VP Records

VP Records is an American independent music label and is one of the largest and most important labels, which specializes in reggae music. In addition to the full spectrum of Reggae Roots to Dancehall Soca and Calypso is next to other Caribbean music in the program.

Company History

The letters VP are the initials of the company founder Vincent " Randy " Chin and his wife Patricia. The Chins were the mid-1970s from Jamaica emigrated to New York and had first opened there in 1979 in Jamaica in Queens a record store named VP Records. The entrepreneurs had previous experience in the music business in Jamaica they had operated Randy's Record Shop, also a record store, from which later a small music label had developed with its own recording studio. In New York they started from the very beginning as a music producer, but they focused the business on the import of Caribbean music and distribution in North America. They were successful, their company grew over the 1980s and gained a leading position in sales of Jamaican music in the U.S. and Canada.

1993 extended the Chins their businesses and founded the actual music label VP Records. With artists such as Shabba Ranks, Super Cat, Beres Hammond, Luciano and Sizzla were early, some well-known names of reggae at VP Records.

In 2002, VP a long-term business alliance with major label Atlantic Records, through VP Records access to distribution channels and the global promotion of the major labels got. Also closely linked to the subsequently further immensely growing commercial success of VP Records are the musicians careers of Beenie Man and Sean Paul, and whose rise to world stardom. The resulting by combining potential was demonstrated by the VP together with Atlantic Records produced and distributed album Dutty Rock by Sean Paul. The album and the resulting coupled- singles such as Gimme the Light and Like Glue, celebrated international chart success and Dutty rock won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album for the year 2003.

VP Records has received several Best Independent Label and honored by Billboard magazine as the Best Reggae imprint label.

Besides Reggae Gold, the most famous series of compilations of VP Records, Dancehall and Reggae Anthology 101 series more regularly published reggae and dancehall compilations are with Strictly the Best, in the program.

Beginning of 2008 grew VP Records by buying Greensleeves Records, a well-known British reggae label, continues to rise, and VP has so well established internationally as the largest and most important Reggae label.

The management of the business has always remained in family hands. After Vincent Chin had withdrawn gradually into retirement since the early 2000s, before he died in 2003, he left the running of his wife Patricia and his sons, Randy and Clive Chin of the company.

Musician

VP Records has or had, among others, the following artists under contract:

Genre Independent record label Roots-Reggae Soca music Calypso music Elephant Man (musician) Jah Cure Mavado (singer) Discogs
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