Atlanta is undoubtedly one of the most influential cities in rap right now. Not only that, but it's been an influential city for decades. It's largely due to the fact that it's also a hotbed for talent. Young Thug and Future are two artists of this generation that'll go down in the history books while Gucci Mane, T.I., and Jeezy have also stamped their names in the culture. For a lot of hip-hop heads, Outkast is one of the greatest groups of all time. Not just in Atlanta, but music in general. However, Jermaine Dupri thinks that his contributions to the culture have been far more impactful than Andre 3000 and Big Boi.
In a recent interview with Hot 97, Jermaine Dupri doubled down on claims that he's been more influential to Atlanta than Outkast. Peter Rosenberg brought up a quote that Jermaine Dupri said to the Atlanta Black Star which opened up the conversation. JD simply agreed before making his argument. Not only did JD bring up the fact that he helped bring talent into Atlanta such as Diddy, DJ Envy, and many others, he also revealed that Outkast was once trying to sign with him.
"Outkast tried to sign to So So Def. So, what does that mean?" JD explained. "They said they was callin' but I never got the call. Big Boi was tellin' that he's callin'," he continued.
Whether or not you agree, you can't deny that Jermaine Dupri played a pivotal role in the growth of Atlanta's hip hop scene.
Peep the interview below.