VP Records News Roundup

AN INTIMATE CONVERSATION AND PERFORMANCE BY ESTELLE AT THE GRAMMY MUSEUM, DECEMBER 3RD- THE DROP: ESTELLE PRESENTED BY AMERICAN EXPRESS

To celebrate the release of her latest album Lovers Rock, the GRAMMY Museum will welcome multi platinum GRAMMY Award-winning UK singer, songwriter, actress, and humanitarian Estelle to the Clive Davis Theater for an intimate conversation and performance moderated by GRAMMY Museum Artistic Director Scott Goldman, Monday December 3rd at 7:30pm. (tickets at link below)

Lovers Rock is Estelle’s most personal album to date, as it is not only a retelling of her parents’ love story, but also her centering in on her West Indian roots with a full-fledged reggae album, with touches of Afro-beats, dancehall and Soca. Lovers Rock represents a full circle moment for Estelle.

On the heels of her acclaimed 2004 debut The 18th Day, she soared to international prominence on 2008’s Shine. The lead single, “American Boy” featuring Kanye West, won a 2009 GRAMMY for “Best Rap Sung Collaboration” and achieved an RIAA double-platinum certification. She released the follow-up All Of Me in 2012, and the single “Thank You” received a GRAMMY nomination for “Best R&B Performance.”

2015’s True Romance yielded the smash “Conqueror.” Guest starring in a popular episode of Empire in Season One, she joined star Jussie Smollett for a duet of the tune. It stood out as “one of the show’s highest-charting songs” and fueled the Original Soundtrack to a #1 bow on the Billboard Top 200. Beyond Empire, she has cameoed in films such as Girls Trip and voiced lead character Garnet on Cartoon Network’s smash Steven Universe since 2013.

Purchase tickets and see more here:

https://www.grammymuseum.org/events/detail/estelle

For press passes, please reply to this email.

TARRUS RILEY’S “GUESS WHO” OUT THIS FRIDAY REMAKE OF BLACK UHURU FAMOUS HIT “GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER”

Reggae crooner, Tarrus Riley, also known as “Singy Singy” is back with his new single “Guess Who”. Out this Friday, November 30th, the single features Mykal Rose of the Reggae group Black Uhuru whom originally released their hit “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” in 1979 titled after the famous 1967 movie with Sidney Pottier.

The re-imagined version by Tarrus Riley brings a fresh modern twist to the classic song, “Roots with a little pepper,” Tarrus says about the single. The video has premiered today on Tarrus Riley’s YouTube channel. The single will be available for streaming and download on November 30th and is the first from his upcoming album slated for release on VP Records in 2019.

Produced by Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, Shane Brown and Dean Fraser, the remake comes at a time when Youth are taking a stance on political and socio-economical issues more than ever. “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” in short “Guess Who” is a simple way of stating that one is “coming for their food” as Tarrus chants throughout the song. The single seamlessly bridges the gap between traditional conscious roots music with a bouncy dancehall riddim and swagger. “It’s like Kendrick Lamar, and J.Cole,” says Tarrus. “They give you conscious music, but they give it to you with style.”

The stunning visual for the song, directed by ID studios, brings the songs energy to life with colorful and vibrant shots of local people coupled with scenes of Tarrus and Mykal vibing on a rooftop, in the streets and at a bashment party. On the video shoot, Mykal Rose states, “The atmosphere was proper. We actually woke up early to catch the sun. We know the history of the location and it was just a good energy.”

The original song “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” by Black Uhuru was a major hit and caught the attention of many. The band gained so much traction that they were the winners of the first ever reggae Grammy award with Best Reggae Album in 1985. They then went on to sell thousands of albums and earning additional Grammy nominations in 1994 and 1995. Mykal Rose was happy to jump on Tarrus Riley’s remake as he states “I wouldn’t say it’s a sample, it’s an example. Everything just manifests”

Tarrus Riley agrees with those sentiments stating “There’s people who like roots reggae, so right away it’s a win. There are people who like new reggae, right away they win because of the style. There are people who like Tarrus Riley, it’s a win. Then there are those people who don’t like Tarrus Riley, but like Roots music, it’s a win.”

