Reggae label Greensleeves Records & Publishing announced that it has signed reggae-dancehall sensations Busy Signal and Gyptian, and hit-makers Shane “Jukeboxx” Brown and Llamar “Riff Raff” Brown (no relation) who currently dominate the reggae and dancehall charts worldwide.
Busy Signal has signed a multiple album and publishing deal this week. Enjoying chart-topping success worldwide with his current hits “Jail” and “Wine Pon Di Edge,” Signal first made his mark on the dancehall genre in 2005 with his breakout single and anthem Step Out. He subsequently released his debut album of the same title on Greensleeves Records in 2006. This latest deal was brokered by his manager and producer Shane C. Brown of Juke Boxx Productions who is currently working with him on his forthcoming album due for release in 2008. Signal commented on the deal: “I am happy to put out my next album on Greensleeves and to know that [this] company is going to look after my publishing interests worldwide.”
Signing a publishing agreement with Greensleeves’ American affiliate STB Music, reggae singer Gyptian broke through with his debut album My Name Is Gyptian released by VP Records in 2006. The album contained the hit singles “Mama”, “Serious Times” and “Beautiful Lady.” Gyptian is slated to release his new album I Can Feel Your Pain on VP Records this summer.
Shane Brown, the multi-talented and hot producer behind the recent hits like Morgan Heritage’s “Brooklyn & Jamaica” and more recently Demarco’s “Better Jamaica” has also inked a deal with the company’s publishing arm. Shane says of the deal: “Both Busy and I have had a relationship with the label in the past. They released my Klymaxx rhythm as part of their Rhythm Album series and Greensleeves also put out Busy’s debut album Step Out. They are the leading reggae music publisher in the world and we hope it will be a boost to both mine and Busy’s career.” Shane is currently enjoying success with his Warning rhythm featuring dancehall slammers Busy Signal, Mavado, Bounty Killer and Demarco and he is already coming up with the Trenches rhythm. He also produced a track called “We Set The Pace” on Foxy Brown’s upcoming album Brooklyn’s Don Diva to be released by Koch Records this summer.
Greensleeves Publishing also signed the young producer Llamar “Riff Raff” Brown. The 21 year old has recently been working with top reggae artists producing tracks for Morgan Heritage’s new album “Mission In Progress,” Richie Spice’s new album “Gideon Boot” and upcoming albums by Beenie Man, Gyptian, and Etana (the hit singles “Live & Love Life” and “I Am Not Afraid” from her upcoming album “The Strong One”).
“I am very excited about my new venture with Greensleeves Music Publishing,” said Llamar. “I am certain that the future with myself and Greensleeves Records holds endless possibilities and I am honored to be a part of the family,” he added. Llamar also co-produced the 83 Rhythm (Greensleeves Records) and Rub A Dub rhythm (VP Records) with Kemar “Flava” McGregor.
Olivier Chastan, President of Greensleeves, affirmed that “these signings show that Greensleeves is here to stay, and I intend for Greensleeves to remain the leading reggae music publisher in the world.”
The iconic label and publisher celebrated 30 years at the cutting edge of reggae and dancehall music in 2007. The first album released by the label in 1977, Dr. Alimantado’s “Best Dressed Chicken In Town”, is now considered a seminal reggae classic. Greensleeves also launched the careers of Shaggy with the crossover hit “Oh Carolina” (a No. 1 pop single) and Mr. Vegas’ “Heads High”, (MOBO Award). The label was also behind the crossover success of Beenie Man’s anthemic “Who Am I” and the phenomenal “Diwali” rhythm which garnered a slew of hits from Sean Paul’s “Get Busy” to Wayne Wonder’s “No Letting Go”. Greensleeves Publishing is also the home to producer extraordinaire Don “Corl