VP Records is an independent Caribbean-owned

record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...

Queens Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

. The label is known for releasing music by notable artists in

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...

dancehall Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rou ...

and

soca Soca or SOCA may refer to: Places * Soča, a river in Slovenia and Italy * Soča, Bovec, Slovenia * Cayenne – Félix Eboué Airport, by ICAO code * Soca, a village in Banloc Commune, Timiș County, Romania * SoCa, Southern California Other u ...

. VP Records has offices in New York City, Miami, London, Kingston, Tokyo,

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Demo ...

and

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...

. Additionally, the label has established a presence in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

and

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

History

The VP Records label was founded in

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...

by the late

Vincent "Randy" Chin Vincent "Randy" Chin (3 October 1937, Kingston, Jamaica – 2 February 2003, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States) was a Jamaican record producer and label owner who ran the Randy's shop, recording studio, and record label, later moving ...

and his wife Patricia Chin, who owned the Randy's Records store in

Kingston, Jamaica Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley Inter ...

(as seen in the 1978 film '' Rockers''), as well as the Studio 17 recording studios.Wartofsky, Alona (2004)
At Radio City Music Hall, A Happy Reggae Birthday
, ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

'', May 10, 2004, retrieved 2011-04-30 In the mid-1970s, the Chins moved to

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, setting up a record store in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

called ''VP Records'' in 1975, from which they sold and distributed records. In 1979, they relocated the store to

Jamaica, Queens Jamaica is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It is mainly composed of a large commercial and retail area, though part of the neighborhood is also residential. Jamaica is bordered by Hollis to the east; St. Albans, Springfi ...

.Hartley, Darren (1995)
VP Retail Brings Reggae To Jamaica (N.Y.)
, ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'', August 19, 1995, p. 55, retrieved 2011-07-03Campbell, Howard (2014)
VP Records... according to Pat Chin
, ''

Jamaica Observer ''Jamaica Observer'' is a daily newspaper published in Kingston, Jamaica. The publication is owned by Butch Stewart, who chartered the paper in January 1993 as a competitor to Jamaica's oldest daily paper, ''The Gleaner''. Its founding editor i ...

'', July 4, 2014. Retrieved July 6, 2014 In 1993, the record label was formed after the success of the retail store. The name of the label is a product of the first letters in the founders' names.Meschino, Patricia (2014)
Reggae Pioneer Miss Pat Chin of VP Records Celebrates 35 Years in the U.S.
, ''

'', November 26, 2014. Retrieved December 13, 2014 The label established itself as one of the first and largest independent record labels for reggae and dancehall, and with the popularity of the

riddim Riddim is the Jamaican Patois pronunciation of the English word "rhythm". In the context of reggae and dancehall, it refers to the instrumental accompaniment to a song and is synonymous with the rhythm section. Jamaican music genres that use the ...

sound of the early 2000s, the label achieved worldwide success for artists such as

Sean Paul Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques OD (born 9 January 1973) is a Jamaican rapper and singer who is regarded as one of dancehall's most prolific artists. Paul's singles "Get Busy" and "Temperature" topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in the ...

through the label's deals with

Warner Music Group Warner Music Group Corp. ( d.b.a. Warner Music Group, commonly abbreviated as WMG) is an American multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It is one of the " big three" recording companies and t ...

Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...

and

Virgin Music Virgin Records is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman. It grew to be a worldw ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

.Guzman, Rafer (2003) "Getting Busy / VP Records, the label behind such crossover dancehall stars as Sean Paul and Wayne Wonder, is just warming up", ''

Newsday ''Newsday'' is an American daily newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island, although it is also sold throughout the New York metropolitan area. The slogan of the newspaper is "Newsday, Your Eye on LI", and f ...

'', April 27, 2003, p. D26 The label is often also accredited with having increased the popularity of the now globally recognized

Elephant Man Joseph Carey Merrick (5 August 1862 – 11 April 1890), often erroneously called John Merrick, was an English man known for having severe deformities. He was first exhibited at a freak show under the stage name "the Elephant Man" and then wen ...

, also known as the 'Energy God' or 'Ele', through a deal with

Bad Boy Records Bad Boy Records (or Bad Boy Entertainment) is an American record label founded in 1993 by rapper Sean "Puffy" Combs. It operates as an imprint of Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. It has been home to many artists, including ...

