The Bert Show: Vault – Jermaine Dupri Joins The Show

Date: January 9, 2026
Podcast: The Bert Show
Host: Bert Show Cast (Bert, Kristin, Abby, Cassie, Tommy & others)
Guest: Jermaine Dupri

Episode Theme & Overview

This episode welcomes iconic producer, entrepreneur, and artist Jermaine Dupri into the studio for a candid, comedic, and insightful conversation. Dubbed a “Vault” episode, it dives into Dupri’s music career, collaboration habits, behind-the-scenes stories, Atlanta’s culture and music scene, healthy living, and his ventures beyond music—including his new health-minded restaurant, Café Dupri. The tone is friendly and playful, with plenty of jokes and personal anecdotes sprinkled throughout.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Night Owl Routine & Studio Life

• Jermaine’s Sleep Patterns:

  • Dupri jokes about staying up late for work and how his “early” bedtime is still late by normal standards:
    • “I went to sleep early so I could get here… Like four last night.” (01:40)
    • On truly late nights: “If I wasn’t coming here, probably like six o’clock.” (02:46)
  • Reflects on his younger years:
    • “I used to go, like, two days in a row all night… I’m getting a little older, so I can’t do it like that.” (02:22)

• Working with Artists:

  • Currently working on a new Jagged Edge album; collaborating with various artists is a staple of his career.
  • On how artists connect with him:
    • “Go to the bank. That’s the first thing.” (02:58) – highlighting his status and demand.
    • “Jessica Simpson sent a message to me about two weeks ago that she wanted me to work on her new album.” (03:45)

2. Creative Motivation & Studio Decor

• The “You Make Me Wanna” Wall:
  • Dupri clarifies he doesn’t have photos of other producers for motivation, just “a motivation wall... It’s women on my wall.” (04:33)
  • Originated during the recording of Usher’s “You Make Me Wanna”:
    • “We was looking at the wall saying, she make me wanna… Now it’s like 20 girls on one wall.” (04:37–04:58)
  • Janet Jackson, his girlfriend, is included on the wall, naturally.

3. Relationship with Janet Jackson & Celebrity Privacy

• On Their Relationship’s Public Profile:
  • Dupri prefers to keep things low-key:
    • “No, I don’t think you have to [publicly confirm the relationship]… At some point, who cares?” (06:07)
    • “Dating is no different in the entertainment world than it is with anybody else.” (06:56)
  • On avoiding drama:
    • “If I have a fight with my girl or something like that, it’s over.” (08:05)
    • “All that arguing and going back and forth, that’s not me.” (08:24)
  • They have a long friendship dating back to the “Criss Cross days.” (08:51)

4. Behind the Scenes: Celebrity Parties & Atlanta’s Social Scene

• Kentucky Derby Memories:
  • Jermaine and Usher attended the Derby together, joking about mingling with stars like Michael Jordan and the chaos of events.
  • Fun jabs over rental cars:
    • “Oh, Grand Am, never. What does that look like?” (10:28)
    • Co-hosts laugh over the difference between Grand Ams and luxury cars.

5. New Projects and Entrepreneurial Ventures

• Midtown Music Urban Stage:

  • Dupri curates the entire Urban Stage for Atlanta’s Midtown Music festival:
    • “I put together the artists, the groups that’s gonna be there… All the days, every day.” (11:49)
  • Artists listed for Friday night: The Game, Ciara, Bobby Valentino, and Black Eyed Peas on Saturday (12:04).

• Recent Music Production Work:

  • On Mariah Carey’s comeback:
    • “She sold a lot of records and I did all them first songs. I’m excited about that.” (13:13)

• Café Dupri:

  • New healthy eatery at 3135 Piedmont Road, open “till like 22 hours a day.”
    • “It’s gonna be like more of a healthier type of place for people to eat… People that want to eat cleaner and looking out for, you know, just look, watching they health.” (14:07)
  • Motivation: cutting back on unhealthy food due to the demands of his career:
    • “When I stopped this, I started this, like, three years ago. I just stopped eating red meat and drinking sodas all the time.” (15:03)

6. Personal Wellness & Lifestyle Shifts

• On Health:
  • Stresses the importance of healthy eating for productivity:
    • “If you eating bad like that… you’re just so sluggish…” (15:11)
  • No big turning point, but hangovers were a factor:
    • “I had a hangover one day and I just did not know what to do.” (16:00)

7. Atlanta, Southern Anthems & City Culture

• “Welcome to Atlanta” Theme:

  • “I made ‘Welcome to Atlanta’ for everybody in Atlanta… Atlanta’s too vibrant not to have a theme song.” (17:47)
  • Frustrated it doesn’t get played as much in Atlanta venues:
    • “They should play that hook at everything that’s going on in the city.” (18:08)

• Atlanta’s Music Scene:

  • Wants the city’s reputation uplifted:
    • “I would hope one day… that I would do another record like that… Atlanta is too vibrant not to have a theme song.”
  • Suggests branding Atlanta as “the new Motown”:
    • “It should be really titled the New Motown… we got the music business unlocked on every side.” (19:19)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On work-life balance: “Go to the bank. That’s the first thing.” (02:58)
• On creative motivation: “You make me want a wall… Now it’s like 20 girls on one wall.” (04:37–04:58)
• On relationships in the spotlight:
  • “Some people get off doing that, like that Nick and Jessica thing. I don’t think you have to do that.” (06:07)
  • “If I have a fight with my girl or something like that, it’s over.” (08:05)
• On healthy living: “If you eating bad like that… it just don’t work right. It’s just crash.” (15:11)
• On Atlanta’s music: “Atlanta’s too vibrant not to have a theme song… it’s not about me, it’s saying welcome to Atlanta.” (17:47)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 01:32 – Guest Intro: Jermaine Dupri arrives in studio
• 02:05 – Discussing late hours, projects, and artist collaborations
• 04:24 – On the “You Make Me Wanna” motivation wall
• 06:07 – On public relationships and dating Janet Jackson
• 08:51 – Jermaine discusses meeting Janet for the first time
• 11:31 – New projects: Midtown Music Urban Stage
• 13:13 – Discussing music production for Mariah Carey’s album
• 13:48 – Café Dupri announcement & healthy living discussion
• 17:44 – The story behind “Welcome to Atlanta” and Atlanta’s cultural identity

Episode Tone & Style

The conversation is authentic, humorous, and relaxed, filled with jokes, playful jabs, and real-life stories. Jermaine Dupri is candid about his music, entrepreneurial moves, relationships, and views on Atlanta, all while engaging with the hosts’ good-natured ribbing.

For New Listeners

This episode is an engaging dive into Jermaine Dupri’s world. Listeners get behind-the-scenes stories on the music industry, celebrity relationships, Atlanta’s vibrancy, and the necessity of personal health in a demanding career. Jermaine’s wit and realness shine, making it a must-listen both for fans of Southern music and anyone curious about how a star lives—and eats—in Atlanta.