock & roll and rap. This type of assistance was even more evident on Run-D.M.C.’s third album Raising Hell released in 1986. This body of work featured the ground breaking cover single of Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way.” The song was even a collaboration between Aerosmith band members Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. The song peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 becoming the first Top 5 rap record on the pop charts. With the success of “Walk This Way,” Run-D.M.C. became the first act to have a platinum and multi-platinum album along with having the first rap LP in the Top Ten on the Billboard pop charts with Raising Hell. Run-D.M.C. was also the first rap act to receive airplay on MTV in the mid 1980s helping to arguably solidify them as rap’s first superstar artists. Even the first popular white rap act the Beastie Boys, which was formerly a hardcore punk rock group, fused the rap rock sound on their successful debut album License To Ill in the same year. This LP which was also a multi-platinum success showed that rap music was an entity that was going to be active on the pop charts from here on.

 

Evolving into the late 1980s presented a new batch of New York rappers poised to take over the rap game. This new crop of rhyme writers added to the sound created by the forefathers from the late 1970s and early 1980s. Rappers like Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Kool G. Rap, and Slick Rick brought forth a more advanced lyrical technique and rhythmic flow during this time that is still in use today from modern emcees. Even rap groups like Boogie Down Productions and Public Enemy were an extension of conscious rap that was birthed by “The Message” record. Groups like the Jungle Brothers and De La Soul gave listeners the style of alternative rap, which didn’t conform to the stereotypes from sub-genres like hardcore and gangsta rap at the time. All of these rappers and styles conveyed New York shining bright going into the 1990s.

The 1990s

 Even though New York Hip Hop was dominant from the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, at the start of the 1990s decade there was a shift in the paradigm. West Coast Hip Hop began to take over as a force to be reckoned with in the mainstream. The music produced on the “Left Side” contained gritty and street content combined with funky grooves you could party to with the sub-genres of gangsta rap and gangsta-funk. Critical LPs like Dr. Dre’s The Chronic and Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle took over the pop charts taking the mainstream focus away from “Gotham City” in the early 1990s. Although New York City had a galore of artists like A Tribe Called Quest, Digable Planets, and Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth who made their mark on the game, New York Hip Hop overall took a dip in total sales compared to their West Coast brethren.

During the mid 1990s in the midst of a West Coast reign on the rap world, New York was awarded a new Hip Hop superstar. The Notorious B.I.G. became the torch carrier with his debut LP Ready To Die in 1994. This album turned The Notorious B.I.G. into a rap sensation especially with huge Top Ten pop hits like “Big Poppa” and “One More Chance.” Ready To Die went on to sell over 3 million copies solidifying The Notorious B.I.G. as New York’s first major star since the huge rise of West Coast Hip Hop. The commercial success of The Notorious B.I.G. opened the door for other New York rappers like Wu-Tang Clan, Busta Rhymes, Nas, and Jay-Z to have the same kind of prosperity.

Going into the late 1990s, Hip Hop lost two of its biggest superstars. West Coast ambassador 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G., who before his death was considered The King of New York, became the first martyrs of the art form. In the aftermath of these tragedies New York received some new blood to fill the void of the sadness. Def Jam, a legendary Hip Hop record label even with New York Hip Hop, released its three headed monster to keep up the momentum. Def Jam’s three rappers Jay-Z, Ja Rule, and DMX ruled the clubs and the airwaves. Their success from this time period resulted in one of Hip Hop’s most lucrative national tours The Hard Knock Life Tour in 1999. Even The Bronx native Big Pun, the first Latin solo rapper to go platinum, achieved mass popularity to make New Yorkers feel proud going into the new millennium.

The 2000s 

Ushering in the 21^st Century meant another change in the paradigm of which region would run Hip Hop. With the East and West Coasts respectively having their share of the pie, one could say it was destined for the South to be in the driver’s seat now. Although New York artists like Nas, Jay-Z, DMX, Cam’ron, and Fabolous made their presence known, their chart topping doesn’t compare to the amount rappers below the Mason-Dixon Line that rose to prominence.

