February 1st, marked the late reggae and lover’s rock icon Dennis Brown’s 59th birthday. Hailed by NPR Morning Edition as one of the 50 great voices of all time and by Bob Marley as one of the best reggae singers in the world – the revered Jamaican icon began his recording career at the tender age of 11 and has more than 75 albums to date. Even though he passed away at the early age of 42, his music and legacy lives on.

VP Records, reggae’s leading distributor and label, will pay homage this spring with an extensive tribute album We Remember Dennis Brown of his timeless hits covered by some reggae and r&b’s most renowned artists today. Each song was re-produced by Jamaican legend Clive Hunt with his all-star team of musicians to give each song an authentic yet fresh feel.

We Remember Dennis Brown will feature an array of singers from Brown’s native country and across the globe who he influenced. Jamaica’s latest crop of stars (including Jah Cure, Gyptian, Chronixx and Jesse Royal) as well as the island’s icons who worked with Brown (like reggae vocalists Bushman and Freddie McGregor) all offer their contributions. Freddie’s son Chino McGregor and Christopher Ellis, the talented UK-based singer and offspring of Alton Ellis (another one of Brown’s musical mentors and confidants), both deliver powerful renditions of Brown’s classics. New Zealand rockers also create a breezy rendition of “If I Had The World.” The worldly collection proves that his universal sound transcends all boundaries of time, race and creed. Each artist adds their own original flair to Brown’s profound soul-stirring sound – touching the hearts of new and old fans alike on this unique multi-disc collection. We Remember Dennis Brown will include deluxe packaging as well as extensive liner notes on the belated legend.

Ghetto Youths International – the independent record label owned and operated by Bob Marley’s sons Damian, Julian and Stephen – releases the third installment of Set Up Shop. The compliation series stands true to GYI ethos of making messgae music. Hence, the opening track “The Message,” which sets the precedent for the album. The song by Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley and Trinidadian soca star Bunji Garlin is passionate forward-thinking song fights for the souls of our youth and future generation.

The compilation continues with thought-provoking material. Damian Marley revamps Stephen “Ragga” Marley’s anthem “Hey Baby” (feat. Mos Def) into a stellar one drop remix. Stephen also addresses the ongoing cycle of youth violence on his most recent single Ghetto Boy (feat. Bounty Killer & Cobra), while Julian Marley proclaims “Lemme Go” in light of the recent ganja decriminilazation laws in Jamaica, off the popular On The Corner riddim (produced by Damian Marley). Reggae’s rising star Kabaka Pyramid also voices over the the riddim, addressing all the crooked polticians on this powerful open letter to the gatekeepers.

Ghetto Youths labelmates, like Jo Mersa featured on Morgan Heritage’s “Light It Up,” Black-Am-I on new solo singles “Vessel” and “Living Dread” and Christopher Ellis on “Glory,” all shine on the collection. Newcomer Skip Marley also delivers on his latest hit “Cry To Me,” while reggae legends Third World pave new ground on “YinMasGan.” “Rude Bwoy” is a powerhouse collaboration featuring the GYI massive (Stephen Marley, Jo Mersa, Julian Marley, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Black-Am-I, Wayne Marshall) plus more (Determine) that will have reggae purists rewinding and pulling up until early morning.

Track Listing:
1. The Message – Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley
2. Hey Baby (feat. Mos Def) [One Drop Remix] – Stephen Marley
3. Light It Up (feat. Jo Mersa) Morgan Heritage
4. Vessel – Black-Am-I
5. Well Done – Kabaka Pyramid
6. Dem Gone Too Far – Tarrus Riley
7. Ghetto Boy (feat. Bounty Killer & Cobra) – Stephen Marley
8. Living Dread – Black-Am-I
9. Glory – Christopher Ellis
10. Lemme Go – Julian Marley
11. Good Good Feeling (feat. Stephen Marley) – J Boog
12. Rude Bwoy – Stephen Marley, Jo Mersa, Julian Marley, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Black-Am-I, Wayne Marshall & Determine
13. Cry to Me – Skip Marley
14. YinMasGan -Third World
15. Ghetto Boy (feat. Cham, Spragga Benz & Bounty Killer) [Remix] [Bonus Track] – Stephen Marley
16. YinMasGan (Instrumental) [Bonus Track] – Third World