Jermaine Dupri; Brad Barket/Getty ImagesJermaine Dupri, as well as and Robert “Kool” Bell, Ronald Bell, George Brown and James “JT” Taylor of legendary R&B/funk band Kool & The Gang, have been announced as 2018 inductees into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
The honorees will be recognized at the organization’s 49th annual induction and awards dinner on June 14 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.
With over 30 number-one hit tracks on his resume, Dupri has written songs for a number of artists, including Mariah Carey, Usher, Monica, Da Brat, Xscape, Jagged Edge and himself.
Aretha Franklin, The Notorious B.I.G., Aaliyah, TLC, Janet Jackson, Run DMC, and many more stars have also recorded his songs.
Kool & the Gang’s official debut as a group took place in 1969 with the release of their self-titled debut album, Kool & the Gang.
Popular throughout the 1970s and 1980s, their hits include like “Hollywood Swinging, “Jungle Boogie,” “Higher Plane,” “Summer Madness” — which is featured on the Grammy-winning movie soundtrack to Rocky — and “Open Sesame,” heard on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack.
The latter earned them a Grammy award in 1978 for Album of the Year. Their smash hit “Celebration” was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
For information on tickets for the Songwriters Hall of Fame event, visit SongHall.org.
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