Jermaine Dupri  

His promising musical career began before he was even ten years old. His
father, Atlanta manager Michael Mauldin, had coordinated a Diana Ross
show in 1982; to the delight of concert-goers, Dupri managed to get on stage
and dance along with Ross. He began performing around the country, appearing
with Herbie Hancock and Cameo before he opened the New York Fresh Festival,
with Run-D.M.C., Whodini and Grandmaster Flash. Dupri's production career
began in 1987, when at the age of 14 he produced and secured a record contract
for the trio Silk Tymes Leather. Two years later, he formed So So Def Productions
in Atlanta; by 1991 Dupri had found his first platinum act.
After seeing the pint-size rap duo Kris Kross performing in a local mall, he signed
them and prepared their debut album. Totally Krossed Out spent two weeks at
number one, and quickly sold four million copies. The pair's lack of staying power
was somewhat obvious, and Dupri kept working, producing tracks on TLC's first
two albums, which sold over 15 million copies between the two of them.
During 1993-94, Dupri debuted two of his new So So Def acts, Xscape and Da
Brat. Both debut albums hit platinum, thanks in large part to Dupri, and by the end
of 1994, he had become one of the most respected R&B producers in the business.
He worked with superstar Mariah Carey and old-school rap acts like Run-D.M.C.
and Whodini. Dupri's next major success came in 1997, when he took over the
production for a sophomore album by a suave teenage R&B singer named Usher.
The album, My Way, became one of the biggest of the year, selling over two-million
copies in its first three months of release.
Taking a page from the book of fellow super producer Sean "Puffy" Combs (who
debuted a solo project in mid-1997), Dupri returned to performing in early 1998 with
a single, "The Party Continues." After collaborating with Snoop Doggy Dogg,
fellow Atlanta residents Outkast, Slick Rick, Nas and Master P, he released his
debut solo album (as JD), Life in 1492, in July 1998.
His second album Instructions followed in 2001.