So So Def Recordings, founded by Dupri in 1993, will have a multi-year partnership with Create Music Group, a music and technology company that has worked with artists from Porter Robinson to Young Thug, per the HipHopNMore announcement.
The deal includes all recordings, publishing, and the back catalog from the So So Def label. As a part of the new venture, Dupri will take the new role as the creative director for Create Music Group. After serving as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of So So Def since its inception, Dupri will transition to chairman and founder. Bryan Patrick Franklin takes over as the new So So Def CEO, Variety reported.
According to the Atlanta-Journal Constitution (AJC), at 19 years old, Dupri discovered the teenage hip-hop duo Kriss Kross, whose album “Totally Crossed Out” became a Billboard No. 1 hit.
Coming up in the industry, Dupri worked with many successful artists at the start of their careers, including Da Brat, Xscape, Jagged Edge, and Bow Wow (formerly Lil’ Bow Wow). The songwriting hall-of-famer went on to produce Usher’s diamond-certified album “Confessions” (2004) and Mariah Carey’s 7x platinum album “Emancipation of Mimi” (2005).
Create Music Group founder and CEO Jonathan Strauss emphasized Dupri’s accomplishments in his statement on the deal, noting, “Jermaine has been one of the most successful and impactful forces in music for the last three decades,” per Variety.
So So Def Recordings’ last release was the 2018 “So So Def 25th Anniversary” album. So, Dupri is committed to discovering fresh sounds from new artists. The plan is to help the next generation of musicians and performers thrive.
“I have been looking for a home for the entire So So Def brand so that I can continue what I started,” Dupri said to the outlet, while discussing the possibilities for the brand’s future.
With over 30 years of experience in the music business, the music executive is ready to step into a role that will place him at the center of the hip-hop world and extend So So Def’s reach.
