June | 2017 | bundiblog.com Blog

THE EXCLUSIVE WITH PATRICIA CHIN

photo credit: VP Records

Written By Editor: C. Harrison/6/12/2017/ 5:51PM modified 4/4/2017,

New York, NY…Patricia Chin, was recently given the Caribbean American Legacy Award June 2, 2017, presented to her by the Queens Tribune News Paper, for National Caribbean -American Heritage Month. The 80 year-old, is a monarch in the VP Records Family. She is a stalwart and patriarch in her community, a gigantic leader in business to the Island of Jamaica and is respected globally for being the largest distributor of Reggae Music. She sits at the helm of VP Records Group and its Label, a respected and established Reggae Music Label empire that is seen as the hub for the distribution of Reggae, Soca and other music genres. Patricia Chin, is quiet yet a stern and savvy business woman who came from humble beginnings.

Pat Chin, as most people call her started her journey as a simple dressmaker, at the age of 12. Later, she attended College, at the University of the West Indies–where she was studying to become a nurse and it was there at age 18, she got pregnant with her first child Chris Chin, and got married by March 14th 1958. In the intrim of the following Patricia and her husband had been working with Ronald Chin, selling used records on East St. in Kingston, in 1957.

The real venture and solid business opportunity for the Chins came in the ladder portion of 1958, when they entered into business for themselves. Patricia and her husband moved to 17 North Parade St. and rented a portion of an existing restaurant and started Randy’s Records ..By 1962 Patricia Chin would be blessed with a second child, Vincent “Randy” Chin, there until 1967 the Chins with the help of Patricia’s father and money from the retail record store business purchase 17 North Parade Street and build studio 17 upstairs. By 1969 Patricia Chin and her family proved that they had the formula to build success…they also purchase 18 North Parade Building and expanded their studio. At this time Keith Chin came to live with them-Vincent’s brother…who produced many hit labels at that studio including a Label called Impact.

Venturing out , on a groundbreaking move in 1977s, Vincent, Chris, & Clive Chin, would moved to the United states. Here, the Chins made the move to New York City, Brooklyn, where they work at a record store called VP Records Mart…selling and distributing records. once again proving to harvesting success. At this juncture of success, by 1978, Patricia Chin, who was still running the business in Jamaica made her move to the United States, joining her family;–from here the duo Patricia and Vincent, surged forward seeking new adventures in business which didn’t take long time because by 1979, Mrs. Pat and her husband rented a small store at 170-03 Jamaica Ave, Queens New York. Patricia also has a daughter Angela Chun

There for one year, they would get yet another good fortune, in 1980 they secured and bought the building at 170-21 Jamaica Ave, Queens New York, today VP Records, the flourishing retail store. Proving fruitful and reaching more success Patricia and her husband would made one more purchase in Queen, by 1991, VP Records bought the building at 89-05 138 Street. There after Chris would reconstruct the business.

Steadfastly-moving forward in Queens, by 1993, and because of the success at the retail store on Jamaica Ave, VP Records became incorporated;-It was now called the VP Records Label,The Label have called Queens homestead todate. The VP, in VP Records Label, derived from the Chins first names. The VP Record Label, going forth was history in the making. And on an overall level the Chins have been in business 60-years, VP Records Group 38-years and the newly formed VP Record Label has been in service for 24-years.

photo credit: C. Harrison

The following is the intricate of the festivals with my interviews

According to Patricia Chin, the implementing of a Jerk Festival, at the Roy Wilkins Park venue, Queens New York , spread from Florida now reaching the shores of Washington D.C, was the idea of Grace Kennedy LTD and partners wanting a partner to do the festival here in New York, It worked out well for us.

“In 2016, we VP Records Group, wanted to do the festival in Washington DC, where people were asking us to come. We did and it turned out to be very successful.” “Food and music goes together and being around family and children makes sense, so put together its common sense,” noted Mrs. Pat.

Marketing Coordinator for Grace Kennedy LTD, Eddy Edwards, when interview May 23, bolstered Mrs. Pat’s sentiments regarding the formation and vision of the Festival. He said, “For us it was a natural fit.” “We wanted a partner and we learned that VP Records had an interest in doing the event.”

“We saw it as a natural match in food and music.” “It’s natural that two separate entities would work together to produce this festival and working with VP proved to be good experience. I look forward to a long and prosperous relationship,” Edwards stated.

Additionally, on what VP did right or wrong over the years Pat Chin voiced the following: “What we have done right is to make Jerk Fest, stay a family Fun Day.” “The Caribbean like festivals so we try to make it as safe as possible. We have cultural settings, family fun things, like food, Soca, Gospel, Reggae, Oldies Reggae, Lovers Rock and R&Bs. We also try to make it like the Islands. We carry New York, NY, Queens, Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island and New Jersey.”

“What we have gotten wrong we have corrected. We had a back log on the web portion of building up the brand in the first year and now we have since corrected it. We have also improved how the entrance of the venue is entered. And we have limited the numbers of vendors. Now we only carry 35 vendors and class Jerk Fest, as an established brand,” articulated Mrs. Chin.

