The 45-year-old producer and hip-hop artist also comments on Jackson's involvement in the Super Bowl.
Jermaine Dupri is setting the record straight on all those Janet Jackson dating rumors.
ET caught up with the 45-year-old hip-hop artist at ET's studios in New York on Friday, where he shared that he's always been close with the "Rhythm Nation" singer.
"I never knew us not to be friends. These stories are just all over the place," Dupri shared. "I never knew us not to be friends. People keep making up these stories."
Dating rumors began after Jackson, 51, was spotted having dinner the producer at STK Atlanta in December and, according to an eyewitness, they were "cuddled" up to one another and holding hands in the VIP area.
A source close to Jackson told ET at the time that their relationship is strictly platonic and it's only natural that she would reconnect with him in his hometown.
Dupri also shared with ET that he "spoke to Janet one time before she got on tour" and that he doesn’t know much "about how she's dealing with being a mom."
As far as Jackson's participation in the upcoming Super Bowl with Justin Timberlake, Dupri says she'll "probably not" be involved.
Meanwhile, the "Money Ain't a Thang" rapper will take the stage at the Global Spin Awards, airing on Feb 22 on Revolt, to accept his Breaking Barriers Awards.
"It's me getting the opportunity to relive my childhood and all the energy that I put into DJing, feeling like I did something with all that energy," Dupri said. "DJing was the first thing that I started before I started producing and I was rapping a little bit, but the DJ thing took over my body. So for something to be a love and a hobby that you feel inside, that you get an award, that you get recognized for by the DJ community, is pretty exciting."
2018 is shaping up to be a great year for Dupri who is nominated for the Songwriters Hall of Fame and his So So Def record company will celebrate its 25th anniversary.
"This all shows [that] I did exactly what I was trying to do," he said.
For more on Dupri, watch below.
RELATED CONTENT:
