| So So Def Recordings | |
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| Parent company |
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| Founded | 1993 |
| Distributor(s) |
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| Genre | |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Location | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
So So Def Recordings is an American record label based in Atlanta, Georgia, founded by producer Jermaine Dupri in 1993. Specializing in Southern hip hop, R&B, and bass music, the label has managed artists such as Bow Wow, Kris Kross, Xscape, TLC, Usher, Dem Franchize Boyz, Anthony Hamilton, Jagged Edge, and The Ghost Town DJs.
So So Def was established in 1993 as a spin-off of Dupri's production company of the same moniker, through a joint venture with Sony and Columbia. Its first act was Xscape, whose debut album was released in the fall of the same year and went Platinum—as did their 2nd and 3rd albums, released in 1995 and 1998. In 1994, the label released the debut album of Da Brat, who became the 1st solo female emcee to be certified for Platinum album sales. In 1996, Kandi Burruss brought Jagged Edge to the attention of the label; their debut album, A Jagged Era , was released in 1997. So So Def later released the triple platinum debut album by Lil' Bow Wow in 2000. Other acts on the label have included: Dem Franchise Boyz, Maestro Harrell, The Ghost Town DJs, INOJ, J-Kwon, Trina Broussard, 3LW, and Anthony Hamilton.
In late 2002, So So Def's distribution deal with Columbia ended. The following year, Dupri moved So So Def to Arista. While many of So So Def's acts moved with the label to Arista, Bow Wow and Jagged Edge were forced to remain at Columbia, due to their contracts having been with that company primarily. In 2004, per the re-consolidation of labels caused by the merger of its former Sony parent and BMG, So So Def was shifted from Arista to Zomba.
In 2005, Dupri was appointed Executive Vice President of Urban Music at Virgin, causing So So Def to move again, this time over to Virgin and EMI—resulting in the loss of Bone Crusher and YoungBloodZ. So So Def, meanwhile, was able to retain J-Kwon and Anthony Hamilton, despite them still being signed to Zomba. In 2006, Dupri had a falling-out with Virgin, resulting in him leaving his post at the company. Intermittent, he was appointed President of urban music at Universal's Island, resulting in So So Def once again making a move to UMG's The Island Def Jam.
In 2009, it was reported that Dupri had been terminated from his post at Island. Later in the same year, it was rumored that So So Def had moved back to Sony, where it reportedly operated under Zomba once more. [1] In 2010, Mississippi-based independent label Malaco Records distributed So So Def's release of the Why Did I Get Married Too? soundtrack. [2] [3]
In 2014, So So Def partnered with Primary Wave for the release of Jagged Edge's album J.E. Heartbreak 2 . In June 2016, So So Def partnered with Epic for current distribution. [4] In 2024, Dupri signed a multi-year distribution deal with Create Music Group for the So So Def label. [5]
Shad Gregory Moss, better known by his stage name Bow Wow, is an American rapper and actor. His career began upon being discovered by rapper Snoop Dogg in 1993 at the age of six; five years later, he signed with record producer Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings, an imprint of Columbia Records. As Lil' Bow Wow, he released his debut studio album, Beware of Dog (2000) at age 13, and his second album, Doggy Bag (2001) the following year. Both met with critical and commercial success, the albums peaked at numbers ten and 11 on the Billboard 200, respectively.
Shawntae Harris-Dupart, better known by her stage name Da Brat, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Chicago, she began her career in 1992 and signed with Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings two years later to release her debut studio album, Funkdafied (1994). Receiving platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), it became the first album by a female hip hop solo act to do so.
Michael Thomas Mauldin is an American media proprietor, talent manager and record executive. He is former President of Columbia Records' Black Music Division and former Senior Vice President of Columbia Records Group, and is the father of So So Def Recordings label founder Jermaine Dupri. He founded Mauldin Brand AC/VC in 2019, and launched the Black American Music Association in 2018, a 501(c)(6) trade association for which he also serves as chairman. He is also the Managing Director for 2475 AtVille Entertainment, the owner of Air Control Music publishing, and the founder of Scream Nation, a concert tour launched in 2013 as a joint venture with Live Nation, which is known for its "Scream Tour."
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin is an American record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. Raised in Atlanta as the son of Columbia Records executive Michael Mauldin, he began his career in music production at the age of nine. He discovered the teen hip hop duo Kris Kross in 1991. Dupri wrote and produced their 1992 single "Jump," which peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100 and was named the 23rd most successful song of that decade. He established his own record label, So So Def Recordings in a joint venture with Columbia the following year.
