Jermaine Dupri announces dates for So So Def Festival

Dupri says the festival, celebrating the 30th anniversary of So So Def Records, will take place over two nights, with all R&B performances on the first night and all hip-hop on the second.

Music mogul Jermaine Dupri is bringing his So So Def Festival to his Atlanta hub this fall. He announced the official dates for the festival as Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 7 and 8.

The So So Def Festival is scheduled at Central Park in Atlanta, according to its official website, set to run from noon to 11 p.m. on Oct. 7 and noon to 10 p.m. on Oct. 8. Dupri announced the dates via an Instagram video message on Thursday.

The festival was initially announced in April with tentative dates of Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.

Jermaine Dupri pauses during an 2018 interview in New York. Dupri is bringing his So So Def Festival to his Atlanta hub this fall. (Photo by John Carucci/AP, File)

Dupri, founder of So So Def Records, said in the video that the festival is commemorating the 30th anniversary of the record label, as well as of So So Def Productions. The acclaimed artist-producer-songwriter said he wants the festival to be “different” from other music fests.

“All these festivals put this artist on with this artist, and the music don’t really blend,” Dupri said. The Songwriters Hall of Famer stated that Oct. 7 will have all R&B performances and implied that Oct. 8 will include hip-hop performances.

The line-up will be announced at a later date.

The So So Def Festival will include local food vendors as options for all its attendees, including vegan and vegetarian options, alcoholic drinks for those of proper age and non-alcoholic beverages. Vendors can apply at the festival website. Early bird and general admission tickets are available on the website, and VIP packages will be available later.

Dupri celebrated the 25th anniversary of So So Def in 2018 with a concert at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Former So So Def artists Jagged Edge, Xscape, Da Brat, Bow Wow and Anthony Hamilton were among the performers.

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