Imagine walking into Magic City, one of Atlanta’s most talked about clubs, and you happen to peep Janet Jackson in the midst. Of course, if you happened to be there in the early 90s, that might have been the case. Super-producer Jermaine Dupri, whom Janet Jackson dated, was the reason behind her first strip club experience and is opening up about that and other aspects of their relationship.
Jermaine Dupri and Janet Jackson were an unlikely couple. Still, their love had initial detractors rooting for them in the end. However, outside of the music, the couple has shared exciting times fueled by friendship and romance. According to Dupri, the two met years ago at one of her concerts held in Atlanta.
The “Welcome To Atlanta” rapper recalled to rapper T.I. on his expediTIously podcast that he attended the show with his group Kriss Kross, who was very significant at the time. From there, a friendship began to brew, but not without some mutual flirting. During this friendship, Jermaine Dupri recalls helping Janet celebrate her birthday for the first time due to her strict religious upbringing.
Janet Jackson and her famous siblings were raised as Jehovah’s Witnesses. Although renowned as children, the Jackson family were devout in their faith. During an interview with Parade, Jackson recounts attending service at the Kingdom Hall every Sunday and again on Thursday nights. She would also accompany her mother, Katherine Jackson, routinely to Tuesday night Bible study. But this all changed at the age of 23 when Janet celebrated her birthday for the first time. According to Dupri, the pair celebrated her birthday, and Dupri also claims to have been the first to take her to the strip club, Magic City. The rapper also stated that he exposed her to “a lot of life that I didn’t even know I could expose a person to” due to her sheltered upbringing.
From their various excursions, the relationship between the two began to grow more and more. However, their relationship ended after around seven years of dating. Even though they are not together anymore, both parties maintain that they will forever remain friends. Janet Jackson has credited Dupri for helping her with her body image and stated that he “changed her life.” Jermaine Dupri has produced multiple records for the legendary entertainer. The bulk of Jackson’s ninth studio album, 20 Y.O., had Dupri on production duties. He was also responsible for producing a few songs for its follow-up album, Discipline.
In recent years, speculation has arisen as to whether or not the two would rekindle their relationship. Pictures of the ex-couple surfaced where they were seen hanging on multiple occasions. While Jackson and Dupri may or may not revive their romance, one thing is sure. Don’t expect them to make any more music together. During a conversation with Page Six last year, the producer explained his reasons for not working with his former lover. Dupri states that he heard the cries of disappointment from fans, who claimed he “messed her career up with that album.” However, Dupri sheds light on the album’s strong first-week sales, along with its lead single “Call on Me” charting at #1 on Billboard’s R&B charts.
