Quotes

“What Berry Gordy
was to Motown Records,
what Russell Simmons
was to Def Jam Recordings,
what Sylvia Robinson
was to Sugar Hill Records,
what Clive Davis
was to Arista Records,
Patricia Chin
is to the Reggae industry,
and VP Records.”

Kool Herc, The Founder of Hip-Hop

“When I started Island Records in Jamaica in 1959, there were no local records being produced other than Calypso, which sold to tourists, or Mento, which was Jamaican ‘folk’ music. I was one of the first to record Jamaican ‘popular’ music as was Eddie Seaga, who later became Prime Minister. I called on many shops that sold music. The best independent music shops were operated by the Chinese Jamaicans…. Leslie Kong, KG Records at Cross Roads, the Wong family at Wonards and Randy & Pat Chin at Randy’s. The Chins built up a huge business when they moved to NYC and really became the biggest and best distributor in the U.S. of the music that was created in Jamaica.”

Chris Blackwell

“As a woman, she’s a born survivor; she make things happen as a lady inna this business. She’s a workaholic, and everybody like her; she help a man keep the wheels rolling, and all now Miss Pat’s business a roll. Miss Pat help the whole of we; you would have said the Godfather, but she ah the Godlady fi all of we, she helpful and she responsible for all of us, like Bunny Lee, Lee Perry, Linford Anderson and Clancy Eccles. Miss Pat give all of we a push start and she treat us pon the same level. She is one of the greatest, and any man say otherwise, I can testify it’s a lie them a tell. Anybody in the record business that sell records, come right up, they don’t have a bad thing to say about Miss Pat.”

Bunny “Striker” Lee

“There is a small street, more like an alley, with a few parked cars and bikes and a dozen or so guys, dreads, leaning against the wall on the shady side. This is the legendary ‘Idler’s Rest,’ next to Randy’s Record Shop. It’s where musicians, singers and hangers-on get together every day. It functions as a private office, employment agency, public relations agency and talent show for many singers and studio musicians and young upstarts looking for a place in the music business. Next door, at Randy’s Record Shop, they’re spinning the new 45’s. The sound, blending with the street noise, flows around the corner.”

Ted Bafaloukos

“My Grandfather Joe would be very happy to see how Randy’s Record Mart evolved into what it is today. Their business started from selling the used records out of my Granddad’s jukeboxes, that Vincent helped him maintain. Vincent and Miss Pat through hard work and dedication, laid the foundation for the largest reggae recording company in the world, VP Records!”

Mr. Christopher Issa

“Studio 17 was the main studio in the early ’70s because that was one of the first independents, before even Channel One. All the producers were going there, and most of the reggae producers have recorded there. When I did my first sessions, it was twenty dollars an hour, so I could rent the studio for three hours and pay my musicians and work on songs. Randy’s was the studio at the time. A lot of hits came out of there. And Miss Pat was there every day.”

Twinkle Brothers / Norman Grant