Jermaine Dupri Reflects on Why He Passed on Signing Usher: “I’m Not Dealing With No More Kids” [Video]

Jermaine Dupri is opening up about why he chose to pass on signing Usher.

Video

During a recent chat on the “R&B Money” podcast, Dupri admitted that his first act Kris Kross ruined Usher’s chances of signing with him in the ’90s. According to the producer, the parents of Kris Kross members Chris “Mac Daddy” Kelly and Chris “Daddy Mac” Smith put him in several uncomfortable positions.

“I was having conflict with Chris and Chris’ parents, and I just was like, ‘I’m not dealing with no more kids. I’m not f**king with no more kids,'” he explained. “We had a meeting where the parents…They had gotten in an argument at the lawyer’s office. And it was just like, ‘Oh, this ain’t what I signed up for.’ So when Usher came, he was a teenager once again. And I was just like, ‘Nah.'”

The boys were underage while signed to Dupri and Usher was a teenager when he began trying to get a deal with So So Def. While he had good reason to pass on Usher, Dupri admits not signing him was a decision he would go on to regret. Kris Kross’ success didn’t last long. After their hit track “Jump” was released in 1992, the duo eventually parted ways. They reunited on and off in the years that followed. Kris Kross’ last performance was for So So Def’s 20th Anniversary concert on February 23rd, 2013. Months later, on May 1st, Chris Kelly passed away from a drug overdose.