Exclusive : A Mini Interview With RnB Artist and CEO Of SO SO Def Jam Recordings Jermaine Dupri.
Jermaine Dupri has established a successful career as a hip-hop artist, producer, songwriter, author, and CEO of So So Def Recordings, which he founded in 1989. He has collaborated with artists such as Usher, Mariah Carey, and Nelly. In 2011, Jermaine launched Global 14, which consists of more than 1,100 groups who share common interests such as fashion, hip-hop, and R&B.
Jermaine has been steadily building Global 14s international presence including expansion into Europe and Latin America. He announced Global 14s Latin American presence at the 2012 Portada Latin American Advertising and Media Summit.
His career milestones include the release of several platinum recordings as CEO of So So Def, winning a Grammy for Best R&B Song, and being honored with an ASCAP Founders Award, given to composers and songwriters who have achieved extraordinary milestones. He is one of only a few producers in music history to garner four positions in the Top 10 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart at one time. He is also the first recipient of the Billboard Otis Redding Excellence Award for his achievements both in and outside the studio. He is also the executive producer of a successful TV show The Rap Game (Season 1 and 2), which airs on Lifetime Television.
Jermaine has spoken at events such as the Forrester Research Interactive Marketing Summit, Portada Latin American Advertising and Media Summit, and Social Media Week. He and Global 14 have been profiled in publications such as The Huffington Post, The Independent, and Mashable. Engage with Jermaine Dupri on Global 14, on Twitter, via his iPhone app, and through his YouTube channel.
OTSM: Hey JD! please tell us more about GLOBAL 14 and its expansion into Europe & Latin America, also what inspired you to Launch GLOBAL 14?
I launched Global 14 in January 2011 to have a closer relationship with other people on social media. I needed to take ownership of my own site to have the level of engagement and content sharing that I wanted. Through my partnership with digital agency iCrossing, I’ve introduced Global 14 to Europe and to Latin America to engage more with my global fan base and to reflect the reality that great music is a global phenomenon. Global 14 membership took off in 2012, but we still have a lot of work to do.
What is your biggest inspiration in life?
My biggest inspirations consist of music, the power in life creation, and the community of Global 14 Lifers.
What is your Philosophy?
Always pay attention! Pay attention to the world around you. Pay attention to new technology, styles, and sounds. Then you’ll know what you want. Social media, especially Global 14, is one of the ways I pay attention, of course.
What advice would you give to young, aspiring upcoming musical artists all over the world, who would want to have a successful career in music?
Your career is in your own hands. So take ownership of your personal brand. To succeed, you need to do more than create great music. You need to develop your own visibility by always hustling your content and your brand, which is one of the liberating aspects of social media. Don’t just create a Twitter account and expect to be noticed. You have to use channels like social media every day, contribute ideas, share your music, and be persistent.
At what stage in life while growing up did you realize you were interested in the music industry, and what has been the biggest hurdle you have had to overcome?
Music flows through my blood. I started playing drums when I was three years old. I was singing when I was seven. I was dancing on stage with Diana Ross when I was 10 years old. I just grew up naturally into the music industry as easily as you learn to walk and talk. When I was 12 years old, I toured with a national tour for rappers known as the New York City Fresh.
Festival, an experience that got me hooked on the music business.The biggest hurdle I’ve had to overcome consists of a music industry that is mired in the past. I’m having this conversation with you in this day and age, and yet too many music industry executives operate like it’s 1999, before digital changed the industry forever. One of the reasons I launched Global 14 was to work around the limitations of the industry. Digital was disrupting music — so I destroyed my So So Def website and reinvented my business and brand as Global 14.
What are your top 3 Favorite positive quotes that keep you going?
My favorite quotes consist of the private words of inspiration that my daughter shares with me every day. You might have noticed that I post quotes of the day from famous people on Global 14 each day. But I don’t have any favorite all-time quotes because what motivates me today is not the same idea that will inspire me tomorrow. I’m like a shark constantly moving through the waters. I always have to keep moving from one source of inspiration to the next in order to stay fresh.
So what inspired you to Create So So Def Recordings back in 1993?
Early on in my career, I realized I had a gift for finding and developing talent. I could write and perform successfully, which I still do. But I always had a burning passion for collaborating with others and helping fresh, young performers find their voices and audiences. Creating So So Def was a natural extension of my artistic collaborations.
When you run your own business, you have more control over the entire process of developing artists and finding an audience for them.
In my role as producer, I could always develop artists; but being CEO of So So Def is crucial for helping artists find their audience — the marketing, the promotion, and the distribution of music.
You’ve been a recording Hip-Hop artist, producer, songwriter, and Author. Where do you get your motivation?
I am motivated by music that literally moves me. There is no greater feeling than hearing new music that makes you want to get up off your chair and dance. I can’t think of a more motivating force to get through life than the pure power of music.
So tell us about some of your Previous, latest, upcoming projects And Tour Dates
For Starters in “2013”, we marked the 20th anniversary of So So Def Recordings, and it was celebrated in a big way, It was the biggest concert since the Motown 25th!.
I also worked on a new single and album from Leah LaBelle, collaborating with Fresco Kane on new material, and signing new talents. I’m also continuing to travel around the world DJing, and I still continue with my monthly DJing residence at Tryst in Las Vegas, and shooting a commercial for Jordan Shoes.
Last, but certainly not least, I’m continuing to grow Global 14 into the monster it’s supposed to be. My gloves are off. I am taking Global 14 to a new level.
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