. VP Records has acquired the slogan "Miles Ahead in Reggae Music" to signify that they could be considered to be the future of music that derives from the Caribbean. In addition to reggae, VP is also known for

, and

reggaeton Reggaeton (, ), also known as reggaetón and reguetón (), is a music style that originated in Panama during the late 1980s. It was later popularized in Puerto Rico. It has evolved from dancehall and has been influenced by American Hip hop m ...

music. VP also releases a series of '' Riddim Driven'' albums, which feature various artists tracks using the same rhythm. ''The Biggest Reggae One-Drop Anthems'' is a series of CD reggae compilations that began in 2005 released by

Greensleeves Records Greensleeves Records & Publishing, shortened to ''Greensleeves Records'', is a record label specializing in dancehall and reggae music. The company was founded by Chris Cracknell and Chris Sedgwick. Based in Britain, Greensleeves Records star ...

; Greensleeves was acquired by VP in 2008, and with Greensleeves' catalogue of over 12,000 songs, VP became the largest reggae label and publisher in the world. VP has also issued the compilations series ''Strictly the Best'', which has now reached over 50 volumes. VP Records has been awarded ''

s "Best Independent Label" for two consecutive years (2002 and 2003), and has received the award for "Best Reggae Imprint Label" for three consecutive years. VP was also nominated for Best Independent Reggae Label at the 2003 ''Billboard'' Hip-Hop and R&B awards, and had been mentioned and featured in publications such as ''

Vibe ''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down productio ...

'' magazine, ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'', ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

'', ''

'', and ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...

'' magazine. Vincent Chin died in 2003. The label is now run by the Chins' sons Randy and Christopher, while Patricia Chin continues to assist with the maintenance of her late husband's company as well. In 2007, VP Records began re-issuing classic albums from the 1970s and 1980s on the ''17 North Parade'' label, the address of Randy's Studio, where it all began.

Artists

Alborosie Alberto D'Ascola (; born 4 July 1977), better known by his stage name Alborosie, is an Italian reggae artist. He is sometimes called the "Italian Reggae Ambassador". Music career Early life (2001–2005) Born Alberto d’Ascola and raised in ...

Beres Hammond Beres Hammond Order of Jamaica, OJ (born Hugh Beresford Hammond; 28 August 1955, in Annotto Bay, Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica, Saint Mary, Jamaica)Moskowitz, David V. (2006) ''Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock St ...

Busy Signal Reanno Devon Gordon (born 24 January 1979), better known by his stage name Busy Signal, is a Jamaican dancehall reggae artist. Biography Reanno Devon Gordon p/k/a Busy Signal was born in Saint Ann Parish,Johnson, Carolyn (2006)A Very Busy Chil ...

* Christopher Martin *

Gyptian Windel Beneto Edwards (born 25 October 1983), better known by his stage name Gyptian (), is a Jamaican reggae singer. He often appears with roots reggae songs within the reggae subgenre dancehall. Early life Born to a Seventh-day Adventist mo ...

Jah Cure Jah Cure, or Iyah Cure (born Siccature Alcock on 11 October 1978 in Hanover, Jamaica) is a Jamaican reggae musician, who was raised in Kingston. He was given the name Jah Cure by Capleton whom he met while growing up in Kingston. Career His ...

Jah9 Janine Elizabeth Cunningham (born 23 May 1983), better known as Jah9, is a Jamaican singer and also a yoga teacher. Biography Jah9 was born in Montego Bay in Saint James, Jamaica. Her father was a Baptist minister and her mother was a teache ...

* Jahvillani *

Queen Ifrica Ventrice Morgan (born 25 March 1975), better known by the stage name Queen Ifrica, is a reggae singer and disc jockey from the hills above Montego Bay, Montego Bay, Jamaica. She is the daughter of ska music, ska musician Derrick Morgan but was r ...

Raging Fyah Raging Fyah is five-piece reggae band from Kingston, Jamaica, formed in 2006. They released their first album in 2011, and in 2016 signed to VP Records, with third album ''Everlasting'' earning them a Grammy Award, Grammy nomination. Career Delro ...

