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🇯🇲Practice Phile🇯🇲

Same I Ah One - EP

When Jah Arise

Let us celebrate the life of "The Crown Prince of Reggae", Dennis Brown.  Considered the archetype of reggae vocalists, his unique, soulful sound earned him legions of fans during his lifetime including Bob Marley, who rated Dennis Brown as his favorite singer. Since the beginning of his career up until his passing in July of 1999, his songs have continued to resound in the hearts of people worldwide, strengthening his legacy for the ages.  Long live the legend. 

Download the Reggae Anthology: Dennis Brown: Crown Prince of Reggae: smarturl.it/DennisBrownRA

Visions Of Dennis Brown

Dennis Brown - Milk And Honey

10 - Lloyd Parks - Officially

Buy on Bandcamp

Tambour Trinité - Magigador

Reggae Anthology: Dennis Brown - Crown Prince of Reggae - Singles

Ghetto Girl

It's Growing

Come To Me

Gunman

Til Shiloh

Untold Stories

Original "Studio1" track played by "STURGAV"

Trodding Carlton Livingston

Black Woman

John Holt Selects Reggae

Up Park Camp

After making his mark as lead singer with popular vocal trio, the Versatiles, Keith ‘Junior’ Byles embarked on a hugely successful solo career, writing and recording a series of hugely succeesful songs, which included ‘Beat Down Babylon’, ‘Da Da’, ‘A Place Called Africa’, ‘Curly Locks’ and ‘Fade Away’. But as the 1970s progressed, health problems increasingly affected his career and by the eighties he had all but withdrawn from the music business.

Earl "Chinna" Smith was only 19 in 1974 when he wrote and produced Fade Away, which is inspired by a line from Psalms 18. The song was recorded at Channel One with Theophilus "Snapping" Beckford on piano, Carlton "Santa" Davis on drums and George "Fuilly" Fullwood playing bass.

By 1975, Byles' health had begun to decline. Suffering from depression, he was deeply affected by the death of Haile Selassie, unable to reconcile this with his belief in Selassie's divinity, and attempted suicide.  He was admitted to Bellevue Hospital, after which his health continued to decline. Although he had regular spells in the hospital, he continued to record, reworking "King of Babylon" for Winston Holness, working again with Campbell, and recording a cover of The Archies' "Sugar Sugar" with Big Youth. By the end of 1976, he had all but vanished from the music scene, with a comeback attempted in 1978, recording two singles for Joe Gibbs. It was clear that he was still not well, however, and it would be 1982 before he re-emerged, working with New York City label Wackie's. Progress on a planned new album was slow, and Byles was beset by tragedy when his mother died, and he lost his home in a fire. His wife and children also emigrated to the United States, and aside from a few singles, Byles would release nothing until 1986's Rasta No Pickpocket album. The album did not, however, see a long-lived upturn in Byles' fortunes, and by the following year, he was living on the street, scavenging for food in dumpsters, and begging from passers-by. Although rumors of his death have been circulating it appears he is still alive and living in Jamaica.

Junior Byles- Fade Away

To celebrate the digital release of the Down In Jamaica: 40 Years Of VP Records collection on streaming platforms (December 6, 2019), we highlight Michael Prophet's 1981 classic, "Gun Man" aka "Gunman." 

"Gunman" is an enduring foundation dancehall rhythm, spawning more than 70 versions through the years. Most recently it was a partial inspiration for the "Rock And Groove" riddim from Protoje's Indiggnation Collective, featuring Naomi Cowan, Lila Ike, Sevana, and Jaz Elise.

Michael Prophet's self titled album was released first on Greensleeves (GREL 27) in 1981 then on VP as Gun Man (VPRL 27) in 1983. This was during the period that some Greensleeves and VP catalog numbers were coordinated.

VP released the 12 inch single of "Gun Man" in 1981 (VPRD 80), both in the US and Jamaica.

Producer Henry Junjo Lawes had a long and fruitful relationship with both VP Records and Greensleeves Records, coordinating dozens of releases between the two labels during his peak years of 1979-1984. His prolific output is a key to understanding reggae, dancehall, and dub in the early 1980s.

Down In Jamaica - 40 Years Of VP Records

Gunman - Michael Prophet (Down In Jamaica box set)

Slime & B

Go Crazy

FIXTAPE

UNDA DIRT (feat. Masicka & Tommy Lee)

Specializing in Ska, Rock Steady, Roots Reggae, Dub, Digital Roots & Dancehall Music.

Junior Byles- Fade Away

DJ Walka

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