Jermaine "JD" Dupri

Jermaine Dupri, a rapper, songwriter, and producer, holds an esteemed place in the music industry as a multi-talented entrepreneur, DJ, and the CEO of So So Def Recordings. His most recent work includes LaTheGOAT's track, "Bounce It" (featuring Big Freedia), which was released at the end of 2021. In 2022, he produced "If I Get Caught" with R&B duo Dvsn.

Born in Asheville, North Carolina, and raised in Atlanta, Dupri was introduced to music and production early on, as his father was a Columbia Records executive. His own musical career began before he was ten years old when he danced on stage with Diana Ross. When he was just 12, he performed with the hip hop group Whodini, sharing the stage with prominent figures such as Herbie Hancock, Cameo, Run DMC, and Grandmaster Flash. In 1990, he produced his first act, the female Hip Hop trio Silk Tymes Leather, and later discovered and produced the teen hip-hop duo Kris Kross. Their breakout single "Jump," which was written and produced by Dupri, topped the Billboard Hot 100 and was named the 23rd most successful song of the decade. He established his record label, So So Def Recordings, in 1993 in a joint venture with Columbia Records.

Over the years, Dupri has showcased his prodigious talent by signing, producing, and writing for a wide array of successful artists. These include Xscape, Da Brat, Lil' Bow Wow, Daz Dillinger, Dem Franchize Boyz, Daz Dillinger, and others. He has also worked closely with renowned artists like Mariah Carey, Usher, Monica, Destiny's Child, and Tamar Braxton, producing a total of 11 chart-topping singles on the Billboard Hot 100.

His debut studio album, "Life in 1472," peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum. In 2013, he replaced Randy Jackson as Mariah Carey's talent manager, a role he held until 2014. His contributions to the music industry have been widely acknowledged, as seen in his 12 Grammy Award nominations. He won the award for Best R&B Song in 2006 for "We Belong Together." Dupri was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018 - the same year he and his So So Def brand celebrated an exhibit at the Grammy Museum.

In addition to his music career, Dupri has also ventured into television. In 2015, he created the reality TV series "The Rap Game" with Queen Latifah, a series in which he also appears as a judge. Committed to a vegan lifestyle, Dupri promotes the benefits of plant-based eating through various platforms, including a PETA ad campaign and his own range of frozen treats, JDs Vegan Ice Cream.