An induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a 2018 Global Spin Award for “Breaking Barriers,” and the silver anniversary of his groundbreaking record company. With all these wins and milestones, Jermaine Dupri says it is time to dive into more work and celebrate big.
“This award and all this other stuff got me charged up to go extremely hard,” Dupri recently told REVOLT TV by phone.
“I’m always doing music and always trying to find a new way to reinvent myself,” he continued. “I have a bunch of new artists and I’ve also got the kids from The Rap Game that I’m developing. Once the kids win on the TV show, I start developing them to being something. I definitely feel my TV show is me ‘farming’ the future.”
“There’s no way one of these kids is not the future of hip-hop,” insisted the music legend, who is in his fifth season of the series. “No way possible.”
As for his more established So So Def family members, new music is here and classics are on the way. Bow Wow dropped his new song “Yeaahh” just hours ago at midnight, and Dupri is going to reintroduce some lost gems and blockbuster catalog cornerstones later this year.
“So So Def 25th Anniversary: The Hits is coming this year,” he promised. “All the hits you can’t get on iTunes. The remixes you can’t get on iTunes. The [Jagged Edge] ‘Let’s Get Married’ remix featuring Kanye [West] that’s super rare. All of the shit I’ve got that people can’t get their hands on because it’s no more vinyl, I’m putting that stuff on iTunes and Tidal and there’s gonna be a vinyl piece that comes out with it since I’m DJing so much. I got a lot of shit I’m doing.”
Of course you cannot have all this music in the market place without a way to capitalize on it. So, yes, a So So Def Anniversary Tour is coming that Dupri says will trump anything else you’ve witnessed.
“We are doing that, too,” he began to describe. “I did the 20th anniversary show in Atlanta. Now that Xscape is back together, the tour makes that much more sense. Kris Kross can’t be there, but everybody from So So Def that was signed to the label will be a part of this show. We’re definitely doing that. We’re gonna give y’all the best hip-hop and R&B show you’ve ever been to. If any part of So So Def is the soundtrack to your life, this is something you definitely need to come check out, as well as get the album. All these records on one thing has never happened, as well. I’ve never had a greatest hits album. All of the hits from So So Def all on one thing and a lot of the exclusives you can’t get because they on vinyl.”
Dupri was honored and performed one of his greatest hits during the 2018 Global Spin Awards, which aired exclusively on REVOLT TV. Take a listen to the acclaimed producer and executive reflecting on receiving the honor in the video above.