So So Def Recordings

So So Def Recordings
Parent company Sony Music Entertainment
Founded 1993
Founder Jermaine Dupri
Distributor(s) Epic Records (current)
Primary Wave Music[1](former)
Genre Hip hop, R&B
Country of origin United States
Location Atlanta, Georgia

So So Def Recordings is a record label based in Atlanta, Georgia, and owned by producer Jermaine Dupri, specializing in Southern hip hop, R&B, and bass music. So So Def Recordings has managed artists such as Lil Bow Wow, Kris Kross, TLC, Usher and Da Brat.

Beginnings

The label So So Def was established in 1993 as a spin-off of Dupri's production company of the same moniker, through a joint venture with Sony Music and Columbia Records. Its first act was the female R&B group Xscape, whose debut album was released in the fall of the same year and went platinum—as did their second and third albums, released in 1995 and 1998. In 1994, the label released the debut album of Da Brat, who became the first solo female emcee to be certified for platinum album sales. In 1996, Kandi Burruss (of Xscape) brought the singing group Jagged Edge to the attention of the label; their debut album, A Jagged Era, was released in 1997. So So Def later released the triple platinum debut album by Bow Wow in 2000. Other acts on the label have included: Dem Franchise Boyz, Maestro Harrell, The Ghost Town DJs, INOJ, J-Kwon, Trina Broussard, R.O.C., and Anthony Hamilton.

Current Artists

Distribution

In 2002, So So Def's distribution deal with Columbia Records ended. The following year, Dupri moved So So Def to Arista Records, where he was appointed president of Black Music. While many of So So Def's acts moved with the label to Arista, Bow Wow and Jagged Edge were forced to remain at Columbia, due to their contracts having been with that company primarily. In 2004, per the reconsolidation of labels caused by the merger of its former Sony Music parent and BMG, So So Def was shifted from Arista to its sister label, Zomba Label Group.

In 2005, Dupri was appointed Executive Vice President of Urban Music at Virgin Records, causing So So Def to move again, this time over to Virgin and EMI—resulting in the loss of acts such as Bone Crusher and the YoungBloodZ. So So Def, meanwhile, was able to retain J-Kwon and Anthony Hamilton, despite their still being signed to Zomba. In 2006, Dupri had a falling out with Virgin, resulting in his leaving his post at the company. Intermittent, he was appointed President of urban music at Universal Music Group's Island Records, resulting in So So Def once again making a move to UMG's The Island Def Jam Music Group.

In 2009, it was reported that Dupri had been terminated from his post at Island Records. Later in the same year, it was rumored that So So Def had moved back to Sony Music, where it reportedly operated under Zomba Label Group once more.[2] In 2010, Mississippi-based independent label Malaco Records distributed So So Def's release of the Why Did I Get Married Too? soundtrack.[3][4]

In 2014, So So Def Recordings partnered with Primary Wave Music for the release of Jagged Edge's album J.E. Heartbreak 2. In June 2016, So So Def Recordings partnered with Epic Records for current distribution.[5]

Discography

Year Title Artist
1993 Hummin' Comin' at 'Cha Xscape
1994 Funkdafied Da Brat
1995 Off the Hook Xscape
1996 12 Soulful Nights of Christmas Various artists
1996 Anuthatantrum Da Brat
1997 A Jagged Era Jagged Edge
1998 Traces of My Lipstick Xscape
1998 Life in 1472 Jermaine Dupri
1999 The Movement Harlem World
2000 J.E. Heartbreak Jagged Edge
2000 Unrestricted Da Brat
2000 Beware of Dog Lil' Bow Wow
2001 Jagged Little Thrill Jagged Edge
2001 Instructions Jermaine Dupri
2001 Doggy Bag Lil' Bow Wow
2002 Drankin' Patnaz YoungBloodZ
2003 AttenCHUN! BoneCrusher
2003 Comin' From Where I'm From Anthony Hamilton
2004 Hood Hop J-Kwon
2005 Ain't Nobody Worryin' Anthony Hamilton
2005 Young, Fly & Flashy, Vol. 1 Jermaine Dupri
2006 On Top of Our Game Dem Franchize Boyz
2006 A Point of No Return 3LW
2006 So So Gangsta Daz Dillinger
2007 Baby Makin' Project Jagged Edge
2008 Self-Made Rocko
2008 100 Laws Of Power 2.0 Hot Dollar
2016 No More Talking Miss Mulatto

References

  1. ↑ "JAGGED EDGE TO RELEASE SEQUEL TO MULTI-PLATINUM 'J.E. HEARTBREAK' THIS FALL". primarywavemusic.com. Primary Wave Music. Retrieved 2014-11-06.
  2. ↑ "JD Moves So So Def To Sony". Rap Basement. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  3. ↑ "Janet Jackson "Nothing" (So So Def/Malaco Music)". Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  4. ↑ http://addboard.mediabase.com/SongAddHistory.asp?Sngcde=DONDWDWG&OB=1&format=U1
  5. ↑ Jermaine Dupri & So So Def Label Team with Epic Records & L.A. Reid

External links

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