Jermaine Dupri is reflecting on an early run-in he had with singer Babyface at the beginning of his career. As well as sharing more details about his former romance with songstress Janet Jackson.
Jermaine Dupri Recalled An Early Run-In With Babyface
The 50-year-old music producer and executive sat down for a recent interview on the Million Dollarz Worth Of Game podcast. He reflected on an early single that he produced for the Hip-Hop duo Kriss Kross, titled “Jump,” released in 1992. However, he surprisingly explained that he almost had to “check” Babyface over the single.
“I ran into Babyface, and this was before I had more success than Kriss Kross. Babyface was like, ‘Yeah, you the guy with the lil’ jump record.’ I looked at him like, ‘N***a.’ He almost made me disrespect him. He said ‘lil’ jump record.’ And I was JD — cocky JD. I was like, ‘What? Little?’ He was like, ‘Yeah, you know, it’s cool you did that one time, but how many times can you do that?'”
Dupri went on to explain that despite his initial reaction, Babyface’s comments made him think more deeply about his career.
“At the time when he said that, I didn’t think about it. I hadn’t thought about it yet. ‘Yeah how many times can I make Kross Kross? How many times can I do ‘Jump?’ And I remember I sat for like two hours… I ain’t see, hear, nothing else for like two hours thinking about, ‘Oh damn. It don’t mean s**t in this business if you can’t do it again — if I can’t keep moving the needle.”
The producer explained that his focus forever shifted from that day moving forward.
“My focus ever since that day has always been like, ‘I did this, it’s time to move on.’ Once it’s halfway close to it being a finished piece of project or product, then I move into the next and that’s where I’m at. So I don’t even get caught up in that. So when people be saying ‘you humble,’ I don’t really even be in that space. I really be thinking about the next thing.”
Jermaine Dupri Also Reflected On His Romance With Janet Jackson
Later in the interview, Dupri also clarified how his romance with songstress Janet Jackson began. According to BET, the pair dated for seven years before ending the relationship in 2009.
janet jackson and jermaine dupri at the nba all-star game, 2004 pic.twitter.com/R9HMpYCYVq
— ‎ً (@hourlydamita) March 4, 2022
Gilllie, a co-host on the podcast, explained that he thought the pair’s relationship began due to Dupri producing songs for Jackson. However, Dupri explained that was untrue.
“I was just on some like ‘hang out’… It wasn’t on no music s**t. We got in an argument about me not producing her because she was around me watching everybody else get hit records. I never wanted her to think that was what the agenda was because so many people was saying that.”
Dupri went on to firmly state that, despite the contrary beliefs, he never wanted Jackson to feel that their relationship was purely rooted in musical intentions.
“I’m just saying. It wasn’t never no situation where I wanted her to believe that I was trying to do this — ’cause- nah it wasn’t that.”
