Over and Over Again - Tami Chynn

 

The queen of online reggae pleases her fans with this video. Well after its release Over and Over Again remains as one of the most viewed reggae videos on the internet. A combination of strong vocals, marketability and originality has caused Tami to catapult hers to the top of online charts.

That Girl - Maxi Priest & Shaggy

 

1996 was Jamaican authorities open fire on Jimmy Buffett's seaplane, mistaking it for a drug trafficker's plane, Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley divorce, MC Hammer file bankruptcy and this this flashback song climb to the top of international charts. Little has been heard of Maxi Priest since this monster hit but Shaggy has become a household name.

Tina Nunezz

There are so many beautiful female artists coming out of the island of Jamaica.  So, no surprise when you hear the name Tina Nunezz.. Tina, born Christina Campbell,   in Kingston, Jamaica to legendary singing sensation Cornell Campbell, has been singing since the tender age of seven, and has been recording professionally for two years. Tina has been inspired by other female Icons like Mariah Carey, Sade and Lady Saw just to name a few.   

This twenty-one year old beauty describes her sound as a combination of pop, r&b, and dancehall.  This upcoming star has been working with veteran musical producers like Sly & Robbie, Fattis Barrell, Seanizzle & Doc & Damian of black flame entertainment. Tina Nunez is currently working on various singles where the world will   get to hear her soulful voice and witness her diverse talent. She has done a number of collaborations with well known reggae artist like Buju Banton and Mad Cobra. Tina with her sultry looks, great fashion sense, curvaceous body, and amazing talent will make the nation take notice on her ability to rock the micro- phone. Tina will be releasing a single on the "OUTBURST RIDDIM, produce by Black flame entertainment, on the Gorilla Record label" Title "Take it Off" late this summer. So you will not have to wait too long before we can get to see real talent at its best. Her debut will be like no other female act that Jamaica has brought to the world. Her favorite words are "Hurry! Hurry! Rush Rush" and that's exactly what you will be doing to go get her new single.

- Bio provided by Black Flame Entertainment

To here her singles please visit
http://www.myspace.com/tinanunezz

or

www.myspace.com/blackflameent

Tami Chynn

Tami Chynn is sultry and street smart, keeping it real for her roots and for her fans. Addressing all thoughts, feelings, experiences, and dreams of young women and men within her demographic and beyond, Tami Chynn successfully expresses her own life in her music while providing fans with music that will transcend the test of time.

Born and raised in Kingston Jamaica in a musically charged family her parents were in an all Female "Frontline" Band called The Carnations. Tami's mother was one of the First Female Trumpeters Jamaica had ever seen. In fact, the house that Tami grew up in was once used to house her parents band rehearsals. Even more intriguing, this house now facilitates Tami's own band rehearsals and also the studio where her entire debut album was recorded.

Tami's unique multicultural background includes a mixture of Caucasian, Chinese, Cherokee and African-American races. The result is a cultured individual aware of the power of music and the idea that music is indeed universal.

Throughout Tami's career she has had collaborative efforts with international Reggae superstars Sean Paul, Beenie Man and Lady Saw. In addition, she has vibed with underground artists such as Assassin, and Wayne Marshall. Prior to her Musical career, she toured with Shaggy as a backup dancer on his successful Caught Red Handed Tour: "Hot Shot's" Diamond selling album. She performed two years in a row, on the biggest reggae show in the world: Reggae Sumfest 2004 and 2005.

Obviously not a lightweight in the Reggae-Dancehall world, Tami has proven her-self to be an asset to the music industry. Since her sultry rise to recognition - by a public still in awe of her incredible voice, entrancing lyrics and rhythm wrapped within the smooth rhapsody of a true artist.

Tami has managed to not only pursue, but also conquer her love of music. Her debut album was recorded entirely in Kingston, Jamaica. Her style and drive to succeed have fostered the development of a sound that breaks the mold of typical music heard on radio. It's a blend that inspires both movement of body and the settling of the soul.

 

www.tamichynn.com
www.myspace.com/tamichynn

Collie Buddz (Self-titled Album) - Review

With all the press, skeptics and criticism surrounding Collie Buddz, all eyes are on the release of his album.  Judgment day is less that 1 hour away. Collie Buddz's self titled, debut album his store shelves on July 3rd. Only time will tell if he will be fully embraced by the hardcore reggae followers however, the talent is there.