Richie Spice Richell Bonner (born 8 September 1971), better known as Richie Spice, is a Jamaican reggae artist. He is a member of the Rastafari movement. Some of his most famous songs include, "Brown Skin", "Youth Dem Cold Rel Bad", "Grooving' My Girl", "Ear ...

Romain Virgo Romain Virgo (born 24 January 1990) is a Jamaican singer, specializing in the lovers rock style of reggae music and past competitor of local music competition called Rising Stars. Biography Virgo hails from Stepney in Saint Ann Parish. At Aabut ...

Spice A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants used for flavoring or as a garnish. Spices a ...

Former artists

A *

Admiral Bailey Admiral Bailey (born Glendon Bailey, Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican dancehall deejay who enjoyed his greatest success between the mid-1980s and the early 1990s. He now lives in Jamaica. He has been described as "the hottest dancehall star of ...

Admiral Tibet Admiral Tibet (sometimes Tibett), also known as "Mr. Reality" (born Kenneth Allen, Freehill, Saint Mary, Jamaica, 1960)Steve Barrow & Peter Dalton (2004) ''The Rough Guide to Reggae, 3rd edn.'', Rough Guides,

Alpha Blondy Seydou Koné (; born January 1, 1953 in Dimbokro), better known by his stage name Alpha Blondy, is an Ivorian reggae singer and international recording artist. Many of his songs are politically and socially motivated, and are mainly sung in hi ...

Ambelique Owen George Anthony Silvera (born c.1956), better known as Ambelique, is a Jamaican reggae singer, primarily working in the lovers rock genre. Biography Born in Waltham Park, Kingston, Jamaica, Silvera began his career in the late 1960s, when he ...

Anthony B Keith Blair (born 31 March 1976), better known by the stage name Anthony B, is a Jamaican DJ and member of the Rastafari movement.Moskowitz, David V (2006) ''Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Danceha ...

Anthony Red Rose Anthony Cameron (born 19 December 1962), better known as Anthony Red Rose, is a Jamaican singjay.Stolzoff, Norman C. (2000) ''Wake the Town and Tell the People: Dancehall Culture in Jamaica'', Duke University Press, , p. 171 Biography Born in S ...

Assassin Assassination is the murder of a prominent or VIP, important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not ha ...

Augustus Pablo Horace Swaby (21 June 1953 – 18 May 1999),Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , p. 200-202 known as Augustus Pablo, was a Jamaican roots reggae and dub record producer and a multi-instrumentalist, active f ...

B *

Baby Wayne Baby Wayne (1968 – 29 October 2005), born Wayne Parkinson, was a Jamaican dancehall artist known for his conscientious lyrics. Biography Parkinson was born in 1968 in Saint Catherine Parish, Jamaica.Larkin, Colin (1998) ''The Virgin Encycloped ...

Barrington Levy Barrington Ainsworth Levy (born 30 April 1964) is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist. Career Levy was born in Clarendon, Jamaica. He formed a band called the Mighty Multitude, with his cousin, Everton Dacres; the pair released "My Blac ...

Beenie Man Anthony Moses Davis (born 22 August 1973), better known by his stage name Beenie Man, is a Jamaican Dancehall deejay. Biography Davis was born in the Waterhouse district of Kingston in 1973.Moskowitz, David V. (2006) ''Caribbean Popular Mus ...

* Bobby Digital *

Bounty Killer Rodney Basil Price (born 12 June 1972), known as Bounty Killer, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay. AllMusic describes him as "one of the most aggressive dancehall stars of the '90s, a street-tough rude boy with an unrepentant flair ...

Brian and Tony Gold Brian and Tony Gold are a Jamaican reggae duo from Portmore, St. Catherine, Jamaica.Johnson, Richard (2018)Introducing Anu Brian Gold, ''Jamaica Gleaner'', 30 December 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2018 History Contrary to many beliefs, Brian ...

Buccaneer Buccaneers were a kind of privateers or free sailors particular to the Caribbean Sea during the 17th and 18th centuries. First established on northern Hispaniola as early as 1625, their heyday was from Stuart Restoration, the Restoration in 16 ...

Buju Banton Mark Anthony Myrie (born 15 July 1973),Larkin, Colin (1998) "The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", Virgin Books, professionally known by his stage name Buju Banton, is a Jamaican reggae dancehall musician. He is considered to be one of the most ...

