Mar 21, 2023

Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic Amid murmurings about an impending Verzuz battle between Jermaine Dupri and Diddy, rapper Yung Joc explains why Diddy surpassed JD as a hip-hop mogul. Joc made his hip-hop debut in 2006 under Diddy’s Bad Boy imprint. With classic hits like “It’s Goin Down” and “Bottle Poppin” under his belt, Joc found success in the early 2000s thanks largely to Diddy’s ability to align his artists with the style and sound that attracts audiences. The rapper-turned-reality-star and radio personality recently appeared on Math Hoffa’s “Expert Opinion” podcast, where he explained why he feels Diddy excels over Dupri regarding their mogul status. “I always felt like Diddy understood like how to go to the next level of what he was doing,” Joc said. “JD did too, but JD again was doing so many other things that he didn’t focus on his artistry as much as Diddy did.” “Diddy kinda stands next to what’s hot… As he makes it hotter, or I’m a tell you what Diddy does, he will acknowledge what’s hot, and his acknowledgment brings awareness to what’s hot and he blows it up,” he continued. Joc noted how much more acclaim Diddy receives in the entertainment industry than Dupri, despite JD’s history with artists like Usher and Mariah Carey. According to Joc, Diddy’s skillset as a marketing mastermind helped set him apart from fellow moguls like Dupri. “In theory, you think of all parties involved, and nine times out of 10, who was the bigger party involved? Diddy. So he understands marketing, and that’s the difference that he got over JD,” Joc explained. The Love & Hip Hop star believes JD chose to focus more on his craft as a music producer rather than being a chart-topping rapper like Diddy. “As time went on, [JD] focused on his strengths as a producer and a writer more than as an artist or the flagship artist of his brand,” Joc said. “No matter who [Diddy] had, he’s branded as the flagship of Bad Boy. JD is So So Def, but the other artists were bigger than JD.”