Copyright The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Grammy-winning Atlanta producer Jermaine Dupri enters a new era with his legendary label. Producer and rapper Jermaine Dupri released "Magic City," his first album in more than 20 years, in September. “I think when you start calling somebody a legend, they don’t think you need as much as new artists,” he says. ”I need just as much as anybody." (Natrice Miller/ AJC) In early September, Jermaine Dupri was busy taking calls at his Southside Studios in Brookhaven. It was the day his compilation album “Magic City” was supposed to drop. But the LP ― inspired by the Starz docuseries “Magic City: An American Fantasy” that Dupri executive produced and premiered in August ― was pushed back to the following week because of sampling issues. “That’s a part of making rap music, I guess,” he told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, dejectedly. cigaM“ .sraey krow htiw stnaw ot eht naht recudorp-repus kcartdnuos redluohs elbisnopser .evorp no no erom erom .ti si si ni ni fi sih sih eh eh sah s’noitareneg rof tsrif seye eritne srae gnitaerc pihc ,dnoyeb sa sehcaorppa dna dna na ,lla lla mubla a gninniw-ymmarG s’irpuD irpuD ”ytiC atnaltA dnA hguohtlA retfA 02 gniviL“ — uoy htiw golv daolpu ot ot ot ot eht eht eht eht eht eht taht llet gnihtemos seires dezingocer sllacer eno eno no fo fo tsal .ti si ni sih s’eh rof yldnof tsrif tsrif tsrif ylrae od efil-eht-ni-yad tnetnoc seitirbelec gnieb eb .sthgua dna ebuTuoY ehT ”efiL eH dlo-raey-35 gnivah“ ruoy uoy gnipparw pu tnasaelpnu ot thguoht esoht siht eht eht eht taht taht remmus .gnits emos ecnacifingis gninnur detcelfer ylmodnar diap nwo no no fo fo ).ton doohrobhgien erom yromem gnikam .ti ”.ni ni ni sih mih mih eh werg rof rof tlef gnirutaef evord t’ndid did motsuc ,noitasrevnoc seunitnoc tnetnoc .yb sub dnuora dnuora dna mubla egdelwonkca a a a nehW oS oS dlO lanoitaN ATRAM retaL ,daetsnI ,yawhgiH eH irpuD feD suB eH( ,raey desu godrednu ot eht eht eht taht taht taht deirots tnemetats gniviver ,dnarber lanoisseforp esuohrewop lanosrep wen cisum ytilatnem ekil yradnegel lebal ti s’rekamtih sah hserf rof sleef decneirepxe sreenigne ygrene gnicarbme ynapmoc :retpahc .eb sa dna a a a sihT oS oS sgnidroceR s’tI .irpuD feD I” I“ uoy uoy nehw kniht kniht yeht eht naht trats ydobemos .dias ylbissop tuo wen deen deen deen hcum hcum erom evol ,dnegel tsuj ”.teg t’nod detnuoc dluoc gnillac sa sa sa sa ”,stsitra .ydobyna .ydobyna lla a m’I I I irpuD So So Def in 2025 s09’ htiw eht eht eht epahs retsor ,yltnecer decudorp dekcap fo lacisum erom s’lebal lebal gnidulcni ni ni stih depleh tnaig dednuof rof ylrae ytic ,rennab sa stsitra ,dna dna dna osla a a ,epacsX woW rehsU rednU ehT oS oS inuM hairaM .gnoL .ssorK sirK deggaJ ,egdE irpuD irpuD feD ,yeraC woB desab-atnaltA s0002 .3991 Dupri stands in front of posters of artists he has produced as well as numerous awards at his studio in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. (Natrice Miller/AJC) ,raey htiw nehw litnu ot ot siht eht eht eht taht gningis secruoser gnisaeler noitcudorp yliramirp ytinutroppo fo fo wen wen wen cisum gnitekram hcnual lebal si daetsni dah sevig denoitcnuf deretne noitubirtsid laed laed sa .stsitra .stsitra mra decnuonna dna dna ssecca a a ehT tahT oS oS oS oS nI s’ebyH ebyH irpuD feD feD lirpA .aciremA ,s0102 elcric-lluf“ htiw ohw saw emit eht eht eht eht deppets elor gnitinuer fo devom evom ”,tnemom .lebal otni mih remrof rof eeyolpme nwod debircsed