Bunji Garlin Ian Antonio Alvarez (born July 14, 1978), better known by his stage name Bunji Garlin, is a Trinidadian ragga soca artist. He is also affectionately known as the Viking of Soca. His spouse is Fay-Ann Lyons. Early life Bunji was born on July 1 ...

* Bushman *

Byron Lee Byron Lee ,
''Jamaica Gleaner'', 27 October 2008. born Byron Aloysius St. Elmo Lee ...

C *

Capleton Clifton George Bailey III (born 13 April 1967),Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , pp. 67–69 better known by his stage name Capleton, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall musician. He is also referred to as Kin ...

Carlene Davis Carlene Davis (born c.1953) is a Jamaican gospel and reggae singer active since the 1970s. Successful since the early 1980s as a reggae artist, she survived cancer in the mid-1990s, after which she dedicated her career to gospel music. She has re ...

Chevelle Franklyn Chevelle Franklyn (born 4 March 1974) is a Jamaican reggae and gospel reggae singer. Early life and reggae career Born in the Tawes Pen area of Spanish Town in St. Catherine Parish, Franklyn was the fourth in a family of ten children. She was f ...

Chaka Demus John Taylor (born 16 April 1963), better known as Chaka Demus, is a Jamaican reggae musician and deejay, best known as part of the duo Chaka Demus & Pliers. Biography Early years Born in West Kingston, Taylor was a regular attendee at Kings ...

Chezidek Chezidek (born Desbert Johnson, 1973, Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica) is a roots reggae singer. He is known for his hit singles, "Call Pon Dem" (featured in ''Grand Theft Auto IV''), "Can't Hear Must Feel", "Inna Di Road", and "Leave De Trees". Biog ...

Cutty Ranks Philip Thomas (born 12 February 1965), better known as Cutty Ranks, is a Jamaican dancehall singer. Biography Thomas was born in Clarendon Parish, Jamaica in 1965. He began his career as a reggae artist at the age of eleven with local sound s ...

Culture Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.Tyl ...

D *

Daddy Screw Michael Alexander Johnson (born 29 March 1968), better known as Daddy Screw, is a Jamaican dancehall Deejay (Jamaican), deejay best known for his work in the 1980s and 1990s. Biography Johnson was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, and first ...

Da'Ville Orville Thomas, better known by his stage name Da'Ville, is a Jamaican reggae singer. Biography Orville Thomas is the first child of Jah Thomas and Cleopatra Wright.Morgan, Simone (2012)Singer Da’Ville returns with new album, ''Jamaica Observ ...

Dean Fraser Dean Ivanhoe Fraser (sometimes appearing as Dean Frazer) (born 4 August 1957) Allmusic.com biography by Sandra Brennan/ref> is a Jamaican saxophonist who has contributed to hundreds of reggae recordings since the mid-1970s. He was awarded the Mu ...

Dennis Brown Dennis Emmanuel Brown CD (1 February 1957 – 1 July 1999) was a Jamaican reggae singer. During his prolific career, which began in the late 1960s when he was aged eleven, he recorded more than 75 albums and was one of the major stars of l ...

Denroy Morgan Denroy Morgan (15 May 1945 – 3 March 2022) was a Jamaican-born American reggae artist. Morgan traveled to the United States in 1965, at the age of 20, to become a musician. He was part of the formation of the Black Eagles, a New York City regga ...

Dirtsman Patrick Thompson (4 March 1966 – 21 December 1993), better known as Dirtsman, was a Jamaican dancehall deejay. Biography Born in Spanish Town on 4 March 1965, Thompson was the son of the owner of the Black Universal Sound System, and was th ...

* Don Campbell *

Duane Stephenson Duane Stephenson (born c.1976)Bonitto, Brian (2014)Cool Runnings for Duane, ''Jamaica Observer'', 26 September 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014 is a Jamaican reggae singer who has released three albums on VP Records, and works primarily in the r ...

E *

Etana Etana (, ''E.TA.NA'') was the probably fictional thirteenth king of the first dynasty of Kish. He is listed in the ''Sumerian King List'' as the successor of Arwium, the son of Mashda, as king of Kish. The list also calls Etana "the shepherd, ...

