It's Official: Jermaine Dupri Is Island Pres./Urban Music

Jermaine Dupri

What was first tipped on ALL ACCESS (NET NEWS 1/25) is now official as ISLAND DEF JAM MUSIC GROUP Chairman ANTONIO "L.A." REID names JERMAINE DUPRI, one of the industry’s most consistently successful top-charting producers and songwriters, President of ISLAND RECORDS URBAN MUSIC, a new division of the ISLAND DEF JAM MUSIC GROUP. As part of the arrangement, DUPRI will oversee ISLAND's entire Urban music operation. In addition, he will produce artists on the IDJ roster, as well as provide his production services to the entire UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP family of labels.

In this newly created position, DUPRI will report directly to REID and to IDJ Pres./COO STEVE BARTELS on operational matters. DUPRI will be based in ATLANTA and NEW YORK.

“JERMAINE’s career has grown from strength to strength over the years,” said REID, “as a producer and songwriter and recording artist in his own right, as a respected label executive and entrepreneur, and as a highly esteemed developer of new talent. His deep ties to ATLANTA’s creative R&B and hip-hop community have been the springboard to working with the greatest names in contemporary music. This is a tremendous step forward for ISLAND RECORDS and its established roster of artists, who will benefit enormously from JERMAINE’s presence.”

“I’m so excited to be reunited with L.A. REID because most of my biggest hits were when he and I worked together,” said DUPRI. “And then to be working side by side with STEVE BARTELS -- I don’t think there’s a better team, because he’s by far the best in the game. I can’t wait for us to start stuntin’ on y’all.”

“I am thrilled that JERMAINE has decided to join the ISLAND DEF JAM family,” said BARTELS. “JERMAINE is a prestigious hitmaker as well as a production wizard. I personally look forward to helping be part of once again, adding to and continuing his illustrious legacy.”

JERMAINE DUPRI is one of the preeminent figures in Urban music today. He has written, produced, or mixed hit records for many of the industry’s top artists. His long-distance run of hits with USHER, which began in 1997, culminated with 2004’s string of “Burn,” “Confessions Part II,” and “My Boo” (a duet with ALICIA KEYS), which drove eight-times platinum sales of USHER’s "Confessions" album, making it the best-selling album of the year.

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