Music Producer Jermaine Dupri Takes Credit For Atlanta’s Rise In Entertainment But It Was LaFace Records That Put The City On The Musical Map

January 24. 2018

Jermaine Dupri

Music producer Jermaine Dupri has been attempting to rewrite entertainment history in claiming he put the city of Atlanta on the music map. During a recent visit to "The Breakfast Club" radio show on Power 105, Dupri dubiously stated, "As far as culture, me, I brought people to Atlanta that had never seen Atlanta. I showed everybody in the world Magic City - I was the first person to start throwing money in the club. I had to pay for all the magazines to come to Atlanta - no one was paying attention to what's going on - as far as culture goes and having parties, bringing Puff, bringing Envy and Clue to Atlanta, that was all me."

Dupri needs to lay off the drugs. Music producers LA & Babyface put Atlanta on the map in the entertainment industry. When Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Antonio "LA" Reid" and his then wife, Perri "Pebbles" Reid moved to Atlanta, Georgia and founded LaFace Records in the late 1980s. LaFace legitimated the Atlanta music scene.

LaFace opened shop in 1989. LaFace created a cultural movement in Atlanta, that not only launched the careers of successful entertainers like TLC, Usher, Toni Braxton, Pink, Outkast, Donnell Jones and Goodie Mob, Ciara and Tony Rich. Their artists did well and most of them crossed over, which resulted in greater sales. LaFace Records grossed in excess of $500,000,000. It was a very lucrative subsidiary deal for Clive Davis' Artist Records/BMG.

Babyface (left) former LaFace recording artist Jermaine Jackson (center) and L.A. Reid (right) in the 1990s

Dupri's So So Def Recordings did not get going until 1993. Xscape, Jagged Edge, Bow Wow and Da Brat did well in urban music markets, but did not cross over. Dupri had a hit with the teenage rap duo, Kris Kross, who did cross over with the hit "Jump" but they only had one successful album. Their other two albums did not sell well. So, to reiterate, Dupri did not put Atlanta on the map.

LaFace's presence in the city and the money they made, resulted in many people outside music moving to the city as well. People all over the country discovered how nice and affordable Atlanta real estate and cost of living are, due to the exposure from LaFace. The public would read about it in national magazines and on television shows that featured LaFace acts.

Record labels then began talent scouting in Atlanta. Then, television and movie production companies showed up and began filming in the city. Not since Motown brought global attention to Detroit, did a city receive that kind of exposure from a music company. LaFace's presence in Atlanta attracted business investment to the city as well.

Babyface, L.A. and their silent partner Daryl Simmons

I don't agree with things L.A. Reid has done, but give credit where credit is due. LaFace started a movement in Atlanta, which did wonders for the city. The world saw black people living well and doing business in a southern city that was mostly known for the movie "Gone With The Wind."

Dupri's company greatly benefited from LaFace's work in Atlanta, which brought him funding. Up until that point, people in the industry only went to Southern cities such as Miami due to hits from artists like Gloria Estefan, Betty Wright, KC and the Sunshine Band, Exposé, Stevie B and The 2 Live Crew.

Dupri fell because he engaged in very unethical business deals, did not pay the IRS or songwriters/producers what they were truly owed. He infringed copyrights and was sued for it. He lived lavishly beyond his financial means. It resulted in his record company and fledgling restaurant collapsing. Dupri also lost his mansion, cars and some of his music publishing. 

STORY SOURCE

Jermaine Dupri Feels He Influenced Atlanta Hip-Hop More Than OutKast

January 17, 2018 - Jermaine Dupri is a living legend, helping shepherd the careers of names like Usher, Da Brat, Kriss Kross and Bow Wow, among others. Given how long he's been in the game, it's fair for him to state how important he is to hip-hop, home and abroad. On Power 105's The Breakfast Club, Charlamagne Tha God asked JD whether he or OutKast were more influential in Atlanta, and Dupri chose himself.

JD may have a point. “Depending on what type of hip-hop you talking about, we come from two different places in hip-hop,” he fairly answered. “As far as culture, me, I brought people to Atlanta that had never seen Atlanta. I showed everybody in the world Magic City—I was the first person to start throwing money in the club.”

He even broke down his connection to New York, bringing budding hip hop celebs to Atlanta and exposing them to his hometown's culture. "I had to pay for all the magazines to come to Atlanta—no one was paying attention to what’s going on—as far as culture goes and having parties, bringing Puff, bringing Envy and Clue to Atlanta, that was all me," JD revealed...

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