Baby Face and Jermaine Dupri at Entertainment Weekly's toast to Antonio "LA" Reid at STK-LA on February 10, 2008 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
<p><a href="https://dev.theshaderoom.com/jermaine-dupri-confirms-verzuz-battle-against-diddy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jermaine Dupri</a> is reflecting on an early run-in he had with singer <a href="https://dev.theshaderoom.com/babyface-and-wife-nicole-pantenburg-reportedly-decide-to-end-their-marriage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Babyface</a> at the beginning of his career. As well as sharing more details about his former romance with songstress <a href="https://dev.theshaderoom.com/janet-jacksons-nephew-t-j-criticizes-black-women-overly-sexualized/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Janet Jackson</a>.</p>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">Jermaine Dupri Recalled An Early Run-In With Babyface</h3>
<p>The 50-year-old music producer and executive sat down for a recent interview on the <i>Million Dollarz Worth Of Game</i> podcast. He reflected on an early single that he produced for the Hip-Hop duo Kriss Kross, titled &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=010KyIQjkTk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jump</a>,&#8221; released in 1992. However, he surprisingly explained that he almost had to &#8220;check&#8221; Babyface over the single.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;I ran into Babyface, and this was before I had more success than Kriss Kross. Babyface was like, &#8216;Yeah, you the guy with the lil&#8217; jump record.&#8217; I looked at him like, &#8216;N***a.&#8217; He almost made me disrespect him. He said &#8216;lil&#8217; jump record.&#8217; And I was JD — cocky JD. I was like, &#8216;What? Little?&#8217; He was like, &#8216;Yeah, you know, it’s cool you did that one time, but how many times can you do that?'&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>Dupri went on to explain that despite his initial reaction, Babyface&#8217;s comments made him think more deeply about his career.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;At the time when he said that, I didn’t think about it. I hadn’t thought about it yet. &#8216;Yeah how many times can I make Kross Kross? How many times can I do &#8216;Jump?&#8217; And I remember I sat for like two hours&#8230; I ain’t see, hear, nothing else for like two hours thinking about, &#8216;Oh damn. It don’t mean s**t in this business if you can’t do it again — if I can’t keep moving the needle.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>The producer explained that his focus forever shifted from that day moving forward.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;My focus ever since that day has always been like, &#8216;I did this, it’s time to move on.&#8217; Once it’s halfway close to it being a finished piece of project or product, then I move into the next and that’s where I’m at. So I don’t even get caught up in that. So when people be saying &#8216;you humble,&#8217; I don’t really even be in that space. I really be thinking about the next thing.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">Jermaine Dupri Also Reflected On His Romance With Janet Jackson</h3>
<p>Later in the interview, Dupri also clarified how his romance with songstress Janet Jackson began. According to <a href="https://www.bet.com/article/eog3t7/janet-jackson-documentary-jermaine-dupri-recklessness-split" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BET</a>, the pair dated for seven years before ending the relationship in 2009.</p>
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<p>Gilllie, a co-host on the podcast, explained that he thought the pair&#8217;s relationship began due to Dupri producing songs for Jackson. However, Dupri explained that was untrue.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;I was just on some like &#8216;hang out&#8217;&#8230; It wasn’t on no music s**t. We got in an argument about me not producing her because she was around me watching everybody else get hit records. I never wanted her to think that was what the agenda was because so many people was saying that.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>Dupri went on to firmly state that, despite the contrary beliefs, he never wanted Jackson to feel that their relationship was purely rooted in musical intentions.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;I’m just saying. It wasn’t never no situation where I wanted h<em>e</em>r to believe that I was trying to do this — ’cause- nah it wasn’t that.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
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