Jermaine Dupri took to social media to announce Canadian R&B duo, Dvsn, has signed to to So So Def Recordings/HYBE American under a new deal.
Jermaine Dupri sent some ripples through the music industry announcing that he has signed Canadian R&B duo, Dvsn, to So So Def Recordings with global distribution from HYBE America. Dupri took to Instagram to share the news.
“After working with Dvsn on their last album, going to their shows, seeing how much their fans love them, and then when I heard that they had just become free agents, I had to sign them and make Dvsn my first signing at So So Def/HYBE.”
Dvsn confirmed the news by reposting the announcement and adding, “4 everyone wondering what’s been going on and where’s the new music…. now you know. it’s otw.”
Then in a separate post added, “he said ‘ Just do what YA’LL do and let me shine a light on it.'”
Dupri served as executive producer on Dvsn’s 2022 album Working On My Karma, which included the controversial hit single “If I Get Caught”. The album was their last under their deal with Drake-co-owned and Toronto-based OVO Sound with whom they signed in 2016. Dvsn moving on from OVO Sound marks the end of an era where the duo helped to usher in a new wave of Toronto R&B, alongside acts like The Weeknd, Partynextdoor, Daniel Caesar, Tory Lanez, and Jessie Reyez.
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So So Def and HYPE America announced their new distribution deal in back April reuniting Dupri and Scooter Braun, who was mentored by Dupri and started his career working at the Atlanta-based label before going on to discover a young Canadian phenom named Justin Bieber. The deal allows So So Def, responsible for the careers of Usher, Bow Wow, Da Brat, Kris Kross, Jagged Edge, and Xscape, to access HYBE America’s global marketing and distribution capabilities.
“Everything I learned about the music business started with Jermaine,” Braun explained. “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.”
The significance of the deal, with their long time relationship, wasn’t lost on Dupri either.
“This isn’t just a business move – this is family,” said Jermaine Dupri. “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.”
Now together, Dupri and Braun will put a rocket on Dvsn’s back and see how far they go.
Kevin Bourne is SHIFTER’s Toronto-based editor and Senior Entertainment Reporter focusing on Black music and film & TV. He was named one of 340 international voters for the 81st and 8nd Golden Globe Awards and a Tomatometer-Approved Critic by Rotten Tomatoes.
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