The connection between Jamaica, the Island, and Jamaica, the neighborhood in New York City, was ever present outside the King Manor Museum in Rufus King Park on Saturday August 16 as community members gathered for the first annual “Spirit of the Caribbean Party,” hosted by independent reggae label VP Records, which has called Queens home since 1979. The afternoon featured musical performances, a smorgasbord of Caribbean cuisine, and an appearance by label co-founder Patricia Chin, who was on site meeting attendees and signing her latest book “My Reggae Music Journey.” The event, held for the first time, celebrates Jamaica’s rich cultural influence on the city, and highlighted the opening of “Jamaica, Jamaica,” a free exhibit in King’s Manor Museum that draws parallels and connections between the two regions. Patricia and husband Vincent “Randy” Chin moved their record store from Kingston, Jamaica to New York City in 1975 before setting up shop in Jamaica, Queens four years later. VP Records, often touted as the largest independent reggae label, has helped launch the careers of artists like Sean Paul, Elephant Man, and Shaggy, who referred to Miss Pat as “matriarch,” in a quote on the back of her book. “Not just of her family, but of our music, and arguably our culture …She does everything out of love for our country and for our culture.” The label still maintains a physical storefront where reggae enthusiasts can shop for dancehall records and shirts, and Chin runs the V&P Family Foundation that aims to support music education to “underserved communities in the Jamaican diaspora and the Caribbean,” according to their website.
Photo by Johnny Knollwood
Miss Pat, founder of independent reggae label VP records, met fans and signed autographs at the first annual “Spirit of the Caribbean Party” on August 16, hosted by VP Records and celebrating the opening of the “Jamaica, Jamaica,” exhibit at King Manor Museum. 
The True Tribute All Star Band performing at the first annual Spirit of the Caribbean Party. 
The VP Records store in Jamaica Queens. 
Randy and Patricia Chin’s original record store, pictured at VP Records in Jamaica, Queens
Miss Pat was all smiles on Saturday as she signed books, shook hands, and sold merchandise to fans. Children played in the grass and attendees danced under the hot sun as the sounds and smells of the music and food of the Caribbean permeated the air outside King’s Manor Museum. The food spanned selections from Panama, Jamaica, and Trinidad, even included “bake and shark,” a fried shark sandwich, at one of the stands.
Among the performances was a set by the True Tribute All Star Band, headed by True Tribute Organization founder LeRoy Graham, who aims to preserve Jamaica’s cultural legacy in music and art. They busted out classics like “Sweat,” by Inner Circle and Beres Hammond’s “What a Night,” before singer Ras Ajai, who appeared in the 2024 biopic, “Bob Marley: One Love,” as Claudie Massop, closed out the event, dancing around the stage and mirroring the energy of the audience that was sprawled across the lawn in Rufus King Park. As folks dispersed with smiles on their faces and the smell of pholourie in the air, the connection between both Jamaica’s felt as strong as ever.
The “Jamaica, Jamaica” exhibit runs through December 20 at King’s Manor Museum and is free of charge. For more info, visit vprecords.com.