Post by david g. on Feb 8, 2007 14:16:22 GMT -5
Jermaine Dupri named head of Island Urban
By: Samantha Marshall
Published: February 7, 2007 - 11:45 am
Grammy Award winner Jermaine Dupri has been named president of Island Records Urban Music, a new division of Island Def Jam Music Group.
As part of the deal, Mr. Dupri will oversee Island's urban music operation and lend his production services to the whole stable of music labels under parent company Universal Music Group.
Mr. Dupri left Virgin Records last fall amid speculation that he quit because of disagreements over how girlfriend Janet Jackson's latest album release was handled, though Mr. Dupri never publicly commented on his reasons for leaving the troubled label. Since then Mr. Dupri, one of the industry's most successful top-charted producers and songwriters, has been courted by several major labels including EMI.
The move to Universal demonstrates the growing power of young producers as it becomes harder for major labels to identify talent and make hits. Universal already appointed rapper/producer Jay-Z to the position of president at Def Jam records, Island's sister label. Last year it also renewed its once-strained relationship with Irv Gotti through a $10 million label imprint deal.
Mr. Dupri will be based in New York City and Atlanta, where he still runs his own label, So So Def. He will report directly to his old mentor, Antonio "L.A." Reid, chairman of Island Def Jam Music Group and Steve Bartels, chief operating officer of IDJ.
Mr. Dupri has worked with Mr. Reid on numerous hit records, including Usher's multi-platinum album Confessions and Mariah Carey's smash comeback album, The Emancipation of Mimi. "I'm so excited to be reunited with L.A. Reid because most of my biggest hits were when he and I worked together," said Mr. Dupri.
newyorkbusiness.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070207/FREE/70207009
By: Samantha Marshall
Published: February 7, 2007 - 11:45 am
Grammy Award winner Jermaine Dupri has been named president of Island Records Urban Music, a new division of Island Def Jam Music Group.
As part of the deal, Mr. Dupri will oversee Island's urban music operation and lend his production services to the whole stable of music labels under parent company Universal Music Group.
Mr. Dupri left Virgin Records last fall amid speculation that he quit because of disagreements over how girlfriend Janet Jackson's latest album release was handled, though Mr. Dupri never publicly commented on his reasons for leaving the troubled label. Since then Mr. Dupri, one of the industry's most successful top-charted producers and songwriters, has been courted by several major labels including EMI.
The move to Universal demonstrates the growing power of young producers as it becomes harder for major labels to identify talent and make hits. Universal already appointed rapper/producer Jay-Z to the position of president at Def Jam records, Island's sister label. Last year it also renewed its once-strained relationship with Irv Gotti through a $10 million label imprint deal.
Mr. Dupri will be based in New York City and Atlanta, where he still runs his own label, So So Def. He will report directly to his old mentor, Antonio "L.A." Reid, chairman of Island Def Jam Music Group and Steve Bartels, chief operating officer of IDJ.
Mr. Dupri has worked with Mr. Reid on numerous hit records, including Usher's multi-platinum album Confessions and Mariah Carey's smash comeback album, The Emancipation of Mimi. "I'm so excited to be reunited with L.A. Reid because most of my biggest hits were when he and I worked together," said Mr. Dupri.
newyorkbusiness.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070207/FREE/70207009