Jermaine Dupri Says He Invented 'Making It Rain' in Clubs

Jermaine Dupri is proclaiming himself the inventor of making it rain -- that time-honored tradition of tossing money around a club without caring where it lands -- but admits it wasn't always as cool as it looks!!!

The veteran producer shared his story Thursday on "The Estelle Show" on Apple Hits ... pinpointing his 1998 collab with Jay-Z, "Money Ain't a Thang," as the jump-off point for the trend ... but, then he decided to test out the rich flex IRL.

JD says the first time he hit Magic City and threw money in the air, the stripper gave him a puzzled reaction ... "You want me to get down on the floor and get my money???"

He says the 💡 went off when he attempted his cash splashes elsewhere, but got the same confused reactions ... he took it as a clear sign he was pioneering something big.

After the wave eventually caught on, JD says he also taught dancers how to split the money once it hit the ground ... proper strip club etiquette does go a long way in keeping the party going.

JD tells Estelle he gave icons like Quincy Jones and Janet Jackson their first Magic City experience -- so, he's a pro in ATL's strip club culture, if ever there was one!!!