Miss Pat’s ‘My Reggae Music Journey’ launched in Jamaica
Published:Wednesday | August 31, 2022 | 12:06 AMAnthony Turner/Gleaner Writer
A packed house showed up at the Regional Headquarters at UWI Mona for the launch of Patricia Chin’s book, My Reggae Music Journey. Chin is co-founder and CEO of the New York-based reggae label, VP Records, and she is currently in Jamaica for a flurry of activities to promote the release.
The book was formally launched last Thursday by Professor Donna Hope, Institute of Caribbean Studies Chair, Dr Dave Gosse, Director, Institute of Caribbean Studies, along with guest speaker Professor Emerita Carolyn Cooper.
“When we see what Miss Pat has produced, let us not assume she is one of those uptown people who exploited our culture. She is coming out of the bed of Jamaican culture. Born in humble circumstances, she learnt valuable lessons from her parents who wanted her to achieve,” Cooper shared.
“Coming from a small island to the big city (NYC), Miss Pat brought all the elements of a great script. It is a classic success story,” she declared.
In the 200-plus page book, Chin chronicles her astonishing odyssey from her humble beginnings in a small downtown Kingston record shack to VP Records, eventually becoming the world’s largest independent reggae record label.
Chin spoke about her love for Jamaica and reggae music.
“I am a born Jamaican ... I love my country so much that even when I am in America, my mind is back home in Jamaica. Reggae music, my community and culture means a lot to me. My hope is that when you read my book, you will she how much I love my culture. As I always tell my friends, I am just a lighter shade of black,” Chin said.
Written with Anicee Gaddis, John Masouri, Alex Lee and James ‘Jazz’ Goring, My Reggae Music Journey spans six decades of music history. It records the rise and development of the famous Randy’s Record Mart and Studio 17, both of which Miss Pat co-founded with her late husband Vincent ‘Randy’ Chin in downtown Kingston.
The book is designed by Greek artist Maria Papaefstathiou, co-founder of the international Reggae Poster Contest, and features original illustrations by the late Michael ‘Freestylee’ Thompson.
Scores of never-before-seen photographs including artistes and family photos are included in the book which is available in hard copy, a downloadable e-version as well as in audio book format narrated by Fae Ellington.
The event also featured the unveiling of a new portrait of Miss Pat and a poster art exhibition of portraits of dozens of iconic Jamaicans by Papaefstathiou.