Photo by: Aaron J. Thornton/Contributor
Record producer, Jermaine Dupri is not shy about telling people that he is more than deserving of appreciation for his musical and cultural accomplishments within the Hip-Hop space.
Throughout the 1990s and far into the 2000s, Dupri is credited with helping to push musical acts like Xscape, Da Brat, Usher, and Kriss Kross into the stratosphere of fame. Adding to his success with his introduction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018, these several achievements catapulted his overall contributions to the Hip-Hop culture.
“A lot of this stuff would be different, like a lot of people would be like, ‘Damn, Jermaine actually created this, Jermaine actually started this,’” the Atlanta native states in an interview with Complex’s Blueprint series.
However, when fans think of those that contributed to the fashion trends within the culture, it’s less likely that think of the 49-year-old.
“I’ve been telling people this everyday if you look at that Kriss Kross poster up there, Kriss Kross has on jerseys, this was in 1992,” Dupri exclaims. “Nobody in hip-hop you can’t think of nobody else in hip-hop in ’92 that was wearing baseball jerseys, so that means after 1992 wearing baseball jerseys, football jerseys, basketball jerseys all of that came from me and Kriss Kross.”
In 1991, the So-So Def CEO discovered the pre-teen rapping duo- Kriss Kross, comprised of members Chris “Mac Daddy” Kelly and Chris “Daddy Mac” Smith at Greenbriar Mall located in southwest Atlanta.
Aiding in the young Hip-Hop duo’s success, Kriss Kross has worn oversized clothes backwards in their first music video “Jump.” The following year, the fashion statement became popularized within the Hip-Hop culture.
Defending his success, Dupri has even publicly challenged Sean “Diddy” Combs in a Verzuz battle. However, Combs turned down the challenge, feeling as though the Atlanta producer wasn’t qualified to battle him.
“But the industry that we’re in they don’t actually frame it up like that,” Dupri says. “We don’t get the credit that we’re supposed to, and that’s kind of what Andre 3000 was saying at The Source Awards when he said ‘the South got something to say.’ He felt that same energy that night. I been feeling that same energy my whole life.”
Tell us down below what your thoughts are with Jermaine Dupri setting trends! What are your favorite trends that the So-So Def CEO created?
Like TV One on Facebook and be sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter.