F *

Fay-Ann Lyons Fay-Ann Lyons-Alvarez (born November 5, 1980) is a Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidadian Soca music, soca recording artist and songwriter. She is also known by the stage names Lyon Empress, Mane the Matriarch, and the Silver Surfer, a nickname which sh ...

* Foxy Brown *

Flourgon Michael May (born c.1970), better known as Flourgon, is a Jamaican dancehall artist. Biography May got his nickname of 'Flourgon', which became his stage name, due to his love of dumplings.Henry, Krista (2008)Glory days - Flourgon 'Run Tings' ...

Frankie Paul Paul Blake (19 October 1965 – 18 May 2017), better known as Frankie Paul, was a Jamaican dancehall reggae artist. Born blind, he has been dubbed by some 'The Jamaican Stevie Wonder'. Biography Born in Jamaica in 1965, Blake was born blind bu ...

Freddie McGregor Freddie McGregor (born 27 June 1956, in Clarendon, Jamaica) is a Jamaican singer, musician and record producer. His music career began when he was seven years old. Biography In 1963 he joined with Ernest Wilson and Peter Austin to form The Cl ...

G *

Garnett Silk Garnett Silk (born Garnet Damion Smith; 2 April 1966 – 9 December 1994) was a Jamaican reggae musician and Rastafarian, known for his diverse, emotive, powerful and smooth voice. During the early 1990s he was hailed as a rising talent, however ...

Gentleman A gentleman (Old French: ''gentilz hom'', gentle + man) is any man of good and courteous conduct. Originally, ''gentleman'' was the lowest rank of the landed gentry of England, ranking below an esquire and above a yeoman; by definition, the ra ...

General Degree Cardiff Butt, better known as General Degree (or simply Degree) and later as Snapple Dapple, is a Jamaican dancehall deejay and record producer. Biography Born in Manchester, Jamaica, Degree worked as a tailor before beginning his career in musi ...

George Nooks George Nooks, Prince Mohamed, Prince Mohammed, or George Knooks (born c. 1958 in Kingston, Jamaica) is a reggae singer who initially found fame as a deejay. Biography Nooks started his musical career in the youth choir at his church, and move ...

Ghost A ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that is believed to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to rea ...

Glen Washington Glenroy Washington (born 17 July 1957), is a Jamaican reggae/ soca singer-songwriter, drummer and record producer. Washington made his first hit record "Rockers Not Crackers" in 1978 for the Joe Gibbs Record label; but he did not grace the charts ...

Gregory Isaacs Gregory Anthony Isaacs OD (15 July 1951 – 25 October 2010)Thompson, p. 127. was a Jamaican reggae musician. Milo Miles, writing in ''The New York Times'', described Isaacs as "the most exquisite vocalist in reggae".Miles, Milo (1992),RECORDI ...

Gussie Clarke Augustus "Gussie" Clarke (born 1954) is a reggae producer who worked with some of the top Jamaican reggae artists in the 1970s and later set up his own Music Works studio. Career Clarke started working in the music industry by cutting dub plat ...

H *

Half Pint Half Pint (born 11 November 1961), and sometimes credited Lindon Andrew Roberts,Josephs, Karla (2012)Big deal for Half Pint", ''Jamaica Observer'', 7 June 2012, retrieved 8 June 2012 is a Jamaican dancehall, ragga, and reggae singer. Biograph ...

Henry "Junjo" Lawes Henry "Junjo" Lawes (1960 in Kingston, Jamaica – 13 June 1999 in London, England) was a highly influential Jamaican record producer and a sound engineer. Biography Born in the Waterhouse district of Kingston, Jamaica, Lawes began working ...

I * Inner Circle *

I Wayne I Wayne, Rastafarian stage name for Cliffroy Taylor (born September 13, 1980 in Portmore, Jamaica), is a roots reggae singer. He is known for his hit singles " Living In Love" and " Can't Satisfy Her" from his debut album, '' Lava Ground''. ...

J * Jacob Miller *

Jigsy King Errol "Jigsy" King (born c.1970) is a Jamaican dancehall artist who released several albums on VP Records in the 1990s. Biography King emerged in the early 1990s, performing on sound systems, with a gruff vocal style similar to Buju Banton's.La ...

