DJ Felli Fel- DJ Felli Fel’s unreleased album album “Go DJ!” had guest appearances from Kanye West, Diddy, Lil Jon, Flo Rida, Sean Paul, Akon, Fabolous and whole host of others. Everyone on there is an A-list hip hop artist. There is no reason for an album like that, to not get released. Felli’s single “Get Buck In Here” did fairly well in the clubs and on the radio for a brand new DJ-turned artist. Felli did release two more singles (although no where near as popular as the first one) and that was it for his debut album. If anyone can find out where the album is, let us know because we still want to hear it.
R.O.C.– R.O.C. was the So So Def’s version of Jay-Z. In fact, R.O.C. co-wrote “Money Ain’t A Thang” when he was just 18 years old. R.O.C. completed a full album in 2000, and the album has production from Kanye West (Kanye produced the 1st single) before Kanye West blew up and also had production from Lil’ Jon before Lil’ Jon became a household name. In addition to that were guest appearances from Nate Dogg (yup an unreleased and never heard Nate Dogg song), Memphis Bleek and Jagged Edge. From any album on this list, this album had the most potential as R.O.C. had the most potential of anyone on the label.
Mr. Black- We apologize for the fuzzy and awkward picture of Mr. Black but that’s literally the only picture of him out there. It also just happens to be a mug shot that he used himself online. Mr. Black and R.O.C. made debut appearances on Dupri’s big smash “Life in 1472” back in 1997. Mr. Black had actually been a part of the label long before making a first appearance on 1472 by ghostwriting for So So Def artists Kriss Kross. Black also had a hand in some of the So So Def production as well. Black was one of the rappers that had tremendous promise (go listen to “Three Tha Hard Way”) but just never got the big push from Jermaine.
Tigah- Yup, there actually was a rapper named Tigah before Tyga. Tigah was signed to So So Def back in 2001, and like most So So Def signees, Tigah showed up on every remix Jermaine Dupri had available. The biggest and most famous So So Def remix that Tigah rapped on is “Where The Party At?” from 2001. Tigah released two singles of his own, one in 2001 and the other in 2002. The second one even had Johnta Austin signing on it. The singles didn’t really chart anywhere and that was the end of road for Tigah on So So Def.
T. Waters- T. Waters had a strong resume even before linking up with Jermaine Dupri. As a youngin he was mentored by both the L.O.X. and the rapper Camouflage before he was gunned down in 2003. And once the rapper got his demo into the hands of So So Def CEO Jermaine Dupri, Dupri said he could not get T. Water’s song out of his head. After hearing the demo tape on the way back from the club, Dupri gave him a contract. Waters signed, and got right to recording his debut album. There is a pre-album advanced of a collection of his freestyles floating around the internet, but no official album from T. Waters. Waters got two singles out to the world and that was it.
Trina Broussard- Texas R&B singer Trina Broussard signed with So So Def Records with the task of being the label’s first adult R&B female singer. Jermaine had had success with other R&B groups like Xscape and Jagged Edge, but never had that one single successful solo act. That’s what Trina Broussard was brought into to do. Broussard did record a full album on So So Def, back in 1999 titled “Inside My Love” and even though her single was met warmly by critics, the album never got off the ground. For years in interviews, it seemed as if Broussard was constantly being asked what happened at So So Def and her shelved album. The only information she ever gave out was there was a lot of politics at the label, specifically with Jermaine Dupri’s father.
SunNY- SunNY was another artist signed to Jermaine Dupri, but was the first artist signed to So So Def after their major restructuring in 2004. SunNY killed the competition on 106 and Park’s Freestyle Fridays, winning seven weeks in a row. It wasn’t long after that that SunNY joined Dupri’s team. The first single was produced by J-Kwon and the album was titled “Overnight Celebrity”. The only thing you can find on the album is a promo LP for the single and nothing else. This one is collecting dust in Durpi’s vault somewhere never to be heard.
Mase- Mase was this close to signing to So So Def Records. Mase actually went looking for Jermaine Dupri at one his hosted parties back in 1996. The story goes that Mase ran into Diddy at the party first, and freestyled for Diddy on the spot and Diddy offered him a deal right then and there, which he accepted. How would Mase’s album “Harlem Word” have sounded with Dupri as the executive producer? Probably still dope, but with a completely different sound.
Loon- Loon was another Bad Boy Records artist that was so so close to signing to So So Def Records. Loon was part of Mase’s group “Harlem Group” and was seen as one of the more talented artists of the group. Once the group disbanded after their only album in 1999, Loon actually appeared on a few of Jermaine Dupri’s songs. The fact that Loon at the time was not-signed to any major label, further proved that Jermaine had his eye on him. Just a short time later, Diddy scooped him up, making Loon the second artist that was not supposed to be on Bad Boy Records.
3LW- Lastly we bring you these three young singers, 3LW. 3LW had joined So So Def in 2004 after selling a few million records on Epic. Under Jermaine Dupri, the trio did a record a full length album first titled Under 21 back in 2006. The album did go through a name change to “Point Of No Return” and even though it had been a few years since releasing an album, Dupri pushed on by releasing a single that he produced. At the same time, the girls got a gig with Disney as part of a signing group called Cheetah Girls, and juggling both acts proved to be difficult. A single was released in 2006, but that would be the only song to be released. The group was dropped by the record label and then disbanded shortly thereafter.
Picasso Baby 