The Album features 13 monster tunes that should silence critics and catapult him to worldwide stardom. However, it is not a true, raw dancehall album.  Many of the tracks are not the type of song to tear up the party but they will be blasted during the drive to the dancehall. The album is a combination of roots reggae, dancehall, hip hop, southern rap and even a little oldies. The album covers a lot of ground. This could be both bad and good depending how it is viewed. On one hand, Collie doesn't lock himself into a certain style which prevents listeners from growing tired of a certain catch phrase or flow. On the other hand he, might not stand out as a unique artist. For example, when listening to the radio or a selector mix, anyone can identify a Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Mavado, or Sean Paul song just by listening to the style. Although his "chu-know" stands out, its not always easy to recognize Collie Buddz's style.  

Lyrically, the tracks are strong. He covers many topics in his music. The tracks cover cultural problems, love, he fans off haters and has created a few memorable songs. "Blind To You", "Defend Your Own", "Movin On", "Tomorrow's Another Day". The only serious down side to the album is that it is only 44 minutes long.

 

Track List:

1. Come Around 2. Blind To You 3. Defend Your Own     4. Tomorrow's Another Day 5. Mamacita 6. Wild Out 7. Lonely

8. What A Feeling 9. Movin' On 10. Sensimillia 11. Let Me Know 12. My Everything 13. Love Deh

Album Review Score: A-

"Shy Guy" by Diana King

When this song invaded the airways it was 1995, people had a right to complain if gas was over $1 (US) per gallon, the US wasn't the only country NOT using the metric system, Will Smith was still the goofy Fresh Price of Bel-Air, "shy guys" could easily get visas and the most people thought the interment was used to catch fish.

Heathen Riddim - Review

The Heathen Riddim is here. VP and Big Yard have put together a nice mix but there is only 11 tracks on this album. If you have seen the video for Shaggy’s "Church Heathen" it should be no shock to see that's the biggest track on the album . Anyone who has been to church can relate to the lyrics. Its like a tell all gossip call turned into a song. It’s a big tune. The Pastor by Ninja Man sounds like an exact copy of Shaggy’s but there will be not finger pointing. It’s unclear which artist produced the track first but, most likely it is Shaggy because the riddim is named for his track.

Lef Dem to Time by Elephant man and Jigsy is very funny. Elephant Man is a true joker. Hate him or love him, he is entertaining. Love Machine by Rik Rok and Screechie Dan, as well as The Gospel by Shelly Thunder are nice little surprises. It’s unlikely that these will make it to the radio or club any time soon but both make great use of the riddim and hold their own with the usual suspects on the Riddim Driven albums. Red Fox’s Bangin’ Tree has a great chorus but the rest of the song is average. In summary, the Heathen is a great riddim but it’s a shame there wasn’t 3 or 4 more tracks.

1 CHURCH HEATHEN- SHAGGY
2 THE PASTOR- NINJA MAN
3 LEF DEM TO TIME- ELEPHANT MAN FEAT. JIGSY
4 BANGIN' TREE- RED FOX
5 LOVE MACHINE- RIK ROK & SCREECHIE DAN
6 JUVENILE- KY-ENIE
7 BOOMERANG NANNY- RAYVON
8 CAAN FOOL GAL NO MORE- GOLDENCHYL
9 THE GOSPEL- SHELLY THUNDER
10 IN DA CLUB- D'LYNX
11 GAL ALONE- WAYNE FIRE

Riddim Review Score: B

Voicemail Concet - Review

Voicemail’s performance was good but they were capable of doing better. They were running high of their album release “Hey”, which had just went gold in Japan. It was also doing very well in the States and around the world. Unfortunately for them, their performance was a surprise appearance in a concert that featured Sugarcolt, Latoya Luckett, some minor acts and Ludacris as the main performer. The Caribbeans in the audience were all going wild when they hit the stage however, as the minorities in a mixed crowd, the reggae lovers were clearly outnumbered .

