Balancing that dynamic hasn’t always been easy. In the early 2000s, as the label evolved and times changed, Mauldin recalls the toughest point in their professional history when they had to sever ties. “We got to a point where it was time not to work together,” he recalls. “JD brought it to my attention that So So Def was his thing and he felt he had it under control. In his mind, it was probably better that I put something out that worked for me. For me, it was hard to realize that ‘Damn, I need to let go.’ It was one of the hardest things — but at the same time, it was one of the best things for me. Because I dug deep and I created our namesake, the Mauldin Brand Agency. It was hard to let go, but once I did I started to find a new path and breathed easier. That time when we weren’t working together day-[to]-day made me realize the importance [of] what we had and how special it is that we still have the relationship and respect for each other that we have.”
Regardless of the twists and turns their working relationship has taken over the last two decades, there is no doubt that Dupri and Mauldin value each other. “I’m the type of person that listens all the time,” Dupri says. “I might not make you believe that I’m listening, but I listen all the time. My dad told me to sign Anthony Hamilton. No pressure, it was just like ‘You should check him out.’ It was just like a thing that was thrown out there to me. I had an option to not sign him if I didn’t like what he was doing. But I listened and I listened to the artist and it turned out to be something that both of us could turn around be proud of.”
