VP Records celebrates ‘Crown Prince of Reggae’ birthday

The Jamaica, Queens-based VP Records is celebrating the birthday of the late Jamaican reggae superstar, Dennis Brown, renowned as the “Crown Prince of Reggae,” with an additional 15 percent off all Dennis Brown products.

Dennis Emmanuel Brown, CD, was born on Feb. 1, 1957 and died on July 1, 1999.

During his prolific career, which began in the late 1960s, when he was just 11, Brown recorded more than 75 albums and was one of the major stars of lovers’ rock, a sub-genre of reggae, according to Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia.

It said the legendary Jamaican reggae super star Bob Marley cited Brown as his favorite singer, dubbing him “The Crown Prince of Reggae.”

“We remember, and celebrate the anniversary of Dennis Emmanuel Brown’s birthday — Feb. 1 — and highlight his connection to another reggae giant, producer King Jammy,” said VP Records in a statement on Tuesday.

“The high regard and accolades with which we speak about Dennis Brown have been earned,” it added. “By the age of 28, in 1985, Dennis Emmanuel Brown had 22 albums and hundreds of singles established in the reggae canon, from ‘No Man Is An Island’ to ‘Money In My Pocket’ to ‘Revolution’ and ‘Here I Come.’

“’Slow Down,’ while not often discussed as part of his recorded legacy, was Dennis’ last full-length release of the pre-digital era of Jamaican music,” continued VP Records, stating that the album was recorded for (then) Prince Jammy in 1984/85.

“It distinctly features a live syndrum sound from Benbow Creary and Sly Dunbar, creating a vibe that foreshadowed what would happen when Jammy’s ‘Sleng Teng’ raided the dance in 1985,” it said. “Comparing ‘Slow Down’ to Jammy’s production of ‘Dennis on The Exit’ from 1986, one can hear reggae flashing forward into the dancehall era with all programmed drum tracks.”

VP Records said “Slow Down” was also the first full-length Dennis Brown LP to be recorded on Greensleeves Records, following the showcase album “Judge Not from 1984”, which also featured Gregory Isaacs.

Brown’s Standout tracks include the single “Slow Down Woman,” the “radical translations” of the Gaylads’ “Joy In The Morning”, “Africa We Want To Go,” “the ponderous Live And Love” and “the enduring rub-a-dub stylings of “It’s Magic,” VP Records said.

It said King Jammy revisited the album’s master tapes for the 2018 tribute album, “King Jammy Presents Dennis Brown: Tracks Of Life,” featuring Damian Marley, Protoje, Busy Signal, Alborosie, Romain Virgo, Dawn Penn, Bounty Killer, Jesse Royal, Projexx “and others mixed with Dennis Brown’s original vocals.”