Welcome to Atlanta where Jermaine Dupri's bobblehead bobbles

Jermaine Dupri received a big welcome to Atlanta on Wednesday night.

Dupri, the famed record producer and rapper who grew up in the Atlanta area, threw out the first pitch before the Braves’ game against the Padres on Wednesday. It was So So Def Night at Truist Park in honor of the eponymous record label founded by Dupri, who grew up in nearby College Park, Ga. His solo career includes songs such as “Money Ain’t a Thang” and “Welcome to Atlanta.”

Dupri insisted on stepping all the way to the pitching rubber for the ceremonial first toss. It resulted in a longer distance to the plate than he had anticipated, but there was no backing down. His first pitch to Braves starter Grant Holmes was juuuust a bit outside, but Holmes still made the grab.

“You cannot be scared,” Dupri said. “I was nervous when I walked up there, but I was like, ‘You know what? You’ve got to let it go.’”

Dupri even got his own bobblehead for the special occasion. He was involved in the creative process the whole way through, adding touches like facial hair and earrings in his likeness.

“I think this is genius,” he said. “Watching this come to life has been fun.”

Dupri -- who, along with Ludacris, teamed up with FOX Sports for a promotional campaign highlighting the 2025 All-Star Game in Atlanta -- said that despite growing up on the south side of Atlanta, he was too busy growing his nascent entertainment career to enjoy baseball as much as he could.

Although his music career has been a smashing success, Wednesday was different for Dupri -- in a great way.

“I was trying to perfect my craft, so I never really got an opportunity to go to games as a kid or anything like that,” he said. “It’s just like I’m living out my childhood. I’ve got a bobblehead. I’m having fun. My friends are in the box with me. It’s amazing.”