Jagged Edge is an American R&B group from Atlanta, Georgia. The group, initially signed to record producer Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings, is best known for their string of hit singles including "Let's Get Married" and "Where the Party At", most of which were produced by Dupri. The group's members include identical twin lead singers Brian and Brandon Casey as well as Richard Wingo and Kyle Norman. The group's debut album, A Jagged Era (1997), performed modestly at the time of its release but achieved gold status; however, their subsequent albums until 2007 all became commercial successes—debuting within the top 10 of the Billboard 200.
Although the music scene of Atlanta is rich and varied, the city's production of hip-hop music has been especially noteworthy, acclaimed, and commercially successful. In 2009, The New York Times called Atlanta "hip-hop's center of gravity", and the city is home to many famous hip hop, R&B, and neo soul musicians.
Doggy Bag is the second studio album by American rapper Lil' Bow Wow. It was released on December 18, 2001 through So So Def Recordings and Columbia Records. Recording sessions for the album took place from 2000 to 2001. The production on the album was primarily handled by Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox. The album also features guest appearances by Jagged Edge, Da Brat and Xscape among others.
Dem Franchize Boyz was an American hip hop group from Atlanta, signed to E1 Music. The group had four members: Parlae, Pimpin', Jizzal Man, and Buddie. They were best known for their hit singles "I Think They Like Me" and "Lean wit It, Rock wit It".
"I Think They Like Me" is a song by American hip hop group Dem Franchize Boyz. It was released in August 2005 as a single from their self-titled debut album Dem Franchize Boyz. The song's chorus is sampled from their debut single "White Tee".
On Top of Our Game is the second studio album by Atlanta-based rap group Dem Franchize Boyz. It was released on February 7, 2006, by So So Def Recordings and Virgin Records.
Beware of Dog is the debut studio album by American rapper Lil' Bow Wow. It was released on September 26, 2000, through So So Def Recordings and Columbia Records. Recording sessions took place from 1999 to 2000, with Lil' Bow Wow's mentor Jermaine Dupri primarily producing the album, and Xscape, Jagged Edge, Da Brat and Snoop Dogg, among others, appearing as guests.
Snap music is a subgenre of hip hop music derived from crunk that originated in southern United States in the 2000s, in Bankhead, West Atlanta, United States. It achieved mainstream popularity throughout the mid-late 2000s, but declined shortly thereafter. Popular snap artists include D4L, Dem Franchize Boys and K-Rab.
"Everytime tha Beat Drop" is a song by American recording artist Monica from her fifth studio album The Makings of Me (2006). It was written by Johnta Austin, Jermaine Dupri, Robert Hill, Charles Hammond, Deangelo Hunt, James Phillips, and rap group Dem Franchize Boyz, while production was hemled by Dupri, with additional credits by LRoc. Musically, the downbeat uptempo track was greatly influenced by crunk and snap music, incorporating beats of rapper Nelly's 2005 song "Grillz" and containing a vocal sample of Dem Franchize Boyz' "Lean wit It, Rock wit It" (2006).
"White Tee" is a 2004 song by Dem Franchize Boyz, which appeared on their debut album Dem Franchize Boyz, released on So So Def Records and Universal Records.
Young Fly and Flashy Vol. 1 is the first of two compilation albums by Jermaine Dupri.
The following list is a discography of production by Jermaine Dupri, an American record producer and recording artist. It includes a list of songs produced, co-produced and remixed by year, album, artist and title.
American record producer Jermaine Dupri has released several music videos, working with various directors. He has also been featured in several music videos, making cameo appearances for other prominent recording artists. Dupri also presented the Lifetime talent show, The Rap Game making it his television production.
Xscape is an American girl group from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 1990 by Kandi Burruss, Tamera Coggins, Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, LaTocha Scott, and Tamika Scott. The following year, Coggins left the group and Xscape became a quartet. They were discovered by Jermaine Dupri who signed the group to his So So Def label. The group released their debut album Hummin' Comin' at 'Cha in 1993, which spawned two top-ten Billboard Hot 100 hits, "Just Kickin' It" and "Understanding". The album sold over one million copies in the United States, earning a platinum-certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Like Mike: Music From the Motion Picture is the soundtrack to John Schultz's 2002 American sports comedy film Like Mike. It was released on July 2, 2002 through So So Def/Columbia/Sony Soundtrax and consists of hip hop and contemporary R&B music. Production was handled by Jermaine Dupri, Chris Stokes, Cutmaster Swiff, Just Blaze, Kerry Brothers Jr., Platinum Status, Pop-Trax, Rainfall, The Neptunes and Trackmasters, with Alicia Keys and LaMarquis Jefferson serving as co-producers. It features contributions from the film star Lil' Bow Wow, as well as Amerie, B2K, Jagged Edge, Jermaine Dupri, Fabolous, Fundisha, Mario, R.O.C., Solange Knowles, The Crowd Pleasers, TQ and Young Steff.
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