* John Holt *

Johnny Osbourne Johnny Osbourne (born Errol Osbourne, 1948) is one of the most popular Jamaican reggae and dancehall singers of all time, who rose to success in the late 1970s and mid-1980s. His album '' Truths and Rights'' was a roots reggae success, and featu ...

Junior Kelly Keith Morgan (born 23 September 1969), better known by his stage name Junior Kelly, is a Jamaican reggae singer. Career Born in Kingston, Morgan was educated at St. Catherine High School.Junior Tucker Leslie Tucker, known as Junior Tucker (born 1966 in Trenchtown, Kingston, Jamaica), is a Jamaican reggae singer, who started his career in secular music but who now sings Christian music. His hits included "Happy" and his own composition, "Don ...

J.C. Lodge J.C. Lodge, (born June Carol Lodge, 1 December 1958, London, England), is a British-Jamaican reggae singer, actress, fine artist and teacher. Her breakthrough hit "Someone Loves You Honey, Someone Loves You, Honey" became the best-selling singl ...

K *

Kashief Lindo Kashief Lindo is a Jamaican reggae singer. Career Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Kashief is the son of guitarist and producer Willie Lindo.Larkin, Colin (1998) "Kashief Lindo" in ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae'', Virgin Books, , p. 170 He move ...

King Jammy Lloyd James (born 26 October 1947),Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter: "Reggae: The Rough Guide", 1997, Rough Guides, better known as Prince Jammy or King Jammy, is a Jamaican dub mixer and record producer. He began his musical career as a dub ma ...

Kiprich Marlon Jaro Plunkett, better known as Kiprich, formerly known as ''Crazy Kid'', is a popular Jamaican dancehall deejay. He, like his mentor Elephant Man, is a member of The Alliance, a group of Gangsta-themed deejays. Plunkett was born in L ...

L *

Lady Saw Marion Hall (born 12 July 1969; formerly known by the stage name Lady Saw) is a Jamaican singer and songwriter whose career has spanned over two decades. Formerly known as the Queen of Dancehall, she is the first female deejay to be certified ...

Leroy Sibbles Leroy Sibbles (born Leroy Sibblies, 29 January 1949) is a Jamaican reggae musician and producer. He was the lead singer for The Heptones in the 1960s and 1970s. In addition to his work with The Heptones, Sibbles was a session bassist and arra ...

Lieutenant Stitchie Cleveland Laing (born 29 September 1965), better known as Lieutenant Stitchie, is a Jamaican deejay who originally worked in the dancehall style but switched to gospel reggae in 1997 after surviving a car crash, thereafter working under the short ...

* Luciano *

Lukie D Lukie D (born Michael Kennedy, 1972, Cockburn Pen, Jamaica) is a dancehall singer and deejay. He is known for his singing and powerful vocal range and soulful voice rather than toasting style, which fits with the prominent theme of love in his s ...

M *

Mad Cobra Ewart Everton Brown (born 31 March 1968), better known by his stage name Mad Cobra or simply Cobra, is a Jamaican dancehall musician.Huey, Steve " Mad Cobra Biography, AllMusic, retrieved 2010-01-31Larkin, Colin (1998) ''The Virgin Encyclopedia ...

Marcia Griffiths Marcia Llyneth Griffiths (born 23 November 1949) is a Jamaican singer. One reviewer described her by noting "she is known primarily for her strong, smooth-as-mousse love songs and captivating live performances". Biography Born in West Kingst ...

* Mavado *

Maxi Priest Max Alfred "Maxi" Elliott (born 10 June 1961), known by his stage name Maxi Priest, is a British reggae vocalist of Jamaican descent. He is best known for singing reggae music with an R&B influence, otherwise known as reggae fusion. He was one ...

* Merciless *

Mighty Diamonds The Mighty Diamonds were a Jamaican harmony trio, recording roots reggae with a strong Rastafarian influence. The group was formed in 1969 and were best known for their 1976 debut album, ''Right Time'', produced by Joseph Hoo Kim, and the 1979 ...

Michigan & Smiley Michigan and Smiley are a Jamaican reggae/dancehall duo consisting of Papa Michigan (born Anthony Fairclough) and General Smiley (born Erroll Bennett). They rose to popularity during the first wave of dancehall music in the late 1970s. Career The d ...

