ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION

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IN TODAY’S ATLANTA JOURNAL MUSIC
Jermaine Dupri’s 21st Century Rat Pack

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By Bo Emerson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Jeans and a T-shirt don’t make it in Vegas, baby.
When you get to be 30 years old, you stop acting like a teenager; you start looking clean and enjoying a grown-up night out. At least that’s the way Atlanta producer/songwriter Jermaine Dupri likes it.

During weekly trips to Las Vegas, Dupri has been headquartered at the Palms, producing Usher’s new record, hitting the nightlife between recording sessions, and doing it with a certain black-tie style. His Atlanta friends (and fellow music stars) Nelly and Johnta Austin started following suit, and Dupri realized that the group was beginning to recall a certain 1960s ensemble that made Vegas hot.
That would be Frankie, Dino, Sammy and the rest of the clan.
“I was attracted to the period, everything they were doing,” Dupri said in a recent phone call from his Buckhead ho me. “I was attracted to their style, their flow, the way they kicked it.”
That’s when the idea for a 21st century Rat Pack took shape. Dupri very quickly wrote some songs, his fellow New Rat Packers jumped in. They posted a mix tape on Dupri’s blog (www.global14.com), shot some videos and formalized the membership of the “Ocean’s 7” group. (The other members include Bow Wow, Brian-Michael Cox and Trey Songz.)
Plans for a stage show and a movie leaped into place. The film, he said, would have a Sidney Poitier/Bill Cosby vibe. Dupri hopes that his amusement will not only make life more fun for him and his crew, but will bring some glitz back to Vegas.
“Vegas hasn’t had a voice since Sinatra,” he said.
Clothes are key. Versace and Tommy Hilfiger wo rk, but the Tom Ford tuxedo, with the $2,500 bow tie, is perfect, said the 36-year old producer. “He’s got it right now, the look we try to keep with the Ocean situation,” Dupri said of Ford.
And just because you’re dressed up, doesn’t mean you can’t have fun.
“When Johnta’s jumping in a swimming pool in a $6,000 tuxedo, if that ain’t fun I don’t know what it is,” said Dupri.
He previews some of the items he likes to wear on his blog, where he also posts his videos. All this love for Las Vegas doesn’t mean Atlanta is the shabby country cousin, Dupri says. “Atlanta is the flava,” he said. “We couldn’t go out there and give Vegas all this=2 0flava if we wasn’t coming from a flavorful city.”

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30 Comments

  1. COngrats. That was a good read. Reppin for the Lifers.

  2. JD,

    I have to say you are a marketing genius and you are doing it in a fun positive way so good for you, I love the article but is Bow Wow really in the Oceans? His hard headed ass won’t put on a suit for shit, Imma give him a spanking. You have to do another living the life episode of you and the fellas and the sex talks, I love those!!! Who am I kidding I love it all, it’s all very entertaining so thank you!

  3. Wassup JD,

    How you think you are going to recapture the staying power of the rat pack? I see you getting some good press here and there but outside of the lifers I haven’t really heard or seen anything, any upcoming appearences BET/MTV? Also I understand you are trying to bring the glitz and glamor of Vegas back to life but how are you going to leave your imprint on vegas, instead of just trying to immitate the rat pack?

  4. I think god is trying to bring you back to atlanta to really be the chief but i think you should take the hint!! Make that new so so def billboard on the hwy to represent a new start with the company and the city of atlanta by doing things right and amending with these great and talented people here. They will help and be behind you wen all said and done. Really be the chief of ATL bring all those good things back you could do it jermaine dupri the lifer’s always believed in you no matter what. You’v e hurt alot of people but we still forgive you;;; And believe you will be that chief of Atlanta Ga. Love Atlanta Always Frm QT…….

  5. SOOOO GHOST aka

  6. SOOOO GHOST aka TAMEKA BABY DADDY FINALLY OUT??? BOUT TIME…SHIT URSHER WORKIN’ ON A CONFESSION PART 4!!!

  7. BET/MTV???? ALL THAT ISN’T NECCESSARY…JUST DO WHAT YOUR DOING NOW. HAVE FUN, MAKE MUSIC…SHIT THE MEDIA ATTENTION IS COMING TO THE OCEAN’S, THEIR NOT SEEKING IT

    DON’T GO OVERBOARD WITH THE PRESS/MEDIA, JD….JUST ENJOY THE MOVEMENT!!

  8. My only question is when is tha Oceans 7 concert coming to Cali.???

  9. Cool article but somebody ain’t on they shit….. They substituted TY for Bow. :-\ Now disrespect to Bow but that shit is hella disrespectful to Tyrone. And then they didn’t even reference Usher in context of the Oceans, only about his album…. tisk tisk. But yeah, like I said, cool article….. I see ya, JD. Work that buzz, babe! 🙂

    Nisha
    XOxo

  10. yo jd,

    can u give us the vegas baby video in HQ Quality to download ?

  11. Great Idea for a Picture, Up town Saturday night, with Drama and Comedy. Please have a good story, don’t just make it just about the clothes, drinks and girls. really find something that will get the attentions of a broad audience. You should call Guy Ritchie he good with ensemble cast and multiply story lines that come together well. We all love gangster’s, and no one has been able to translate the the Donald Goings book well the film. so that kind of grittiness might work well. But there are so many concepts just don’t make it corny.

