Starting out as a teenage breakdancer for artists such as Diana Ross and Cameo, Dupri became the youngest charting producer in the history of music at age 14. Dupri went on to produce a number of hits for artists such as TLC, Jay-Z, and Ludacris. He is founder/president/CEO of his own label, So So Def Records, which has been the home to artist such as Da Brat, Jagged Edge, and Xscape. Juvenille rap acts such as Kris Kross and Bow Wow have been some of his biggest successes; Dupri earned significant amounts of songwriting royalties by ghostwriting for such acts.

In addition, Dupri has pursued a performing career of his own, which has resulted in hits such as "Money Ain't A Thing" (1998, with Jay-Z), "Welcome To Atlanta" (2001, with Ludacris) and "Get Your Number" (2005, with Mariah Carey), and "Gotta Getcha" featuring Johnta Austin.

So So Def, a label specializing in Southern hip hop, R&B, and bass music, was originally distributed through Sony Entertainment/Columbia Records. In 2003, Dupri was appointed president of Arista Black Music and moved So So Def and its artists there. In 2004, Dupri was appointed Executive Vice President of Urban Music at Virgin Records and moved So So Def over to Virgin. Meanwhile, Dupri also expanded his business ventures, buying into Chicago-based distillery 3 Vodka and opening his own boutique restaurant, Cafe Dupri

In 2004 and 2005, Dupri worked with R&B singers Usher and Mariah Carey on their releases, Confessions and The Emancipation of Mimi respectively. He produced some of the biggest hits of those years including "Burn", "Confessions, Pt. 2" and the remix featuring Kanye West, Shyne, and Twista, and "My Boo" with Usher and "It's Like That", "We Belong Together", and "Shake It Off" with Carey.

Dupri's 2005 single, "Gotta Getcha" featuring Johnta Austin, is featured on the July 2005 release Jermaine Dupri presents...Young, Fly & Flashy, Vol. 1. The album is a compilation of tracks produced by and featuring Jermaine Dupri. So far, "Gotta Getcha" has peaked at #60 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. The controversial music video for the song features his girlfriend (rumored to be his wife), singer Janet Jackson, in a x-rated peep show club. Dupri is also working with Jackson on her new album.