Various Artists - Down In Jamaica: 40 Years of VP Records (2019)

“The definitive anthology of the company that helped bring reggae and dancehall to the US and beyond.” Down In Jamaica: 40 Years of VP Records is a 94-track, deluxe, multi-format box set with 24 page booklet and art cards detailing the hits, the rarities, and the history of the world's largest reggae label. Featuring 101 different artists, Down In Jamaica tells this story in detail through a chronological survey of the key songs that helped define the company from early singles on obscure sublabels to the well-known VP Records brand that brought Beenie Man, Sean Paul, Wayne Wonder, and others into the international mainstream. Curated by Carter Van Pelt, VP Records’ Director Of Catalog Development, the set contains four 7-inch singles, four 12-inch singles, and four CDs, the first configuration of its kind in a box set package. The singles format was the dominant vehicle for Jamaican music from its inception, and the collection tells the story almost entirely from singles. The set takes its name from Red Fox and Naturalee’s 1989 single.

1.01 Heptones - Party Time (4:01)
1.02 Gregory Isaacs - Slave Master (2:26)
1.03 Dennis Brown - Children Of Israel (3:04)
1.04 Johnny Clarke - Roots Natty Congo (3:10)
1.05 Ranking Joe - River Jordan (4:20)
1.06 Johnny Osbourne - Ice Cream Love (3:23)
1.07 Wailing Souls - Firehouse Rock (4:12)
1.08 Don Carlos - Mr. Sun (3:24)
1.09 Michael Prophet - Gunman (3:43)
1.10 Frankie Paul - Kushumpeng (3:30)
1.11 Barrington Levy - Prison Oval Rock (3:10)
1.12 Tony Tuff - Come Fe Mash It (3:38)
1.13 Papa Michigan & General Smiley - Diseases (3:31)
1.14 Yellowman - Zungguzungguguzungguzeng (4:08)
1.15 Echo Minott - Lazy Body (3:46)
1.16 Leroy Gibbon - Magic Moment (3:42)
1.17 J.C. Lodge - Telephone Love (3:49)
1.18 Eccelton Jarrett - Turn On The Heat (3:30)
1.19 Shabba Ranks - Twice My Age (feat. Krystal) (3:19)
1.20 Foxy Brown - Baby Can I Hold You Tonight (3:30)
1.21 Freddie McGregor - Stop Loving You (3:34)


2.01 Ini Kamoze - Hot Stepper (3:45)
2.02 Chaka Demus - Original Kuff (2:59)
2.03 Conroy Smith - Dangerous (3:35)
2.04 Red Fox - Down In Jamaica (3:33)
2.05 Reggie Stepper - Drum Pan Sound (3:09)
2.06 Ninjaman - Murder Dem (3:31)
2.07 Admiral Tibet - Serious Time (3:53)
2.08 Singing Sweet - When I See You Smile (3:44)
2.09 Cutty Ranks - Who Say Me Dun (3:28)
2.10 Colin Roach - Miss Goodie Goodie (3:55)
2.11 Jigsy King - Gi Mi Di Weed (3:49)
2.12 Half Pint - I Am Not A Substitute Lover (3:48)
2.13 Cocoa Tea - Good Life (4:03)
2.14 Garnet Silk - Lord Watch Over Our Shoulders (3:34)
2.15 Richie Stephens - Trying To Get To You (3:37)
2.16 Mikey Spice - Born Again (3:45)
2.17 Glen Washington - Kindness For Weakness (3:39)
2.18 Buju Banton - Destiny (3:58)
2.19 Spragga Benz - She Nuh Ready Yet (3:27)
2.20 Beenie Man - Who Am I (3:16)
2.21 Sanchez - Never Dis Di Man (3:57)


3.01 Singing Melody - Want You Back (4:01)
3.02 Terry Linen - My Love Is Your Love (4:05)
3.03 Capleton - Jah Jah City (3:33)
3.04 Vc - By His Deeds (4:22)
3.05 Morgan Heritage - Down By The River (3:46)
3.06 George Nooks - God Is Standing By (4:20)
3.07 Beres Hammond - Rock Away (3:57)
3.08 Junior Kelly - Love So Nice (3:48)
3.09 Wayne Wonder - No Letting Go (3:22)
3.10 Bounty Killer - Sufferah (feat. Wayne Marshall) (3:31)
3.11 Elephant Man - Pon De River, Pon De Bank (4:00)
3.12 Lady Saw - I've Got Your Man (2:58)
3.13 Sizzla - Just One Of Those Days (3:29)
3.14 I-Wayne - Living In Love (3:32)
3.15 Luciano - Give Praise (4:17)
3.16 Warrior King - Can't Get Me Down (3:32)
3.17 Jah Cure - Longing For (3:52)
3.18 T.O.K. - Footprints (3:31)
3.19 Tarrus Riley - She's Royal (4:10)
3.20 Tanya Stephens - It's A Pity (4:13)


4.01 Richie Spice - Marijuana (3:35)
4.02 Turbulence - Notorious (4:20)
4.03 Shaggy - Church Heathen (4:03)
4.04 Duane Stephenson - August Town (5:23)
4.05 Romain Virgo - Mi Caan Sleep (3:54)
4.06 Busy Signal - One More Night (3:24)
4.07 Etana - Blessing (feat. Alborosie) (3:38)
4.08 Queen Ifrica - Lioness On The Rise (4:06)
4.09 Mavado - On The Rock (3:33)
4.10 Gyptian - Hold You (3:53)
4.11 Maxi Priest - Easy To Love (3:25)
4.12 Raging Fyah - Dash Wata (3:51)
4.13 Christopher Martin - I'm A Big Deal (2:53)
4.14 Spice - So Mi Like It (2:33)
4.15 Bunji Garlin - Big Bad Soca (2:41)
4.16 Shenseea - Loodi (feat. Vybz Kartel) (3:11)
4.17 Estelle - Love Like Ours (feat. Tarrus Riley) (3:54)
4.18 Jah9 - Hardcore (feat. Chronixx) (Remix) (5:29)