  12. yeah..they did play my nigga NTynational…bow wow is “ustreamin” his young shit with Soulja Hoe, let him do that shit..he aint no Ocean (wit his young ass).. my nigga N Ty holdin dat shit down .. B Cox … da black Sinatra…007 Tre young nigga.. and moe green…

  13. WHATS WUSSUP!!!!

  14. Great article….JD you got sumtin’ startin’ here baby…..keep the movement going!

  15. Hey JD, I love the ocean’s 7 idea, as a matter of fact I have actually seen every single video that has been put out , on Living The Life, I love all the characters, and the fun perspective you all give life. it really takes the mind off the negaitivity the world faces today, but I feel a certain way when Tyrone was not included instead bow wow in the article, knowing fully well that tyrone is indeed a full fledged paricipant..but hey no disrespect to Bow Wizzle..please keep tha ocean’s 7 alive we luv to see the fun and relaxed side of life you all truly exhibit.

  16. kudos….btw the state of Nevada should use ‘Vegas Baby” baby as a promotional ad for attracting tourists to Las Vegas. now that would be dope….

  17. Great job at stayin humble in all that you do!!!!!!!

    http://www.myspace.com/donzidagreat

    Gee

  18. Man JD, this is why the media is failing us. He obviously spent 10 minutes writing this, and no time fact checking. He could look at the cover of the mixtape and see who’s in the ocean’s 7. Journalists are getting lazy these days. I’m studying to be one and this is sort of embarrassing as an aspiring music journalist. Hit me up on twitter and tell me what you think. twitter.com/Freshlyvoiced

  19. AS A JOURNALISM MAJOR IM PRETTY UPSET AT THE WRITER SAYING THAT BOW WOW IS PART OF THE OCEAN’S. I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST BOW, BUT THIS WRITER IS SUPPOSED TO STATE FACTS!!!!!! NOW, IF BOW DID BECOME PART OF THE OCEAN’S I TOTALLY MISSED THAT MEMO AND WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHERE IT WAS STATED AS FACT. THIS IS WHY THE JOURNALISM INDUSTRY IS DYING BECAUSE THE RULES OF THE GAME ARE NOT BEING ENFORCED ENOUGH.

    BESIDES THAT, I LOVE HOW THE OCEAN’S ARE BECOMING THIS SUPER CREW AND ARE BEING REFFERRED TO AS “OCEAN’S 7” AND NOT 7 HEAVY HITTERS TRYING SOME NEW SHIT. I LOVE “LIVING THE LIFE” AND I LOVE HOW YOU GUYS ARE ON THIS MISSION TO SHUT DOWN EVERY PLACE YOU GO….2009 RATPACK IS THE SHIT!!!!!!

  20. Shout out to he Oceans Crew…

  21. wat jd im glad 2 c this Ocean’s mvmt is catching up speed! holla bac cant wait 4 the tour in the movie! holla!

  22. congrats! you would think they would at least try to get the ocean members right though lol

  23. Good shit JD, stay gettin it poppin.. Ay my new word is Magazinnie! Check out the song,anyone is magazinnie,if you fresh,handle your responsiblities and go ham,you “Magazinnie” http://www.zshare.net/audio/611629035836c45a/ but this one is dedicated to the ladies. I need a remix with Usher or Trey..get at me.

  25. JD keep doin that shit. I dig that type of shit. When I was in headstart school mane I wore nothin but tre peice suits and shit. I had new york longs and shit. I was only child then though but I dig your taste in apparel and thangs. lotta cats don’t know anything about dressing up. Right now I gotta be a boots and jeans guy incase I have to hit a trick in the throat wit a elbow or break a knee cap. You can kick a fool in the colla blade with them gators though. Its all good though. Ocean’s 7 on deck!

  26. U see if this was a gimmick it wouldn’t have worked. Cuz u are just doing you it has turned into something infectuous. JD stay in your lane and everyone will take notice. I like the way you can do so many styles of music when most only can do their region of music. That clean on the inside is some real down south shit but that vegas baby is nationwide! I’m from dep south GA but when we step out we go hard like yall. Keep it poppin JD! We watching!!!

  27. Jd jump on this record..I see u rockin dis joint yadig..support indie music..support a hit and make it a national hit mane. “Magazinnie” By- Major Williams Ft.Kevin Writer & hopefully JD..
    http://www.zshare.net/audio/611629035836c45a/

  28. i understand it’s a phone interview however, there are some major flaws on this piece. would it have killed him to:
    1. use the correct names of all the members
    2. reference the actual blog name AND the youtube channel
    3. not make it seem as if the rest of the ocean members are followers with no independent thought or contribution to the group
    4. reference each member’s accomplishments or contributions outside of the oceans 7 to further shed light as to who they are ie: johnta’s writing of some of the greatest songs and his 4 grammy awards, b. cox’s song writing and his upcoming induction to the georgia music hall of fame, trey’s albums and future release dates, tyrone’s pivotal role as an assistant to a man who does it all but couldn’t do it all with out him, etc.
    5. actually list all of the original members of the rat pack instead of, “frankie, dino, sammie and the rest of the clan” for those who may not know about the rat pack. some people are too young to know what they did and what they represented and can’t possibly understand the reference of that group of friends to the oceans 7.
    6. spell the man’s name properly! it’s SAMMY not sammie. sammie is the teen singer on souljah boy’s song, “kiss me”.

    ok, i’m done.

  29. i dig this! its good to see young brothas makin it do what it do while simply stayin true to themselves. when i first saw the Oceans concept i knew it was gonna be major…. and it was/is. thats a good look JD, and a helluva idea Usher. now watch these no talent copycat nigguz try to do what u do…

    thanks for being leaders and fashion/trend setters and not followers!!!!

    tha chairmen media group!
    “urban music for urban life…”

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