Tarrus also plans to bring this new single and more on the road. “We just want people to have a good time and that why I’m always on the road so much. When we’re in front of the fans it shows them that the artist is a fan of you as well and that is a part of my success story,” Tarrus concluded.

See more here: https://www.vprecords.com/tarrus-rileys-guess-who-out-this-friday-remake-of-black-uhuru-famous-hit-guess-whos-coming-to-dinner/

JAH9 NEW SINGLE “HEAVEN” (READY FI DI FEELING) OUT NOVEMBER 30TH- TONIGHT MARKS LAST NIGHT OF HER FIRST UK TOUR

Jah9’s new single “Heaven” (Ready fi Di Feeling) is out this Friday, November 30th on VP Records. During the last stop of her first ever UK tour, the reggae songstress will be performing in Brighton tonight. The 6-date tour also included stops in Bedford, London, Manchester, Leeds and Norwich. This followed an extensive US tour which included a unique combination of her music performance along with her signature Yoga on Dub class.

On the new single, Jah9 states “Heaven is your highest joy.” “To the yogi, the highest joy is transcending the flesh and being one with God. Really and truly I believe everyone wants that, but everyone doesn’t call it that.”

Jah9 is a certified Kemetic Yoga instructor and advocate for overall wellness. Her music is laced with powerful messages that enlighten listeners on healthy living. Her healthy living anthem “Feel Good” was the lead single from her “Feelings” EP released earlier this year. The single will be featured on VP Records upcoming “Strictly the Best Vol. 58” which comes out January 2019.

“‘Heaven’ is a seamless blend of old and new, exhibiting the timeless nature of Jah9’s musical quality and message,” said reggae music and roots culture website, Rootfire.

See more here: https://www.vprecords.com/jah9-new-single-heaven-ready-fi-di-feeling-out-november-30th-tonight-marks-last-night-of-her-first-uk-tour/

STEP FORWARD YOUTH OUT TOMORROW NOVEMBER 30TH- 36-TRACK COLLECTION FEATURING LEE PERRY, GREGORY ISAACS, AUGUSTUS PABLO, DENNIS BROWN AND MORE

1976 saw the explosion of punk rock and its unlikely championing of roots reggae in what would become a lasting counter-cultural union.

Step Forward Youth provides a detailed study of reggae in the UK in the late 1970s via a 36-track collection of essential recordings that helped forge an alliance between the worlds of reggae, punk, and post-punk. This Greensleeves Records compilation, available November 30, 2018, includes both hit Jamaican reggae originals such as Culture’s “Two Sevens Clash” and British reggae recordings such as Steel Pulse’s powerful “Ku Klux Klan,” as well as obscure roots reggae heat from the Barry Ford Band with “Rebel,” providing a musical soundtrack for a key moment in pop culture history.

Other artists featured include Lee Perry, Gregory Isaacs, Augustus Pablo, Dennis Brown, Michael Rose, and Aswad. The featured recordings made their mark through various channels (clubs, soundsystems, radio, and record shops) and were championed by punk tastemakers at the time. Michael Rose’s original cut of “Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner” predates the well known track by Black Uhuru by several years. The latter was recently sampled and remade by Tarrus Riley as “Guess Who.”

The extensive 4,500-word liner notes by Noel Hawks contextualize the origins of the punky reggae phenomenon by exploring social, cultural, and economic factors and explains how popular music changed as a result.

Available from Greensleeves Records on CD, audiophile quality, UK-pressed vinyl, digital downloads, and all streaming platforms.

https://open.spotify.com/user/greensleevesrecords?si=rAnEJka3Ra6Q27Xxz9oFUw

NEW YORK RESIDENTS, CHECK OUT PATRICIA CHIN ON “HER BIG IDEA” ON NYC TV MONDAY DECEMBER 3RD AT 8:30PM!

Through hard work, creativity & support of New York City, the Made in NY company flourished in NYC!

Watch their show, “Her Big Idea”, a program showcasing inspiring profiles of NYC women entrepreneurs,on December 3rd at 8:30pm as VP Records founder Miss Pat tells her story on the founding of VP Records.

For more information, please visit:https://on.nyc.gov/2DbwnaS