Happy anniversary: 25 top songs of the So So Def era

So So Def founder Jermaine Dupri spends the majority of his career working behind the scenes as a talent scout, producer and songwriter. However, he has released his own solo albums to showcase his rapping skills. His hit single, “Welcome to Atlanta,” with fellow ATL native Ludacris peaked at No. 3 on the Hot Rap Singles chart.

A 19-year-old Jermaine Dupri discovered rap duo Kris Kross in 1991, he signed them to a record deal and produced their debut album, "Totally Krossed Out." The album, featuring the hit song “Jump,” reached multiplatinum status, making Kris Kross the youngest hip-hop duo to accomplish the incredible feat.

Da Brat got her first big break at a Kris Kross concert when she won a rap contest. The crowd was so impressed with her skills, she met Kris Kross backstage and the duo told her they would introduce her to Jermaine Dupri. Her debut single, “Funkdafied,” reached platinum status and became the biggest hit of her career. Da Brat's debut album was so successful, she became the first female solo rapper to go platinum.  

Jermaine Dupri first met Xscape at his 19^th birthday party. Music manager Ian Burke introduced the group to Dupri, and the girls sang “Happy Birthday” to him. Dupri was so impressed with the group’s harmonies, that he signed them to his label. Their debut single, “Just Kickin’ It,” was a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

Xscape member Kandi Burruss introduced Jagged Edge to Jermaine Dupri in the mid-'90s. The group released their debut album, "A Jagged Era," in 1997 with their second single, “I Gotta Be,” becoming their first top 40 single.

Formerly known as Lil Bow Wow, the young rapper was first discovered by Snoop Dogg; however it was Jermaine Dupri who signed him to So So Def and helped mold him into a star. Bow Wow’s debut single, “Bounce with Me,” peaked at the top of the hip-hop charts and became a top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

Dem Franchize Boyz were first signed to Universal Records; however Jermaine Dupri signed them to So So Def in 2005. The group released their second album, "On Top of Our Game," in 2006 and became known across the mainstream with their snap music. Their single “Lean wit it, Rock wit it" was a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Bone Crusher saw Jermaine Dupri at an Atlanta club in 2003, where he handed him the record “Never Scared.” At the time, Dupri was hosting So So Def Radio on V103, and he liked Bone Crusher’s song so much that he started playing the track in heavy rotation. The song was a top 40 hit and became the theme song for the Atlanta Braves during the 2003 season.

In the '90s, Anthony Hamilton got his start in the music business with a recording contract through Uptown Records and singing backup for D’Angelo. However, he signed with So So Def several years later and released his second studio album, “Comin' From Where I’m From,” in 2003. The title track earned Hamilton a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Song.

In 2004, St. Louis rapper J-Kwon released his debut album, "Hood Hop," led by the hit single “Tipsy.” The Trackboyz-produced track peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles charts.

Ghost Town DJs was comprised of DJ Demp, Rodney Terry, Greg Street, and Kito. In the ‘90s, Lil Jon was working as an A&R for So So Def and ended up executive producing the Ghost Town DJs’ hit “My Boo.” In 2016, the song resurfaced on the charts after the Running Man Challenge went viral on social media, making the song peak higher than its original chart spot. 

In 2011, Jermaine Dupri partnered up with Pharrell Williams' I Am Other label and Epic Records to sign Leah LaBelle to a contract. LaBelle’s single "Sexify" became a top 40 hit on the Adult R&B Songs charts.

Jermaine Dupri released his debut album, “Life in 1472,” in 1998 with features from Snoop Dogg, Mase, Lil' Kim, Mariah Carey and more. His second single, “Money Ain’t a Thang,” featured Jay Z and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.

Da Brat’s third single, “Give It 2 You,” was a top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. However, the video was a standout due to all the cameo appearances from the likes of Diddy, The Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige and Too Short.

The group released its debut album, "Hummin’ Comin’ at ‘Cha," in 1993, and its second single, “Understanding,” was a major hit. The ballad was written by Manuel Seal, who is known for working with artists like Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Usher and others.

In 2000, Jagged Edge released its hit single “Let’s Get Married,” a song that’s been a staple at weddings for years. The single was a top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 2001, Bow Wow released his second studio album, "Doggy Bag." The album’s final single, “Take Ya Home,” was produced by The Neptunes along with Jermaine Dupri, and it became a top 40 hit on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

Kris Kross released its final album, "Young, Rich & Dangerous," in 1996. The group’s final single, “Live and Die for Hip Hop,” featuring Dupri, Da Brat, Mr. Black and Aaliyah, peaked at No. 11 on the Hot Rap Singles chart. 

Hamilton’s most successful single to date is “Charlene,” a song from his album “Comin' From Where I’m From.” It became a top 20 hit on the Hot 100 chart and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.

Xscape’s 1995 hit “Who Can I Run To” is a cover to the original 1979 version by The Jones Girls. Xscape's version peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Jagged Edge saw its biggest success in 2001 with the release of the club single “Where the Party At” featuring Nelly. It became the group's highest charting single and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.

In 2005, Dem Franchize Boyz released a So So Def all-star remix to “I Think They Like Me” featuring Jermaine Dupri, Da Brat and Bow Wow. The song peaked on the Hip-Hop/R&B chart and became a top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

Bow Wow released his fourth studio album, “Wanted,” in July 2005. The album’s second single, “Like You,” featured newest R&B princess at the time, Ciara. “Like You” reached No. 3 on the Hot 100 chart and became Bow Wow’s highest charting single to date.

In 2005, Hamilton released his third studio album, “Ain’t Nobody Worryin.’” The album’s lead single, “Can’t Let Go,” became a top 20 hit on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart.

Jermaine released his second studio album, "Instructions," in 2001. Singer Nate Dogg was known for hopping on songs with rappers to take hooks to another level, only to have him join Jermaine on their hit song, “Ballin' Out of Control.”