Mikey Spice Michael Theophilus Johnson (born 21 July 1965), better known as Mikey Spice, is a Jamaican reggae singer. Biography Spice sang in his father's church from age seven and learned to play guitar, bass, drums, trumpet, piano, saxophone, flute, and ...

Morgan Heritage Morgan Heritage is a Grammy-winning Jamaican reggae band formed in 1994 by five children of reggae artist Denroy Morgan, namely Peter "Peetah" Morgan, Una Morgan, Roy "Gramps" Morgan, Nakhamyah "Lukes" Morgan, and Memmalatel "Mr. Mojo" Morgan. ...

Mr. Lexx Christopher George Palmer (born 11 May 1974), better known as "Mr. Lexx", "Lexxus" or simply "The Prince" is a Jamaican dancehall artist from East Kingston, Jamaica. He is known for the success of his debut album entitled ''Mr. Lex'' on the Bill ...

Mr. Vegas Clifford Smith (born December 29th, 1974), better known as Mr. Vegas, is a Jamaican dancehall musician. Biography Clifford Smith was born in Kingston in 1974.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rough Guide to Reggae, 3rd edn.", Rough Gu ...

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Nadine Sutherland Nadine Sutherland (born 15 March 1968) is a Jamaican reggae singer whose early career was nurtured by Bob Marley. She went on to become a successful dancehall artist in the 1990s. Biography Sutherland was born in Kingston, Jamaica and raised i ...

Ninjaman Desmond John Ballentine (born January 24, 1966), better known as Ninjaman, and sometimes as Don Gorgon is a Jamaican dancehall deejay and actor, known for his controversial and pro-gun lyrics and his stuttering and melodramatic style. In 2017, he ...

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Papa San Tyrone Thompson, (born July 1, 1967)
better known as Papa San, is a Jamaic ...

Pam Hall Pam Hall is a Jamaican reggae singer whose career began in the 1970s. Career Hall recorded as a solo artist from the mid-1970s as well as providing backing vocals for several other artists including Jimmy Cliff, Judy Mowatt, Beres Hammond, De ...

Pinchers Delroy Thompson (born 12 April 1965), better known by his stage name Pinchers, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist. He released one album as a teenager in Jamaica for Blue Trac Records, before moving to the UK in 1985. In his career si ...

Q R * Red Dragon *

Ras Shiloh Ras Shiloh (born Thomas Williams; January 6, 1975 in Brooklyn, United States)Album Review: Ra ...

Richie Stephens Richard Stephenson (born 5 December 1966), better known as Richie Stephens is a Jamaican R&B, dancehall and reggae singer and producer. Biography Born in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, Jamaica,

S * Sanchez * Sasha *

Screwdriver A screwdriver is a tool, manual or powered, used for turning screws. A typical simple screwdriver has a handle and a shaft, ending in a tip the user puts into the screw head before turning the handle. This form of the screwdriver has been repla ...

Shabba Ranks Shabba Ranks (born Rexton Rawlston Fernando Gordon; 17 January 1966) is a Jamaican dancehall musician. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he was one of the most popular Jamaican musicians in the world. Throughout his prominence in his home cou ...

Shaggy Shaggy may refer to: People *Shaggy (musician) (born 1968), Jamaican American reggae rapper and singer *Shaggy 2 Dope, half of the hip hop, horrorcore band Insane Clown Posse *Shaggy Flores (born 1973), Nuyorican poet, writer and African diaspora ...

Sharon Forrester Sharon Forrester (born 1956) is a Jamaican reggae singer who had success in the 1970s and 1990s. Biography Born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1956, Forrester was born into a musical family and began singing at an early age, singing in church choirs ...

Simpleton __NOTOC__ In folklore, a simpleton is a person whose foolish actions are the subject of often-repeated stories. Simpletons are also known as noodles, fools, and gothamites. Folklore often holds, with no basis in fact, that certain towns or countr ...

Singing Melody Everton Hardweare (born 23 November 1967), better known by his stage name Singing Melody, is a reggae artist from Kingston, Jamaica. He is known for his abilities as a vocalist, his production work and for combining aspects of reggae and R&B ...