gnitlusnoc ta sa .tnemecnuonna dna a a oS oS retoocS ,yluJ nI ebyH irpuD feD OEC ,nuarB nuarB s’aciremA s’tI“ I“ er’uoy erehw erehw nehw tahw tahw yaw saw tnaw pu ot ot ot ”.siht eht eht s’taht ,taht kcuts ecaps os tes dias tup ytterp ecalp .pihsrentrap tuo snoitpo no fo fo dedeen deen cisum hcum ynam tol gnikool ekil ti ni ni ni tog teg lluf ”,gniod .od od tnereffid t’ndid esuaceb eb ylerab noitnetta ta a a a a m’I I I I I I irpuD dnA A So So Def billboard rises above an Atlanta parking lot, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. (Natrice Miller/AJC) ekil“ ”taerg“ gnikrow htiw htiw rednu owt ,neht eht eht eht eht taht .noos selgnis dengis tnecer tcejorp snalp pihsrentrap ,evom sniatniam si sah htgnel-lluf rof tsrif ”.ylimaf oud deppord .rennab sa tsitra dna tca a oS oS ecniS B;pma&R eH nsvD irpuD etipseD ebyH/feD naidanaC s’nuarB gnihtemos“ saw saw srotisiv ot eht eht eht eht taht ”.yas nruter devomer gnidnimer tnenimorp ralupop lanigiro no fo fo sevitan lacisum dim sti si deedni ni evah ,ecnellecxe melbme seod kcabemoc .draobllib draobllib dna ekila a htuoS htuoS oS oS gnilangiS tI nI 58/57-I s’feD s’atnaltA .9002 ,s0991 tup“ dekrow htiw tahw ”saw ot eht eht eht eht eht eht ,gnirps ees gnitatsnier no no fo dnuobhtron tesdnim .tfel lebal ti ti otni gnivird ytic nac yb .draobllib kcab sihT stsirotoM 58-I/57-I irpuD nwotnwoD rotcennoC cinoci“ tahw saw ot eht eht ehs dias tcerruser fo fo fo ”.kramdnal yppah rotcerid ytic sllac dna na ,smailliW anallihP eciffO ,efilthgiN ,mliF tnemniatretnE ytiC s’atnaltA tI“ I“ regnuoy regnuoy regnuoy ohw ot kniht gniht taht taht klat skraps gnihtemos os dluohs esnes .dias edirp elpoep redlo fo )cisum ynam wonk ti ti ”.si si ni s’eh eh doog sevig sevig ”,snoitareneg rof tnereffid sedaced ytisoiruc larutluc dna dna .tuoba tuoba a smailliW ehT eniamreJ snatnaltA snatnaltA snatnaltA ... edam( Tapped in with the youth Dupri works in his studio, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. (Natrice Miller/AJC) cigaM“ dluow hcihw saw taht ylno no redlo ton gnikam sih snoitareneg .yojne deppord na ,mubla mubla tnamada tuoba .tpeS roF irpuD ”ytiC ,21 sihT“ I“ ,gnuoy gnuoy uoy htiw s’ohw s’ohw s’ohw .revetahw t’nsaw ebiv ot eht eht eht ro ,dlo ,dlo fo .deton ton ,ekil ,ekil s’ti ,si ni ni ,toh og s’ydobyreve denrecnoc ”.bulc ,bulc ”,halb ,halb ,halb tuoba cigaM cigaM s’tI fI irpuD ,ytiC ytiC .atnaltA )si( — rednu owt eht eht naht pirts ,esir mhtyhr ngier tcejorp laiciffo fo erom dekram suoitcefni tsrif serutaef nezod .erutluc noitalipmoc bulc gnitarbelec stsaob dna lla mubla ehT oS oS tI .ebyH/feD s’atnaltA kcart-51 gniviL“ yhw erew eht eht eht ,stoor dedrocer ,ssecorp yllaitrap no no otni sih sih sih eh espmilg gnivig teg morf ylf serutaef snaf snialpxe detnemucod derised .ytivitaerc t’ndluoc senecs-eht-dniheb ta dna syawla tsomla a ,soidutS edishtuoS sgnoS enaM ”efiL gninaeL ,yzeeJ iccuG .)erutuF irpuD hcihw( krow htiw .yaw esu ot ot ot meht eht gnitalumits thgir tuo wen yllatnem peek ti otni detseretni ni woh sih gnivah dnuof erugif ydobyreve ,reerac ,stsitra dna irpuD sedaceD cigaM“ cigaM“ gnuoy dedleiy esohw owt eht eht sgnos emos laicos sreppar .ecneserp no fo fo tsom stnemom aidem tih retaerg citsirutuf elamef serutaef gniticxe are ecarbme etubirtnoc s’ytic stsitra dna dna regnuoY ,iN ”yenoM ”.ytiC ytiC annuB llorknaB B atnaltA eht“ nehw snaretev ,yadot ot ot rieht rieht eht eht taht .gnos dengis gninnur par par nwo tuo no seganam tnemeganam ylneek ”.ti ti si ni dloh ereh slrig