Moreover, the very humble yet shrewdly incline businesswoman, when asked what was the biggest significance for putting on Jerk Festivals in 3 different states, she noted again, we get request from people wanting us to do Jerk festivals. Again, we keep it safe and tight and it’s a brand and family day. She noted that for example , “the DC addition, was kept on the road on Pennsylvania Ave, in Washington D.C. between 12th and 14th Street, NW Washington. It was roped off and the Washington establishment came out and supported us big time.” We literally got Nine Thousand people to come out, the Washington community got to come together and enjoy the day. They got to enjoy Caribbean food, music and culture. All the staffs and vendors enjoyed it and looked forward to it again,” she explained. Noting here that the 2017, Washington D. C. Jerk festival , was a total success

In spite of selling off its British counterpart, VP Records, according to Mrs. Pat, is the same everywhere. She referenced the fact that 80% of the company is the same and 20% is new via the festivals and vendors. “We promote as well as the vendors promote.” “All of the vendors are getting what they are putting into it. We want them to also be successful. As far as getting permits it gets easier.”

In addition, and to gain more insight of the day to day intricates of the festivals, I further collaborated with Richard Lue, VP’s Marketing Manager, in an interview on May 27, where he explained the essence of how and the day to day necessities of putting on some of the biggest festivals in the north east.

According to Mr. Lue, “Usually we start one year to six months in advance to prepare before the shows, by reaching out to vendors first. For example, for the DC leg, we began to prepare one year in advance because after the show last year I found that we were on the street so, this year, we reached out to a different venue and we got the RFK Stadium.

“Six months out we do the paper work. Then three months out we reach out to the vendors enticing them with better packages. Two months in we bring in the street teams to push the promotions and step up our marketing, ” said Lue.

“Thereafter, we launch the press conferences and 2 to 3 weeks before the shows we push the radio and television ads.” “Our social media face book, as really played a gig part…its over 35 thousand followers. And two weeks before the shows we ask everyone involve to sign all contracts including insurance contracts,” Lue said.

Furthermore, and significantly Lue also articulated that 2 to 3 weeks before any of their shows are held, is when most of the tickets get purchase and on the last day to showcase the shows. On explaining the DC-leg more in details he said they would start that Wednesday to build the stage and venue finishing up the Friday. On the NY- leg, the set via stage is build that Friday Morning leading into the weekend of the show. “It takes 150 to 200 people to run the festival,” finish Lue.

Once again, talking with Mrs. Pat, she confer with her marketing Mgr and added that there will also be radio people who will go to the vendors places of service and do in-house promos, as well as live broadcasts. VP she communicates, also collaborates with other promoters and productions, including the Door Restaurant, Irie Jam Radio, Ras Clem Radio and others. We basically reach out to everyone,” said Mrs. Chin.

Furthermore, Pat Chin also contends that what compels VP to continue its Jerk Festivals, is that they saw the excitement about how people feel about the events. “We feel like out door activities and bringing people together is what drives us and the memories,” she conceded.

Conversely, and To get a better feel and understanding of the overall gratitude of where VP stands on their festival brands, I made a statement and at the same time asked a query of Mrs. Chin. “Jerk Fest is about showing off Caribbean food, music, styles & fashions, as well as showcase their greatest assets Reggae Artists…What do you think sets the VP brands of festivals, apart from all the other festival shows held this time around the country (the (U.S.) each year and the Roy Wilkins Park?

“Our brands are safe. We believe that the areas are good and we choose them because in the end we know we would get a wider variety and that it would be once again, very very safe.”

In capping off my inquires I asked Mrs. Pat, how has the festival brands help our community? “In our community of Queens the festivals have helped with raising the tourism rate and pumped thousands of dollars into the South East Queens area alone.”

The Caribbean festival brands have collectively over the years contributed and pumped Billions of dollars into our communities. Our communities have seen their spending revenues rise on all sides; our various Park lands have improved and our tourism rate has risen to above rate.

“We hope to continue for many years. Its in the summer and we get a piece of home feeling like we are back home in Jamaica. When my husband came to Jamaica Queens, we stayed because it reminded us of the island Jamaica,” stated Mrs. Patricia Chin, finishing the very interesting interview. Vincent Chin, died February 2, 2003 at age 65. Jerk Festival New York, is July 23, 2017..gates open 12:00 noon Roy Wiklins Park, Merrick Blvd.

The established Label VP Records, became one of the largest independent record label for Reggae and Dancehall music, and with the popularity of the Riddim sound of the 2000 era, the label achieved worldwide recognition and success for popular artist Sean Paul through a deal with Warner Music Group’s Atlantic Records and Virgin Music Canada. VP is also accredited for increasing the globally acclaimed Elephant Man aka ‘The energy god” or ELE, through a deal with Bad Boy Records.

At this interval, it was no stopping the label. VP Records, is the personification of traditional reggae, dancehall, Sosa, and Afro beats via Afro reggae music. The Label have also released a series of Riddim Driven albums consisting of various artists, which began in 2005, it is a series that began by Patricia’s grandson, Joel chin, who was murdered in Kingston, died at age 35, Aug 11, 2011, he was director of VP’s A&R. The series is cultivated under Greensleeves Records, an outfit captured by VP Records in 2008. VP sold of its British counterpart and the VP Records Label, is now known as the largest reggae label and publisher worldwide. Their Strictly the Best, compilations have reached over 50 volumes.

Some Highlights of her Awards at the Douglaston Manoron Long Island: All Photo captions By Editor/Journalist C. Harrison