Spanner Banner Joseph Bonner, also commonly known by the nickname Spanner Banner, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall musician. Biography Bonner was born on 6 February 1959, in Rock Hall, St. Andrew, Jamaica.Russell, Karie (1995)The Chillin' is Over, ''Reggae ...

Spragga Benz Carlton Errington Grant (born 30 May 1969), better known as Spragga Benz, is a Jamaican dancehall deejay. Career He began his career around 1991. He was once known to his friends as "Spaghetti" (tall and slim), but this was later shortened to ...

Sugar Minott Lincoln Barrington "Sugar" Minott (25 May 1956 – 10 July 2010)Campbell, Howard (2010)Reggae singer Sugar Minott dies at 54, Associated Press, 11 July 2010. Retrieved 12 July 2010Peru, Yasmine (2010)Godfather of Dancehall, Sugar Minott, dead at ...

T * Tanto Metro * Tanto Metro and Devonte *

Tanya Stephens Vivienne Tanya Stephenson (born 2 July 1973),Lim, Ann-Margaret (2004)All Woman: Tanya Stephens", ''Jamaica Observer'', 3 May 2004. Retrieved 31 October 2010

Terror Fabulous Cecil Campbell (born 20 December 1974), better known as Terror Fabulous is a Jamaican dancehall deejay, who had success in the 1990s. Biography Campbell was introduced to producer Dave Kelly after completing a course in electrical engineering. ...

Thriller U Eustace Hamilton (born 14 August 1969), better known as Thriller U, is a Jamaican reggae singer-songwriter.Tiger The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus '' Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on u ...

Tinga Stewart Tinga Stewart (born Neville Stewart, c.July 3 1950, Kingston, Jamaica) is a reggae singer. Stewart won the Festival Song Contest three times, twice as a singer and once as a songwriter. Biography Stewart's career began in the late 1960s, his f ...

Tony Rebel Patrick George Anthony Barrett (born 15 January 1962), better known by his stage name Tony Rebel, is a Jamaican reggae deejay. Career Born in Manchester Parish, Jamaica, Barrett was initially a singer, appearing as Papa Tony or Tony Ranking in ...

Turbulence In fluid dynamics, turbulence or turbulent flow is fluid motion characterized by chaotic changes in pressure and flow velocity. It is in contrast to a laminar flow, which occurs when a fluid flows in parallel layers, with no disruption between ...

T.O.K. T.O.K. were a dancehall reggae group from Kingston, Jamaica. The group consisted of Alistaire "Alex" McCalla, Roshaun "Bay-C" Clarke, Craig "Craigy T" Thompson, and Xavier "Flexx" Davidson.Kenner, Rob (2005)Boomshots, ''Vibe (magazine), Vibe' ...

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Voicemail A voicemail system (also known as voice message or voice bank) is a computer-based system that allows users and subscribers to exchange personal voice messages; to select and deliver voice information; and to process transactions relating to ind ...

W * Warrior King *

Wayne Wonder Von Wayne Charles (born 26 July 1972), better known by his stage name Wayne Wonder, is a Jamaican reggae artist. While his early recordings were dancehall and reggae, he later moved towards hip hop and rap. His most popular single is the 2003 ...

Winston Riley Winston Riley (14 May 1943 – 19 January 2012) was a Jamaican singer, songwriter and record producer. The ''Jamaica Gleaner'' notes he was one of the most successful reggae producers.

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Yellowman Winston Foster , better known by the stage name Yellowman, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay, also known as King Yellowman. He first became popular in Jamaica in the 1980s, rising to prominence with a series of singles that established ...

Yami Bolo Rolando Ephraim McLean (born 1 October 1970), better known as Yami Bolo, is a Jamaican reggae singer. Biography Yami Bolo grew up in postal zone 13 of Kingston. His first professional job and exposure was with Sugar Minott's Youth Promotion C ...

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Zap Pow Zap Pow is a Jamaican reggae band, founded by singer/bassist Michael Williams aka Mikey Zappow and guitarist Dwight Pinkney. Members also included singer Beres Hammond, trumpeter David Madden, saxman Glen DaCosta, and drummer Cornell Marshall. ...

VP Associated Label Group

VP Associated Label Group (VPAL) is a subsidiary of VP Records that allows independent artists to access VP Records' distribution channel, allowing them broader visibility.

References

External links