tsrif ylrae yltnerruc semoc erawa stsitra tsitra .mra era dna tsniaga ehT oS oS naeS luaP ,iN yenoM J eH irpuD s’feD llorknaB atnaltA )s02 htob( I“ gnieB“ ot ot ot ot emit kniht eht eht taht ,lufsseccus trats .dias tup tup elpoep trap ”,tuo tuo eno fo fo wen ym cisum ”.noitom ekil boj s’ti s’ti ni ni ni rof tsrif erif leef gnimoc ytic eb kcab stsitra I irpuD atnaltA eroM“ cigaM“ hcihw teerts gnisir ,reppar no no tsiciryl si sedulcni tseug derutaef gniddub rehtona osla a nahT ,yavawS ”,eM .notgnihsuK s’eH gnaG ”.ytiC ylleB atnaltA dlo-raey-72 wen“ htiw mohw t’nsaw eht eht eht laicos syas gnippar ylsuoiverp ylno no fo aidem si si mih eh .railimaf pilc detcartta .noitnetta tsitra mubla yavawS yavawS ,woN s’irpuD irpuD ”.atnaltA A maerd“ yggoD“ htiw saw ”,eurt eht dias .desahcrup eh tsrif emoc gnitic sa mubla a s’woW gnikroW ,yavawS oS oS irpuD desaeler-feD woB ”gaB 1002 eroM“ htiw .eciov ot gnidrocer gnippar erom sih mih gnipleh ygrene detiderc dda elihW nahT yavawS ”,eM irpuD ehT“ htiw saw pu ot ot llits dnuos wohs ”.gniyas yas thgir gnidrocer tsinoitcefrep fo won ton on ,han ym em elttil ,ekil si attog gniog elbatrofmoc tub tib gnieb gnieb gnihtyna dna a a eniamreJ m’I I s’eH irpuD ... htuoy htiw htiw erew yaw ot hguorht siht eht ,oiduts tneduts .gnirps laicos detceles nur margorp ecudorp aidem si si pihsnretni snretni sih pleh stneve etanidrooc tnetnoc gnitcennoc dna a .ytisrevinU oS oS ruoF yromE irpuD irpuD feD rehtonA htiw htiw nehw erew ylkeew saw yeht .meht eht deksat laicos slliks dias sweiver gnitsop eno no fo evitan lacisum .aidem srojam ,egdelwonk ,roinuj si pihsnretni ni reh reh depleh dnapxe yllaicepse noitacinummoc dna dna mubla .gnitnuocca a a ,htroW ehT ,saxeT ehS troF ,nosugreF allE JD eH“ s’htuoy nehw ew detnaw detnaw hturt ot ot ot siht eht eht taht llet tcepser evitcepsrep elpoep ruo snoinipo wen ”.cisum ti raeh raeh eh semoc nac esuaceb dna ot eht retsemes snalp txen pihsnretni gnirb kcab eH “I’m in this lifestyle more than any other CEO you see in labels... You don’t see them breaking the records the way (I do). They leave that to somebody else," says Dupri, shown in his studio in Atlanta. (Natrice Miller/AJC) ‘Def Jam of the South’ feD“ nehw saw noisiv eht eht eht eht emas fo dehcnual lebal ti si ni eh rof tnerruc sa ”.htuoS oS oS ekaM maJ s’irpuD feD :3991 dluow ohw elihw stnaw tnaw ot ot ot eht taht dengis .esir ralupop no lebal gnipoleved etaerc eb tsitra era yna stca a eH uoY“ m’I“ uoy htiw yaw gniyrt yrt ot ot ot siht meht meht eht eht eht eht taht taht taht naht ydobemos ees ees ees nur .sdrocer sdrocer gnittup .tuo rehto fo ym erom elytsefil evael pal ”,slebal ni ni ni .esle t’nod t’nod gnikaerb kaerb ”.llab yna dna lla .demriffa uoY yehT m’I I irpuD OEC elbanetnu hturt ot s’ereht eht eht eht taht tnemetats sdnuos derocs deknar noitacilbup recudorp no fo :ti ni stih mih ,ytfeh sah .trahc .yrutnec sa na poh-pih/B;pma&R poH-piH/B;pma&R .oN .oN irpuD ,yltneuqesnoC s’draoblliB ,tsuguA hguohtlA ts12 31 1 1 saw eht naht desirprus ylbaborp .swen erom yb ydobyna ,ylgnikcohS irpuD m’I“ .woW‘ tahw ot ot gnikniht taht llits yats ecaps ?thgir sdrocer ,noitisop fo ,won ym erom ynam ?ekam edam ,ekil ,ekil ’.ti si ni ni ?woh attog attog tog ?esle od od od taeb lla tuoba a tahW s’tahT oS ,KO .oN m’I I I I I woH ”.s1 If you go .moc.aneramrafetats .mrofrep .m.p srehto dna ehT etatS etatS ,ylleN liL inalheK ,noJ elgniJ eniamreJ mraF mraF ,irpuD ,evirD .ceD s’taeB .llaB ,atnaltA ,anerA 1.69 03:7 .0003-878-404 .81 1 .053$-74$
