In the pantheon of Southern hip-hop, there are plenty of architects who helped usher in a new sound and a new hotbed that gave the genre and the culture some of the most incredible talent this generation of music consumers has seen. From Master P to T.I. to Andre 3000 & Big Boi, the list of those who helped strengthen that large scene is a long one. However, no one mattered more to ATL rap than Jermaine Dupri. Just ask him.
In a recent radio interview with DJ Envy, Charlamagne Tha God and Angela Yee over at The Breakfast Club, the So So Def icon put forth the notion that he means more to that hip-hop locale than anyone in its history, including the boys from Outkast. “I brought people to Atlanta that had never seen Atlanta. I showed everybody in the world Magic City.. I was the first person to start throwing money in the club,” he said. “I had to pay for all the magazines to come to Atlanta..no one was paying attention to what’s going on..as far as culture goes and having parties, bringing Puff, bringing Clue & Envy to Atlanta, that was all me,” JD added. Check out the entire interview below.
The comparison really is based in culture, and that's what JD is arguing. Though your mileage may vary on the Outkast comparison, there's no doubt that Dupri's extensive discography and his knack for spotting and nurturing talent over the years is something to be commended, as far as making Atlanta one of the epicenters of rap.
Do you think Jermaine Dupri helped ATL hip-hop culture along more than Outkast? Let us know in the comments.