VP Records

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VP Records
Logo of the label
Logo of the label
Active years since 1990
founder Vincent and Patricia Chin
Seat New York, USA
Website www.vprecords.com
Label code 07005
Sub-label 17 North Parade, Break A Dawn Records, Gold Disc, Greensleeves Records , Jah Guidance, Waist Line Muzik
Genre (s) Reggae , dancehall

VP Records is an American independent label and is considered one of the largest and most important labels that specialize in reggae music. In addition to the whole spectrum of reggae from roots to dancehall , other Caribbean music is also on the program with soca and calypso .

Company history

The letters VP are the initials of the company founder Vincent "Randy" Chin and his wife Patricia. The Chins emigrated from Jamaica to New York in the mid-1970s , where they opened a record store called VP Records in Jamaica in the borough of Queens in 1979 . The entrepreneurial couple already had experience in the music business; in Jamaica they had run Randy's Record Shop , also a record store, which later became a small music label with its own recording studio. In New York, they started out as music producers from the start, but they focused the business on importing Caribbean music and distributing it in North America. They succeeded, their business grew through the 1980s, and gained leadership positions in Jamaican music distribution in the United States and Canada.

In 1993 the Chins expanded their business and founded the actual music label VP Records. With artists such as Shabba Ranks , Super Cat , Beres Hammond , Luciano and Sizzla , some well-known reggae names were early on with VP Records.

In 2002 VP concluded a long-term business alliance with the major label Atlantic Records , through which VP Records got access to the distribution channels and the worldwide promotion of the major label. Also closely linked to the subsequently immensely growing business success of VP Records are the musician careers of Beenie Man and Sean Paul and their rise to world stars. The potential created by the combination can be seen in the example of the album Dutty Rock by Sean Paul, produced and marketed by VP together with Atlantic Records . The album and the singles from it, such as Gimme the Light and Like Glue , celebrated international chart successes and Dutty Rock won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album for 2003.

VP Records has received several awards from Billboard magazine as Best Independent Label and Best Reggae Imprint Label .

In addition to Reggae Gold , the best-known series of compilations from VP Records, the program also includes Strictly the Best , Dancehall 101 and the Reggae Anthology series, other regularly published reggae and dancehall compilations .

At the beginning of 2008, VP Records continued to grow with the purchase of Greensleeves Records , a well-known British reggae label, and VP has thus established itself as the largest and most important reggae label internationally.

The management of the business has always remained in family hands. After Vincent Chin gradually retired from the early 2000s before passing away in 2003, he left the running of the company to his wife Patricia and sons Randy and Clive Chin .

Musician

VP Records has or had the following artists under contract:

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Sean Paul joins Atlantic via VP deal , Jamaica Gleaner, October 16, 2002 (viewed October 31, 2008)
  2. ↑ Monopoly up VP's 'Sleeves' , by Krista Henry, Jamaica Gleaner, February 17, 2008 (viewed October 31, 2008)

Web links