Music producer Jermaine Dupri has admitted he missed a major opportunity by passing on Bruno Mars before the singer became a global superstar.

After attending one of Mars’ recent concerts, Dupri sent him a message praising the performance. Mars jokingly replied that Dupri should have signed him, prompting the producer to agree and share their exchange on Instagram.

Dupri, who helped launch the careers of Kris Kross, Xscape and Bow Wow, says Mars first reminded him of the missed opportunity during a dinner in Las Vegas about four years ago.

The two have since turned the story into a running joke, with Mars continuing to tease Dupri about the superstar he let slip away.