By Mike Winslow
Platinum producer Jermaine Dupri will chronicle his journey through the music business in his upcoming book "Young, Rich and Dangerous: My Life in Music."
Dupri, who landed an opening spot as a dancer on the legendary Fresh Fest national Hip-Hop tour when has 12-years-old, chronicles those days, as well as the formation of So So Def Recordings, in the 309-page book.
The mogul experienced his first real chart success with "kiddie" rap group Kris Kross, whom Dupri discovered while the two group members were shopping for sneakers at the Greenbriar Mall in Atlanta.
"What struck me about the Chrises was the way their personality came through," Dupri said of his initial success. "It was like those kids were waiting to be discovered ever since they became friends in the first grade. I saw something in them that I could bring out with some hard work and imagination."
The success of Kris Kross' breakthrough 1992 album Totally Krossed Out led to a deal with EMI as a songwriter, while Columbia gave him $1 million to find new talent and launch So So Def, which he founded at the age of 16.
Dupri, a Grammy Award winning, multi-platinum producer/rapper/mogul, has worked with a who's who of artists, including Mariah Carey, TLC, Bow Wow, Usher, Elton John, Janet Jackson and numerous others.
He is currently president of Island Records Urban Music.
"Young, Rich and Dangerous: My Life in Music" hits stores in October 2007 via Atria Books and will retail for $24.95.