Inside Janet Jackson and Ex Jermaine Dupri's 'Cuddly' Meet Up After Her Atlanta Show
After months on the road, Janet Jackson ended her State of the World tour on Dec. 17 with a bang — and an old flame.
Shortly after wrapping up her last performance at Atlanta’s Philips Arena, the star headed to her exclusive after party at STK restaurant, where a source says she spent some private time with her ex and Atlanta-native music producer Jermaine Dupri.
“They were in a private area at her exclusive tour wrap party,” a source tells PEOPLE, adding that the pair “were cuddled up in a private booth holding hands.”
Jackson, 51 — who split from Qatari businessman Wissam Al Mana in April and has been embroiled in a tough custody battle ever since — reportedly parted ways with Dupri, 45, back in 2009, after what the source calls a “bad breakup.”
“They didn’t speak for years until about a year ago,” the source tells PEOPLE. “[Dupri] felt like he had wronged her. But they reconnected and he was there for her as a friend while she was going through her messy breakup.”
While the source says the pair are not officially back together, there’s a sense that could change. “They are taking their time, getting to know each other again,” the source admits.
Despite how long it’s been, it appears there are still strong feelings. “When they were together, Janet had never felt as good as when she was with him,” the source says.
A rep for Jackson did not respond to requests for comment.
As for how the star is feeling at the end of a very busy year — Jackson welcomed son Eissa in January, just three months before announcing her split from Al Mana — “She’s looking great and feeling great,” a different source tells PEOPLE. “Eissa has been with her and he is doing so well. Atlanta was the best place to finish out this tour.”
With reporting by ELISSA ROSEN
