Jermaine Dupri Explains Why He Still Support Kanye West Despite Controversy

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Hip-hop artist Jermaine Dupri attends the 2017 A+E Networks Upfront At Jazz At Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall on March 21, 2017 in New York City.
JD speaks up on Kanye West's controversial political stance and why it doesn't impact his support for 'Ye.

Kanye West's closest collaborators and friends have opened up about their concern for the Chicago native following his controversial TMZ interview and his recent meeting with Donald Trump at the Oval Office. Some of them have slammed 'Ye on social media, while others have voiced their support for him. Jermaine Dupri falls in the latter category and he recently explained that he will continue to support Kanye West, regardless of his political stance.

In a recent interview with CNN, Jermaine Dupri spoke on So So Def, Aretha Franklin and voiced his opinion on Kanye West. Although he acknowledged the fact that he might have an unpopular opinion when it comes to the G.O.O.D Music founder, he does believe that Kanye has the right to say what he wants.

"I'm sure people will hate me for saying this, but I thought this was a free country and you can say and think however you want," he said on Kanye West's controversial opinions. "Last time I checked, anyway."

Jermaine Dupri and Kanye West have a pretty lengthy history together. In fact, one of Kanye's earliest beat placements was on Jermaine Dupri's 1998 album, Life In 1478. 

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Dupri's So So Def music label. To celebrate, he launched an exhibit at the Grammy Museum which includes memorabilia from Kris Kross, Xscape and more. The exhibit runs until March 2019.


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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