Jermaine Dupri to receive Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts Degree from the Art Institute of Atlanta

Celebrity commencement speakers are becoming more and more popular these days and Jermaine Dupri is the latest on the list.

CEO of So So Def Recordings and Grammy Award-winning songwriter/producer, Jermaine Dupri, was announced as the commencement speaker for The Art Institute of Atlanta. “Jermaine is a visionary who has contributed significantly to the Atlanta community through his work in the global entertainment market,” said Elden Monday, Interim Campus President of the Ai Atlanta. “As long-time fans of Jermaine and his music, his accomplishments and contributions to the music industry directly align with the mission of our institution as we strive to nourish and develop creative warriors to become productive contributors to society.”

While graduating students will be in for a treat when Dupri takes the stage, he’ll also be in for one himself. “It gives us great pleasure to nominate Jermaine Dupri for an honorary degree from the Art Institute of Atlanta as his impressive achievements serve as an example of our aspirations for our students,” said Monday.

Dupri is not only excited about speaking at the commencement ceremony, but he also hopes to inspire students. “The students set to graduate from Ai Atlanta are unlike other graduates – they are truly super creatives – so it’s really exciting for me to speak to them and impart some advice on their special day,” said Dupri. “I hope they see me as proof that hard work and unrelenting dedication busts down doors and makes anything you want to achieve possible.”

Jermaine Dupri saw success at a young age, as he shot to stardom at the mere age of 19. It was then that he discovered the rap group Kriss Kross. Dupri’s catalog goes beyond that though – he’s worked with megastars such as Usher, Mariah Carey, TLC, Xscape and more. His behind-the-scenes credits include working with Columbia Records, Island, and Artista. He also had stints as head of Virgin Records urban music operations, and as the President of Island Def Jam Music Group. Dupri is arguably one of the most successful producers in the industry and has sold over 400 million records to date.

The Art Institute of Atlanta commencement will take place on Friday, June 17.