Jermaine Dupri, So So Def Head To Arista



Hip-hop uber-producer Jermaine Dupri and his So So Def label have signed an exclusive worldwide contract with Arista, four months after the imprint ended its decade-long association with Columbia Records. Under the new deal, future So So Def Recordings will be distributed worldwide by Arista, and Dupri will become a senior vice president of Arista. So So Def's past roster, including recent hitmakers Jagged Edge and Bow Wow, will remain signed to Columbia.

Dupri will continue to be based in his hometown of Atlanta, and will record as a solo artist for Arista as well as lending his production and artist development skills to the label. Under the terms of the deal, Dupri will only produce artists in the BMG family of labels, which includes Arista, RCA, and Jive.

"Jermaine has been one of the outstanding creative forces in the Atlanta music scene," said Arista president/CEO Antonio "L.A." Reid in a statement. "We have known each other for more than a decade, and it has been a source of personal satisfaction for me to watch him work with and guide many of Atlanta's hip-hop and R&B artists to superstar status. Jermaine has produced some of the greatest names in contemporary music, and I welcome the opportunity to bring him into the Arista family."

they Essentially Traded Puffy for JD? I heard about JD trying too land over there for a couple of months.oh well.JD though did do alot of work with Usher&TLC early on when LAFace Records was around.so it does make sense.also LAFace Records was based in Atlanta.

mistermaxxx said:

Yeah, JD got more problems on him like the IRS!!!

What up everybody???!!!

How is Jermaine Dupri moving his label equate to Arista going ghetto? The two biggest sellers on the label right now are Pink and Avril Lavigne.

classic77 said:

some people don't know How Racist&Loaded they Sound when they say "Ghetto" in a way that has no meaning for it whatsoever.now if Somebody Black Said that if Arista brought the Kentucky Headhunters over there&said now they are going "Trailor Park" you would get a Stare or two??

Brother915 said:

I Don't Blame Him at all.I've always felt&still do that Black FOlks should Never have too Pay Taxes nor Pay for School at all Period&also should have 50% off for Medicine.

mistermaxxx said:

Yeah. "Ghetto" is becoming too commercialized it seems...