Voicemail performed very well but didn’t do a very good job of winning the crowd over. It was very hard for them considering 3/4 of the audience didn’t understand them or knew their songs. Nonetheless, the show went on. The guys did a great job with their hits such as “Wacky Dip” and “Crazy” but struggled with songs that most of the crowd did not know. Given the circumstances, the did very well. If they reenacted the same performance in front on Memorial Day in Miami or Labor Day in Brooklyn it would have been a different story.

Concert Review:

Vocals: Stage Presence: Work the Crowd:

B+ B+ C+

Elephant Man Concert - Review

Many times fans are disappointed that their favorite artists sound nothing like they did on their CDs. This is true with Elephant Man... he is 10x BETTER in concert than he is on his CDs. They call him the energy god for a reason.The amount of energy the he puts into his performance has no match. His entrance was wild and exciting. As soon as he came out the crowd went wild. His performance is like a raw and uncut selector mix. He did old hits, new hits and future hits. His selector was blending songs and riddims while Eley was doing the same with his lyrics. The two of them were on the same page and in sync. It was amazing because the man was on top of the speakers, leaning over into the crowd, running around, dancing and not missing a beat in the songs. There were almost no pauses for the 40 minutes or so that he was on stage. When it seemed he had burned out and was calming down, he took a sip of water and started up again.

The crows fed off his energy and had to dance the entire time he was on stage. From wall to wall, everyone was battling, showing off their moves and having a great time.

Of any performer Elephant Man might be the king of the stage. Including rap, R&B, rock and all, he is on his own level. Many said they would buy another ticket to see him do it all again that same night.

Concert Review:

Vocals: Stage Presence: Work the Crowd:

A+ A+ A+

Collie Buddz Concert - Review

Regardless of the speculation about his accent being fake, the man has good music. Anyone who says anything less is lying. His stage presence is decent for a new artist. The crowd was very rowdy and only wanted to hear “Come Around” so he had to win them over the old fashion way. Although many most of his songs are better than "Come Around", people were unenthusiastic because they did not want to hear his unreleased tracks. He shocked the crowd when he performed “Tomorrows Another Day” and slowly began to win the over. Even the toughest critics began rocking with the riddim and got into the song. The audience enjoyed “Mamacita” but, he shocked many when he dropped a monster tune over the “Sidewalk University Riddim”.

On stage Collie seems like an unpolished Sean Paul. Not because, they are both light (well Collie is white …but you know), the way they act and move resemble each other. Also the energy they put into their music is similar. Just like Sean Paul, Collie admitted that he had "two lef’ foot" and that dancing wasn’t his thing. He surely wasn’t the best dancer but there is much worst out there. By the end of his performance he won over most of the crowd and gained their respect. After seeing him live, he silenced pre-concert criticism. Regardless of if his accent is fake or not, Collie is a living example of how big this reggae thing is. It’s reaching new levels.

Concert Review:

Vocals: Stage Presence: Work the Crowd:

B+ B- B

Alison Hinds Concert - Review

 

Alison Hinds is the queen of Soca for a reason. The Bajan beauty is a real diva and star on the stage. Her performance is energetic and fun. After sitting through so-so opening acts, the crowd was very unenthusiastic and growing miserable by the time the Queen hit the stage. Within about 5 seconds of walking out, the mood changed. She gave the crowd a hearty welcome and did a roll call by each country. The crowd ate up every word she had to say and fed off her energy.

Not only did her vocals sound great but she danced great. Anyone who has ever tried singing while dancing knows it is not an easy task. As a bonus she was very funny while on stage. Between songs she interacted with the crowd, told short stories and joke before jumping into her next tune. When the other artists that performed before her paused to talk, the rowdy crowd became unruly and aggressive. When Alison paused to tell a joke or story, everyone wanted to hear it. There wasn’t a boring moment in her performance. She even invited people to the stage to dance with her.

When it seems the concert couldn't be any better she performed "Roll It". The Queen of Soca is well worth the price of admission.

Concert Review:

Vocals: Stage Presence: Work the Crowd:

A+ A+ A+

Full Draw Riddim - Review

The Full Draw Riddim features a steady paced beat that caused you to bop your head. The riddim is titled after TOK’s song “Full Draw”. This song is okay but not the best. There aren’t that many great tracks using this riddim but “Push it Pon Dem” by Mr. Lexx is hot a tune. Anaconda is a funny song about Elephant Man’s “anaconda”. It wont be remembered as the hit of the century but it will give you a good laugh and inspiration for a dance move or too. Mr. Easy has created a nice tune using the riddim.

