Jermaine Dupri Responds To Critics Who Claim He “Dropped The Ball” On Latto: “Latto Was 16-Years-Old And The Outlets Didn’t Support It” [Video]

Jermaine Dupri addresses rumors surrounding Latto‘s “Rap Game” reality show win.

During a recent interview, the renowned producer explained what went down with Latto after she won the first season of his short-lived Lifetime reality competition.

“People keep saying, ‘Jermaine, you dropped the ball on [Latto],’” he said at the 8:31 mark. “But what people don’t understand is, I put Latto’s record out. The deal was, if you win on The Rap Game, you get a single from Jermaine Dupri. So that single came out.” He added, “The problem was, was that Latto was 16 years old, and the outlets didn’t support it. And nobody was like speaking on it. Nobody talked about it. If you watched the TV show, you saw it. But people didn’t really start talking about Latto until she started making more vulgar records, dressing more sexual, and being more adult.”

The show saw five young aspiring rappers, Miss Mulatto, Lil Niqo, Lil Poopy, Supa Peach, and Young Lyric. Throughout the first season, the contestants engaged in intense competition, facing off in a series of challenges that showcased essential qualities required of a rap superstar. These challenges included intense battle rapping, captivating live performances, and the task of crafting and recording a complete song within a studio setting.

The ultimate prize was a recording contract with Dupri’s popular So So Def label. After a fierce competition, the 17-year-old Miss Mulatto emerged victorious and briefly became the fresh new representation of the label.

Despite emerging as the winner of the competition, Latto revealed during an interview with Vlad TV in 2016 that she declined the opportunity to join Dupri’s So So Def Records. The reason behind her decision was the contract not meeting her financial expectations. Nevertheless, Latto invested her earnings from the show into a clothing line.