So So Def Recordings

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

So So Def Recordings
Parent companySony
Founded1993 (1993)
Distributor(s)Epic Records
Genre
Country of originUnited States
LocationAtlanta, Georgia, U.S.

Beginnings

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 and Columbia. Its first act was Xscape, whose debut album was released in the fall of the same year and went Platinum—as did their 2nd and 3rd albums, released in 1995 and 1998. In 1994, the label released the debut album of Da Brat, who became the 1st solo female emcee to be certified for Platinum album sales. In 1996, Kandi Burruss brought 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, 3LW, and Anthony Hamilton.

Distribution

In 2003, So So Def's distribution deal with Columbia ended. The following year, Dupri moved So So Def to Arista. 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 re-consolidation of labels caused by the merger of its former Sony parent and BMG, So So Def was shifted from Arista to Zomba.

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

In 2009, it was reported that Dupri had been terminated from his post at Island. Later in the same year, it was rumored that So So Def had moved back to Sony, where it reportedly operated under Zomba once more.[1] In 2010, Mississippi-based independent label Malaco Records distributed So So Def's release of the Why Did I Get Married Too? soundtrack.[2][3]

In 2014, So So Def partnered with Primary Wave for the release of Jagged Edge's album J.E. Heartbreak 2. In June 2016, So So Def partnered with Epic for current distribution.[4]

Discography
Year Title Artist
1993 Hummin' Comin' at 'Cha Xscape
1994 Funkdafied Da Brat
1995 Off the Hook Xscape
1998 12 Soulful Nights of Christmas Various artists
1996 Anuthatantrum Da Brat
1996 Young, Rich & Dangerous Kris Kross
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
2003 Drankin' Patnaz YoungBloodZ
2003 AttenCHUN! BoneCrusher
2003 Comin' From Where I'm From Anthony Hamilton
2003 Limelite, Luv & Niteclubz Da Brat
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 Point of No Return 3LW
2006 So So Gangsta Daz Dillinger
2007 Money Power and Techs Hot Dollar
Baby Makin' Project Jagged Edge
2008 Self-Made Rocko
2008 100 Laws Of Power 2.0 Hot Dollar
2014 J.E. Heartbreak 2 Jagged Edge
2018 The Return Da Brat
So So Def 25th Anniversary (1993-2018) Jermaine Dupri / Various

Former artists

References
  1. "JD Moves So So Def To Sony". Rapbasement.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  2. "Janet Jackson "Nothing" (So So Def/Malaco Music)". Airplayresource.com. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  3. "AddBoard - Sign In". Addboard.mediabase.com. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  4. "Jermaine Dupri & So So Def Label Team with Epic Records & L.A. Reid". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  5. https://ranker.com/list/bands-and-musicians-on-so-so-def-recordings/reference
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