Jermaine Dupri To Be Second Hip-Hop Act Inducted Into Songwriters Hall Of Fame

John Salangsang/Invision/AP – Jermaine Dupri

John Mellencamp, Alan Jackson, Kool & The Gang and Jermaine Dupri are among the artists that will be inducted into the 2018 Songwriters Hall of Fame during its June 14 ceremony at the Marriot Marques Hotel in New York City.

Singer-songwriter Bill Anderson, Grammy-nominated songwriter Steve Dorff and Broadway musical writer Allee Willis – who co-wrote “I’ll Be There For You,” the opening theme for “Friends” – will also be inducted to the Hall of Fame.

Songwriters are eligible for induction after at least 20 years of writing hits in the industry.  

Dupri, the mind behind hits such as Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together” and Usher’s “Burn,” is the second hip-hop artist to be inducted into the Hall. Jay-Z was the first when he was inducted last year. Through his Atlanta-based record label, So So Def, Dupri has helped launch the careers of Bow Wow, Jagged Edge, Kriss Kross and others.

Mellencamp, who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2008, is still an active presence in the touring industry. He played several dates last year, including sold-out shows at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre in Florida, selling 3,838 tickets and grossing $254,446; and at the Filene Center At Wolf Trap in Vienna, Va., moving 6,994 tickets and grossing $480,261, according box office reports submitted to Pollstar.  

Jackson, already a Country Hall Of Famer, has had several hits since he dropped his 1990 debut album. He completed a fall outing in 2017, with the highest grossing show reported to Pollstar’s box office taking place at the Infinite Energy Center in Duluth Ga., selling 8,657 tickets and grossing $480,916.

Kool & The Gang’s Robert “Kool” Bell and James “JT” Taylor will be inducted in to the hall. The group had a string of dates last fall, with it’s highest grossing date taking place at the Filene Center At Wolf Trap. The concert sold 4,762 tickets and grossed 223,525.