This riddim would have been better if more singers such as Wayne Wonder appeared on tracks. The beat more suited for a singer then raw dj lyrics. This riddim would be a classic if it was re-realeased with songs from Vegas, Tonto Metro & Devonte and other vocalists. The current combination of the beat did no work very well with the Djs.

1 FULL DRAW - TOK
2 GATHER HERE - IDONIA
3 PUSH IT PON DEM - MR. LEXX
4 GOOD O'OVA BAD O' - BLACK-ER
5 WOMAN A MI SUNSHINE - VYBZ KARTEL
6 ANACONDA - ELEPHANT MAN
7 DEM FI GET - BOUNTY KILLER
8 FIDAT - BLING DAWG FEAT. MACKA DIAMOND
9 WINE ON ME - SANJAY
10 MI LIFE - CHICO
11 AH NO MOVIE DIS - GREG HINES
12 GANGSTER PARTY - RDX
13 FULL DRAW (INSTRUMENTAL)

Riddim Review Score: C+

12 Gauge Riddim - Review

VP Record’s 12 Gauge Riddim features a ruff n tuff party beat. This riddim is titled after Vybz Kartel’s monster tune, 12 guage. As with all the tracks using this riddim, this song is a fast pace tongue twister that will get your blood flowing. A few minutes with the 12 Gauge Riddim and you will be bouncing around and ready for the club…or a fight. Delly Ranks makes two good appearances. His duet with Wayne Wonder is one the best tracks on the album. It is the one of the tracks with a "singer". Of course, Mavado makes an appearance but his track is not his best work. It’s pretty good but it doesn’t compare to Wane Wonder’s track. Although it is not on the official album, Beenie Man has a big tune on using this riddim.

1 EASY NOW - NICKY B
2 WHAT TAKE SOME IDIOT - MR.EASY
3 HOW HIGH - MAVADO
4 FROM DEM DIS - BOUNTY KILLER & IDONIA
5 BADDER THAN WE - DELLY RANKS
6 12 GAUGE - VYBZ KARTEL
7 BULLET - BOUNTY KILLER
8 AMAZING - WAYNE MARSHALL
9 BLACK SKI MASK - FUTURE FAMBO
10 LOSE CONTROL - DELLY RANKS & WAYNE WONDER
11 IN A DE CLUB - CHINO
12 IN DEH - ELEPHANT MAN
13 IN A MY JEANS - HIGH OCTANE
14 12 GAUGE – VERSION

Riddim Review Score: A-

Dreaming Riddim - Review

The Dreaming Riddim features a calm and smooth mix. This riddim features many great tracks that are good for slowing a party down for couples or just relaxing. One of the best tracks is Mavado’s track “Dreaming”. Of late Movado has been releasing some big tunes and this one doesn’t disappoint. This song alone is reason to get this album. Other notable songs are “Lovers Prayer” by Alaine and Bounty Killer’s funny track “The Highest”. Lovers Prayer is a great song that gets better each time its played.

1 Lovers Prayer- Alaine
2 Dreaming- Mavado
3 Gunshot A Beat- Assassin
4 Better Days Coming- Buju Banton
5 When Last Unnu Pray- Vybz Kartel
6 Man a Thug- Busy Gignal
7 The Highest- Bounty Killer
8 Quiet Hero- Mitch
9 Badness Nuh Light- New Kidz
10 Beat It Pon Dem- Bling Dawg
11 Silent Murderer- Wayne Marshall
12 Version

Riddim Review Score: B

Power Cut Riddim - Review

VP Record’s Power Cut Riddim features a fast paced raw beat and a fierce bas line. The artists have produced many smash hits. Although was released with 16 tracks including the instrumental, many artists have made other tracks. For example, Wayne Marshall and Mr. Vegas have recorded great tunes using this riddim. It is hard to pick out one track as a favorite because they are all so good. Almost every tune recorded by artists is gold. Maybe you will want to create your own. You can use the instrumental track to record the next smash hit.

