Jermaine Dupri‘s So So Def Recordings has entered a distribution partnership with Hybe America, the companies said Monday, putting Dupri back into business with Hybe CEO Scooter Braun, whom he mentored as Braun first entered the music industry more than 20 years ago.
Through the agreement, Hybe will distribute So So Def’s catalog and work with the label on releases for upcoming talent. Since the ’90s, So So Def and Dupri have worked closely with stars including Usher, Mariah Carey and Nelly, and So So Def’s roster has included the likes of Xscape, Bow Wow and Jagged Edge. The news was first reported by Billboard.
“Everything I learned about the music business started with Jermaine,” Braun told the outlet in a statement. “He gave me my first shot when I was just a kid with a dream. I was blessed to witness genius up close. And now, years later, it’s an honor to return to where it all began and stand beside him as a partner.”
After working with Dupri, Braun became one of the most successful executives in the music industry, previously managing superstars including Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato. Hybe, the Korean music giant whose roster includes artists such as BTS and Seventeen, bought Braun’s company Ithaca Holdings back in 2021, bringing Braun on as an executive. This isn’t Hybe’s first partnership focused around hip-hop; back in 2021, the company acquired Quality Control, the record label and management company whose roster included Lil Baby, Migos and City Girls.
“This isn’t just a business move, this is family,” Dupri said in a statement. “Watching Scooter build what he has built has made me incredibly proud. He learned the game inside So So Def, and now he’s in a position to open doors the way I once opened them for him. That’s what legacy is about.”
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