Joel Chin Shot Dead In Jamaica

[Assasin]

yeah still in Freeport. Spoke to him recently. Still doing his thing

[Bricktop]

Let's say you are a local producer and you voice a VP artist...the song becomes a smash hit worldwide and you feel seh yuh buss and gonna be rich...well in comes VP to tell you sorry but it's our artist so we own the song...

[Assasin]

a lot more complicated than that. Sometimes people sign away there life, sometimes people expect too much, sometimes they don't count the promo, video, downpayment plus nufff a the artists etc give away their thing for appearance fee, and sometimes the big label rip you off too.

[Bricktop]

That is normal practice...what isn't normal is the crackdown on voicing VP artists...look at the Matrimoney Medley Video...notice there is no Assassin or Gyptian in it? As a producer you cannot release a tune with a VP artist unless you sign a production deal with VP...

[Mosiah]

well, don't they know the "rules"? who made these rules?

[Islandman]

Babylon, last I heard.

[Bricktop]

This all came about because of itunes & digital distribution...VP had reggae distribution locked before the internet...new game...new rules...

[Assasin]

A little bit of this use to go between VP and Greensleeves but when VP bought out Greensleeves they had it locked plus things got tighter when VP contracted for 100 million with the big American label.

[Assasin]

mi a call a brethren fi find out what happen but can't get him at all.

[Reggaedoc]

Sad indeed, but I often wondered how something like this never happened before now. I remember back in the early days of VP, when I used to be involved in the music business, going to their place of operation on Jamaica Ave, in southeast Queens, New York, and noticing the extensive duplication of music taking place upstairs, which to this day I knew was illegal. This greedy behaviour lead to the economic demise of many, simply honest, hard working artistes, while Vince and his clan basically ripped these guys off, and amassed considerable wealth. Quite frankly, I always thought it was only a matter of time before something like this would take place. Sad indeed, because on other levels they are nice people, but every day you carry bucket to a well, one day the bottom will fall out. Lets hope it's not true.

[Mosiah]

my one time in that store was not a pleasant experience. some supervisor or whatever she was saw some people entering the store close to closing. she proceeded to trace them off. luckily, they ignored her, entered the store and looked for what they wanted. all now di lady still a cuss!

i never went back.

[Reggaedoc]

Yeh. My experience with them goes back way in the days when they were only a small outfit, only selling records, you know your basic New York, West Indian record store.