1 TOP SHOTTA NUH MISS- MAVADO
2 CALIBER- EINSTEIN
3 SUNDAY MORNING- FLEX
4 LOUD & CLEAR- ELEPHANT MAN
5 START WAR & DEAD- VYBZ KARTEL
6 DROP BULLET- BOUNTY KILLER
7 TALKIE TALKIE- CRAIG DENNIS
8 NAH STICK- LADY SAW
9 GET IT RIGHT- SEAN PAUL
10 TOP RANKING- CHINO
11 GET HIGH- NIKKI B
12 DEM GYAL YA- KARI JESS
13 LOVE THE GIRLS- NORRIS MAN
14 BUSH CASH- AIDONIA
15 POWER CUT- BUSY SIGNAL
16 POWER CUT- INSTRUMENTAL

Riddim Review Score: A+

Too Bad by Buju Banton - Review

Better late than never but, since press was given to an album released by a record label that had no affiliation with Buju Banton, its only fair to talk about his legitimate album, “Too Bad”. It actually came out back in November of 2006 so, this review is long overdue.

For starters, the 17 track album were released by Bujus’s label Gargamel Music. You might recognize some of the tunes from mixes such as the VP Riddim Driven compilation albums but, there are a lot of exclusive songs to this album. For example, “Me & Oona” is on the Wipeout Riddim album but, you shouldn't mind because the Wipeout Riddim didn’t have many hits on it besides the Buju’s song. Also, you may recognize “Better Days” and “Go Slow”.

The raw and ruckus rhymes you expect from Buju with some hot beats make it a hit. There is only one guest appearance which is by Pinchers in track 16 but Buju caries the album on his own well. Overall, Too Bad is a very good album. At first listen it seems average but, when it comes time to choose the best song, the decision is tough because several are very good. The better songs are “Nothing”, “Too Bad”, “Me & Oona”, “Hey Boy” and the “Fast Lane”. “Nothing” has a tuff beat, good lyrics and is a catchy party song.  “Too Bad” is a funny story of him running wild with ladies. It made me laugh when I first heard it. You might catch a heart attack trying to dance to “Me & Oona” but it’s a fun song. “Hey Boy” is like a throw back, to the 90s. It’s like a new classic. “The Fast Lane” is a slow tempo song about life and the times. When you listen to what he went through during his life. As you get ready to say “bwoy, that’s bad” his next line is worst than the one before.  If he can make it, we all can.

Track List:

1.Your Night Tonight    2. Try Offa Ya 3. Nothing       4. Too Bad 5. Waistline 6. Jig 7. Me & Oona 8. 'Til It Bend 9. Hey Boy

10. Go Slow 11. Driver A 12. Girl U Know 13. Lonely Night 14. Who Have It 15. Better Day Coming 16. Don & Dupes - (with Pinchers) 17. Fast Lane

*Album Review Score: B+

Buju Banton Exploited

Other than reggae, there is no where else in the music world that you would hear of a record label producing an album without an artist’s consent or knowledge. In April of 2006, Big Cat Records released Toppa Di Top – Dirty Rhythms by Buju Banton. The funny thing is that there was no contract with Buju. Big Cat and Buju were in talks about 5 years before the release of Toppa Di Top but nothing was ever set in stone. They had a collection of tunes that Buju had recorded at least 5 years ago but had never officially released. In an attempt to exploit Buju’s name they compiled the song and released as a new album by Buju.

Labels could get away with thing like this back in the day when they exploited Bob Marley’s work but it can’t be done today. With access to the internet, cell phones and all that... word spread fast. What gets me though is how they had the nerve to list Buju as one of their artists on the Big Cat website. If that isn’t BOLD…then what is?

When word got to Buju’s label, Gargamel Music about the release they began to negotiate with Big Cat but nonetheless they released the album without coming to an agreement. After hearing this Buju Banton fans and supports began to make noise. Until the lawsuit is settled, real reggae fans should NOT purchase this album because Buju and the other artists on the album will not receive any money whatsoever for their work. All the money will go directly to Big Cat.

Its funny because when I went to buy, Buju’s album “Too Bad”, I saw Toppa Di Top on the shelf and was shocked that I never heard of it and it was released recently. Then, after picking it up I realized how unofficial it seemed. Many CDs for sale on the street have better quality prints.

