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So So Def Recordings
So So Def Recordings
Parent company	Sony Music (1993–2003; back catalogue); BMG (2003-2005); EMI (2005–2007); Universal (2007–2009);
Founded	1993; 32 years ago
Distributor(s)	Columbia (1993–2003); Arista (2003–2005); Virgin (2005–2007); Island Def Jam (2007–2009); Malaco (2009–2016); Epic (2016–2023); Create Music Group (2024-present);
Genre	Hip hop; R&B;
Country of origin	United States
Location	Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.

So So Def Recordings is an American record label based in Atlanta, Georgia, founded by producer Jermaine Dupri in 1993. Specializing in Southern hip hop, R&B, and bass music, the label has managed artists such as Bow Wow, Kris Kross, Xscape, TLC, Usher, Dem Franchize Boyz, Anthony Hamilton, Jagged Edge, and The Ghost Town DJs.

Beginnings

So So Def was established in 1993 as a spin-off of Dupri's production company of the same moniker, through a joint venture with Sony and Columbia. Its first act was Xscape, whose debut album was released in the fall of the same year and went Platinum—as did their 2nd and 3rd albums, released in 1995 and 1998. In 1994, the label released the debut album of Da Brat, who became the 1st solo female emcee to be certified for Platinum album sales. In 1996, Kandi Burruss brought Jagged Edge to the attention of the label; their debut album, A Jagged Era, was released in 1997. So So Def later released the triple platinum debut album by Lil' Bow Wow in 2000. Other acts on the label have included: Dem Franchise Boyz, Maestro Harrell, The Ghost Town DJs, INOJ, J-Kwon, Trina Broussard, 3LW, and Anthony Hamilton.

Distribution

In late 2002, So So Def's distribution deal with Columbia ended. The following year, Dupri moved So So Def to Arista. While many of So So Def's acts moved with the label to Arista, Bow Wow and Jagged Edge were forced to remain at Columbia, due to their contracts having been with that company primarily. In 2004, per the re-consolidation of labels caused by the merger of its former Sony parent and BMG, So So Def was shifted from Arista to Zomba.

In 2005, Dupri was appointed Executive Vice President of Urban Music at Virgin, causing So So Def to move again, this time over to Virgin and EMI—resulting in the loss of Bone Crusher and YoungBloodZ. So So Def, meanwhile, was able to retain J-Kwon and Anthony Hamilton, despite them still being signed to Zomba. In 2006, Dupri had a falling-out with Virgin, resulting in him leaving his post at the company. Intermittent, he was appointed President of urban music at Universal's Island, resulting in So So Def once again making a move to UMG's The Island Def Jam.

In 2009, it was reported that Dupri had been terminated from his post at Island. Later in the same year, it was rumored that So So Def had moved back to Sony, where it reportedly operated under Zomba once more.^[1] In 2010, Mississippi-based independent label Malaco Records distributed So So Def's release of the Why Did I Get Married Too? soundtrack.^[2]^[3]

In 2014, So So Def partnered with Primary Wave for the release of Jagged Edge's album J.E. Heartbreak 2. In June 2016, So So Def partnered with Epic for current distribution.^[4] In 2024, Dupri signed a multi-year distribution deal with Create Music Group for the So So Def label.^[5]

Discography

Year	Title	Artist	Certification
1993	Hummin' Comin' at 'Cha	Xscape	RIAA: Platinum
1994	Funkdafied	Da Brat	RIAA: Platinum
1995	Off the Hook	Xscape	RIAA: Platinum
1996	Anuthatantrum	Da Brat	RIAA: Gold
1996	Young, Rich & Dangerous	Kris Kross	RIAA: Gold
1997	A Jagged Era	Jagged Edge	RIAA: Gold
1998	Traces of My Lipstick	Xscape	RIAA: Platinum
	Life in 1472	Jermaine Dupri	RIAA: Platinum
	12 Soulful Nights of Christmas	Various artists
1999	The Movement	Harlem World
1999	J.E. Heartbreak	Jagged Edge	RIAA: 2× Platinum
2000	Unrestricted	Da Brat	RIAA: Platinum
2000	Beware of Dog	Lil' Bow Wow	RIAA: 2× Platinum
2001	Jagged Little Thrill	Jagged Edge	RIAA: Platinum
	Instructions	Jermaine Dupri
	Doggy Bag	Lil' Bow Wow	RIAA: Platinum
2002	So So Def Presents: Definition Of A Remix	Jermaine Dupri / Various
2003	Drankin' Patnaz	YoungBloodZ	RIAA: Gold
	AttenCHUN!	BoneCrusher
	Comin' From Where I'm From	Anthony Hamilton	RIAA: Platinum
	Limelite, Luv & Niteclubz	Da Brat
	Hard	Jagged Edge	RIAA: Gold
2004	Hood Hop	J-Kwon	RIAA: Gold
2005	Ain't Nobody Worryin'	Anthony Hamilton	RIAA: Gold
2005	Young, Fly & Flashy, Vol. 1	Jermaine Dupri
2006	On Top of Our Game	Dem Franchize Boyz	RIAA: Gold
	Point of No Return	3LW
	So So Gangsta	Daz Dillinger
2007	Money Power and Techs	Hot Dollar
2007	Baby Makin' Project	Jagged Edge
2008	Self-Made	Rocko
2008	100 Laws Of Power 2.0	Hot Dollar
2014	J.E. Heartbreak 2	Jagged Edge
2018	The Return	Da Brat
2018	So So Def 25th Anniversary (1993-2018)	Jermaine Dupri / Various