 

One city to help re-take the momentum away again from New York was Atlanta, Georgia. In the early to mid 2000s Atlanta residents like T.I., Young Jeezy, Lil Jon, and Ludacris evolved into the front runners of the Southern Rap movement. The South’s ability to make melodic records that are radio singles and club anthems put New York at a disadvantage for radio and television airplay. New York’s lack of developing a new and standout sound in the 21^st Century left their movement stuck at a standstill while the South continued to dominate the charts. The only Hip Hop artist to emerge in the 2000s who became a mainstream sensation was Queens native 50 Cent. 50 Cent’s first two LPs Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ and The Massacre that were released in 2003 and 2005 both were multi-platinum albums. His ability like most Southern rappers to make records with catchy and melodic choruses resulted in him having three #1 hits on the pop charts. Along with this type of chart placement he also had four other Top Ten hits on the pop charts during his reign. Although 50 Cent was one of the most commercial successful rappers of the 2000s especially from 2003-2005, his presence failed to help bring more New York artists to the forefront in the decade to change the music pendulum. Younger New York talent like Papoose, Saigon, and Stack Bundles (R.I.P.) garnered some buzz locally, but couldn’t make their movements gain steam nationwide.

In the late 2000s New York Hip Hop continued to stay in the background while the South operated as the train conductor. As 50 Cent’s mass popularity lessened in 2007, another Southern sensation capitalized off the opening that was provided. New Orleans, Louisiana bred Lil Wayne became the go to rapper all audiences gravitated to. Even though Lil Wayne already had success with his older albums and with the once popular Hot Boys, he didn’t become a Hip Hop superstar until the release of his 6^th album Tha Carter III in 2008. Tha Carter III spawned four Top 20 pop hits, and the body of work went on to sell over three million copies domestically. This was a great achievement for Lil Wayne in an era where a rapper would be fortunate to have his or her album sell 500,000 copies. Lil Wayne used this success to popularize his own record label Young Money, and to continue his reign going into the 2010s. All of this Southern success from a majority of artists from down yonder in the 2000s expressed to New York that the South was a titan in the genre that wasn’t going away anytime soon.

The 2010s 

In the current decade of mainstream Hip Hop there is a new breed of emcees who have gained notoriety. Although the South is still the primary region getting the most spins in the club and on the radio, there have been rappers from all over the map making their mark on the game. Rappers like Wiz Khalifa, who is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Drake, who is from Canada, have made their influence shine brightly. There have also been a few New York natives to get some mainstream attention from young rap listeners. One of the premiere rappers on Lil Wayne’s Young Money label is the animated and vivacious Nicki Minaj. Hailing from the South Jamaica neighborhood in Queens similar to 50 Cent, she has taken the pop world by storm within the last few years. Despite receiving some critical backlash for her pop appeal, she has released two platinum albums in the 2010s decade. Her bubbly personality, curvaceous figure, and rap alter egos have resulted in her receiving a lot of endorsement deals. This popularity has also given her the opportunity to be a judge on the well known singing contest American Idol.

With the South having an obvious influence on the rap game in recent times, it only makes sense that some of New York’s new blood has that DNA in their music. One rapper with a Southern sound in some of his material is the Harlem native A$AP Rocky. As an artist he has implemented the Chopped & Screwed style on his projects. This particular style originated in the city of Houston, Texas. Having a different sound than most of his New York contemporaries has helped to make his music more appealing nationally. This national recognition has given him a platinum single with “F**kin’ Problems” that’s still tearing up the radio. His debut album Long.Live.A$AP reached the #1 position on the pop charts in the beginning of this year. Achieving such a feat shows that this young emcee is a phenomenon that’s making major impact.    

Another current New Yorker who’s making his presence known who has worked with a plethora of Southern rappers is French Montana. As a collaborator he has worked with the likes of Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Waka Flocka Flame, and Future, who are all Southerners that rap listeners can hear on the radio every day. He also has a smash hit record with “Pop That” that has peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Chart. His anticipated debut album Excuse My French is scheduled to be released on May 21^st of this year. His buzz which was generated through mixtapes and viral videos resulted in him signing with the legendary Bad Boy Records former home of The Notorious B.I.G. Both French Montana and A$AP Rocky as two of New York’s most celebrated acts are currently on the latest cover of the popular Hip Hop magazine XXL for their March/April issue.  

All three of these impactful New York rappers have given the city a new spark in the 2010s. Although New York doesn’t dictate the majority of the Hip Hop sound like it did in the 1970s-1980s, the city is still a very integral part to the importance of the Hip Hop culture as a whole. No one knows exactly the future of New York Hip Hop, but if their artists don’t reflect on the past days, and try to be as original and universal as possible, then the city’s mark on the game will never die out.