Riddims

Hopefully, everyone knows what a riddim is. If not, riddim is patois for rhythm. Although riddims are created by many producers and released by several labels, VP's line of compilation albums has become the definition of riddim. These albums have many tracks featuring a certain rhythm / beat. Several artists are given the opportunity to create a hit using the riddim. Several riddims have seen mainstream sucess in songs such such as Lumidee’s “Never Leave”, Sean Paul’s “Temperature” and many more big hits. VP comes out with several each year. They can be purchased at various stores and online at www.VPrecords.com. Here is a list of Riddims I came across:

• 2007
"Pepper Spray", "Z-March", "Gangsta Sittn", "Dreaming", "Mad Thing", "Drumline", "Heathen", "3 Star ", "Battlefield (Scatta Version)", "Battlefield", "Bright Beam", "Bullet", "Gardener", "Canary Diamonds", "Raging Bull", "Guardian Angel", "Serengeti", "Untouchable", "Spain Town", "Takeover", "Pimp Juice", "Mouth Badman", "Bellevue", "Cheerful"Clapz Riddim,Stock Track Riddim

• 2006
"Bullet Proof Vest", "Poison Gas", "Show Off", "Loud Disturbance", "Mad Indian", "Ridin' Dirty", "Power Cut", "Stick It Up", "Hot Wuk", "Quick Draw", "Top Class Bullet", "Ghetto Whiskey", "Sidewalk University", "Inspector", "Dem time Deh", "Wipe Out" (based on the surf music classic "Wipe Out" by The Surfaris), "High Altitude", "Sweat", "Smash", "Gangsta Rock", "Hard Slam", "Gully Slime", "Stage Show", "Baddis Ting", "World Cup", "Bulletproof Vest", "Cashley", "Limbo", "Full Draw", "Breaking News", "Cross Breed", "Bill Back", "Redbull & Guinness", "After Dark", "Higher Octane", "Eighty Five", "Supernatural", "XXL", "Yardstep", "Womba", "War Time", "Warzone", "Wildfire", "Tyrant", "Tropical Storm", "Solution"

• 2005
"12 Gauge", "Seasons", "Jonkanoo", "Sweet Sop", "Applause", "Cry Baby", "Bubble Up", "State Of Emergency", "Global", "Strivers", "Bionic Ras", "Lion Paw", "Istanbul", "Ganja Farmer", "Rose Apple", "Bounce", "Ice Breaka", "Yellow Tape", "World Jam" (it actually is an old riddim from the 80s but it was brought back by Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley with his hit song "Welcome to Jamrock") , "Throwback Giggy", "Jump Off", "Siren", "X-Factor", "Sleepy Dog", "Tsunami"

• 2004
"Mad Instruments", "Hot Gyal", "Hard Times", "Rah Rah", "Clear", "Chakka Chakka", "Kopa", "Father Jungle Rock", "Stepz", "Dancehall Rock", "Scoobay", "Military", "Check It Back", "Tunda Clap", "Strip Tease", "Drop Leaf", "Seasons", "Bad Gal", "Gallop", "Double Barrel", "French Vanilla", "Summer Bounce", "Sunshine"

• 2003
"Lime Key", "Ching Chong", "Hindu Storm", "Panty Raid", "Dreamweaver", "Masterpiece", "Clappas", "Krazy", "C-4", "Egyptian", "Good To Go", "Coolie Dance", "Salsa", "Scream", "Forensic", "All Out", "Sexy Lady Explosion"

• 2002
"Diwali", "Mad Ants", "Bad Kalic", "Mexican", "Bollywood", "Engine", "Hard Drive", "Rematch", "Tabla", "Thai Chi", "The Violin", "Time Bomb", "Wash Out", "White Liva", "Zero Tolerance", "Famine", "Battery", "Liquid"

• 2001
"Unstoppable", "Top-A-Top", "The Rock", "The Buzz", "Run", "Rice And Peas", "Mento", "Martial Arts", "Itch", "Hennessey", "Heavyweight", "Glue", "Fire Glare", "Fiesta", "Energy", "Dun Dem", "Candle Wax"

