ASCAP honors Jermaine Dupri in recognition
of his groundbreaking achievements
influencing the direction of American popular music
and impacting the heart, soul and sound of pop music worldwide.

“As a child growing up and thinking about doing this, you set goals, but you never really know when you reach them,” says Jermaine “JD” Dupri. Executive, producer, entrepreneur, artist, and most significantly, songwriter, with The Golden Note Award, Dupri joins an elite circle of ASCAP luminaries which includes Stevie Wonder, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Jay-Z and Elton John.

Among his recent high-profile projects are the four key tracks he co-wrote and produced on Mariah Carey’s #1 release, The Emancipation of Mimi. This follows another sterling achievement: four Grammy nominations for three songs on Usher’s Confessions. Dupri is the first producer ever to reach #1 simultaneously on Billboard’s pop, R&B and rap singles charts with three different records, and last year he held five prominent chart positions concurrently for songs he wrote and produced, multiple Usher tracks plus Monica’s hit single, “U Should’ve Known Better.”

“When you make records, you’ve got to include everything that’s going on right now” Dupri reveals. “People love singing as much as they love rap music. If you can figure out how to incorporate both and get the most listeners, then these will be the most successful songs.” He believes that R&B can become the dominant global genre. “With the success of Mariah and Usher, you’re seeing that people need a switch. If we can keep making records that exceed the limits of where R&B has been, it can become as international as pop music.”

As a songwriter, Dupri recalls his sources of inspiration, from Quincy Jones and The Brothers Johnson through the Commodores. “I learned about this music by looking for samples when I was trying to write rap, but I ended up listening to the records. Marvin Gaye definitely influenced my music as did Teddy Riley and Siedah Garrett. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis were big influences as well, and Lionel Richie wrote some of the best songs I ever heard.” Like Richie, Dupri references the narrative perspective of country music in his songwriting. “If you listen to some of my records, like ‘Burn’ by Usher, they’ve got a real country influence.”

With an extraordinary production roster that includes Janet Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Jay-Z, Elton John, Notorious B.I.G., Destiny’s Child and Jessica Simpson, Dupri injects signature production touches into the work of artists with their own very distinctive identities. “That’s what separates a good producer from a bad producer,” he testifies. “Making sure when the fans listen to the record that they hear the artist they love, but at the same time they feel the influence from the person producing them.”

With a career so stellar and so enduring, it may come as a surprise that Dupri, who produced his first record at age 12 and founded his own record label at 19, is only in his early thirties. He followed in the family business. His father, Michael Mauldin, helmed a successful tour management business in the 70’s with acts as diverse as Frank Sinatra, Cameo, Anita Ward, Earth, Wind & Fire, Grace Jones and SOS, and Dupri began as a drummer and then a professional break dancer, performing with Diana Ross, Herbie Hancock, Run-DMC, Grandmaster Flash and Whodini. He discovered two young boys with the same first names, Chris Kelly and Chris Smith, in Atlanta’s Greenbriar Mall. As the newly-christened Kris Cross, the duo’s multi-platinum debut, Totally Krossed Out, masterminded, written and produced by Dupri, launched his Atlanta-based label So So Def to a landmark partnership with Columbia Records.

The rise of Jermaine Dupri parallels the emergence of Atlanta, Georgia, as the music capitol of the New South. “Atlanta is so crazy you can’t even imagine how much music is coming from there,” enthuses Dupri. “It’s huge, the Mecca of music right now.” He acknowledges the major changes he’s witnessed in his hometown over the past decade. “When I was coming up there was no rap, R&B was on the down slope, a bunch of things weren’t working. Now, to see it like it is, I’m really excited to be a part of it.” He infers that the fertile scene is still developing. “You’ve still got room. It’s open for someone to come and be more creative and to invent something that hasn’t been heard. Sure, we’ve got a lot of copycats in Atlanta, but at the same time there’s folks doing the creative thing and making a difference.”

As embodied through So So Def, Dupri’s entrepreneurial destiny continues to unfold. Among his ventures are film and television projects, Cafe Dupri and a partnership with 3 Vodka. In 2003, after a decade with the Sony/Music Columbia Records organization, his label entered into an exclusive arrangement with Arista Records where Dupri became a Senior Vice President. (In 2004, Arista became a part of BMG under the auspices of Zomba Label Group.) Most recently, he assumed the title of President of Virgin Records, Urban Music, a new label division that includes So So Def and allows for an expansive role with the potential of producing select urban artists across the entire EMI label family. JD has also maintained his own career as a platinum recording artist with smash hits like “The Party Continues,” “Money Ain’t A Thang,” and “Welcome to Atlanta.” His 1998 solo album, Life in 1472 earned a Grammy nomination, and set to drop on July 19 is Jermaine Dupri Presents...Young, Fly and Flashy Vol. 1, a compilation of So So Def artists with the first single, “Gotta Getcha” featuring Dupri himself.

Despite his chart-topping across-the-board songwriting successes, Jermaine Dupri says he hasn’t previously made his presence known at ASCAP Award ceremonies. “I told them I was never coming unless I won Songwriter of the Year or something special. I set that tone for myself so that I would go home and work hard. With this award, I feel like I’m being recognized as one of those guys I always looked up to. I’m special.”

By Dan Kimpel