Da Brat Salutes Jermaine Dupri For Not Sexualizing Her During Early Stages Of Her Career

Da Brat is thankful for how she got her start in the music industry!

As reported on The Jasmine Brand, Da Brat thanked Jermaine Dupri for not pressuring her to dress too revealing when she first arrived in the music industry in the ’90s.

Da Brat signed with So So Def Records in 1992. Her debut album Funkdafied, was released in 1994 and sold 1 million copies. The article notes this made Da Brat the first female solo rap act to receive platinum certification. Da Brat was known for her “signature look,” rocking streetwear, bandannas, and her hair in twist.

During a recent interview with a hip-hop site, Hip Hop DX, Da Brat gave JD praise for allowing her to be herself. She said,

“I had my pants backward, cut a hole in my baseball cap, stuck my ponytail through it — I wanted to be the third member of Kris Kross. So I’m grateful that I had a producer like Jermaine Dupri who did not try to change me and say, ‘Hey, in order for you to be famous or sell records or become somebody, you need to show your [tits and a**].’ So I am blessed that he let me be myself, I blended right in with them.”

She went on to say,

“I was a tomboy back then. I didn’t know I was into girls back then, I just thought I was a tomboy. I was never attracted to women until around maybe 18. So, yeah. And I’m grateful that I have someone now who shows me how to be a better person.”

Da Brat is currently engaged to a businesswoman named Jesseca “Judy” Dupart.

Via