• 2000
"Lightning", "Yard Bounce", "Virus", "Quban", "Blazing", "Advice", "F-150", "Heat Wave", "G-Spot", "Joker", "Volume", "Orgasm", "Chiney Gal", "Full Moon", "Hurricane", "You Should Have Known", "Tixx", "Bad Weather", "Filthy"

• 1999
"All Purpose", "Bada Bada", "Street Sweeper", "Grass Cyaat", "Sail Away", "Unda Wata", "Bellyass", "Bug/Clone", "Bitter Blood", "Haunted"

VP Records

VP Records is the most known reggae record label. It is best known for its Riddim compilation albums, Reggae & Soca Gold and as the home of Sean Paul. The label was founded in 1979 and named VP for its its founders Vincent & Patricia Chin. As seen in the film Rockers, the late Vincent 'Randy' Chin, a Chinese Jamaican owned Randy’s Records in Kingston, Jamaica.

After moving to Jamaica, Queens in New York City, Randy began selling reggae and ska records from a small store. The stores success grew and VP began to establish itself as an independent record label for reggae and dancehall artists.

VP was a household name in the Caribbean community but did not receive worldwide recognition until Sean Paul broke through with a record for Warner Music's Atlantic Records in 2002. The label is now run by Mr. Chin's sons Randy and Christopher. A few of their artists are Tony Matterhorn Sean Paul, Freddie McGregor, Beres Hammond, Beenie Man, Capleton, Lady Saw, Wayne Wonder, TOK, Morgan Heritage, J.C. Lodge, Singing Melody, Tanya Stephens, Luciano, Sanchez, Baby Cham and Garnett Silk.

For more information please visit VPrecords.com and VPreggae.com

Top 5 Mainstream Dancehall Artists (Djs)

1. Sean Paul
2. Shabba Ranks
3. Shaggy
4. Beenie Man
5. Bounty Killer

There has been long dispute over whether the King of Dancehall title belong to Beenie Man or Bounty Killer. Unfortunately the fact that Beenie has been around since he was 7 years old and the fact that the Warlord is the equivalent of the Jamaican Tupac plays no effect here.

Although in normal context placing Sean Paul as #1 is ground to be beat down in the streets, it is appropriate here. If you travel around the world and ask 100 people to name a reggae / dancehall artist, I would imagine at least 80 would name Sean Paul first. When he released Gimme the Light, it was like dropping a dancehall atomic bomb. Since releasing several singles from Dutty Rock then The Trinity the man has been everywhere. People who can’t name 2 Caribbean countries can recite his lyrics when his songs play on the radio. More importantly, since the release of Dutty Rock, the music giants have been more open to signing reggae artists and releasing their albums.

In 2nd place is Mr. Lova Man himself. . . Shabba! Respect has to be given to Shabba because he has timeless classics like Ting A Ling and he can still hop on a track like the Soul Survivor remix (Pun), with Akon and tear it up. When that song plays everyone eagerly wait for “Shot a fiya, fiya pon informa”. He made a statement on that track. When I first can to the states in 1990 something, Shabba was everywhere so its nice to see that he can still produce a hit. He is one of the first DJs to have major international success.

3rd place goes to the man who gave millions of men around the world the answer to every accusation. . . “It wasn’t me”. Shaggy’s Top Shot album is one of the highest selling reggae albums of all time. Shaggy can arguably be #1. According to several sources Top Shot is certified diamond (having sold more that 10 million copies). That is an amazing accomplishment for any artist but is unreal in the reggae world. Without a doubt he opened the door for artist such as Sean Paul to be mainstream.

Artists come and go but Beenie has stood the test of time. The man albums than most artists have songs. After all that material, he still manages to come out with hits. Duets wit mainstream artists such as Mya, Janet Jackson and Akon can easily have him ranked much hight however, the #4 spot belong to him because his name does not roll as freely off the tongues of foreigners as does Sean Paul or Shaggy.

Rounding out the top 5 is Bounty Killer. He lives and breathes the streets and has a strong following in the dancehall world but has not seem much mainstream success. His collaboration with No Doubt titled “Hey Baby” was a major hit. It flooded the airways, was the them song for the NBA playoffs and has been remixed several time.

*Honorable mentions goes to Elephant Man, T.O.K, Buju Banton and Lady Saw, Baby Cham and Voicemail. Voicemail has be extremely successful in Japan.