Shaggy Says Spice Is Free From VP Records: ‘We Have Her For The Next Move’

With Spice‘s debut album 10 finally released by VP Records, the Queen of Dancehall is free from the NY-based record label and needs a new home, according to the album’s executive producer and CEO of Ranch Entertainment, Shaggy.

“The album is a VP album and now she is going to have to find a new home,” Shaggy told TV host Winford Williams, when asked about his role in the now Grammy-nominated project.

In previous years, Spice’s relationship with the record label—to which she signed in 2009—was rocky, and the So Mi Like It deejay was very vocal about it.  But it all worked out in the end.

“It was a success for everyone,” Shaggy said. “The album was great, everything was good. It sets her up for the next move and we knew that, but we had her for the next move.  VP never have her for the next move, but we (Ranch Entertainment) did. We can now put that in place and start work with her in getting that done.”

“I personally stayed away from putting out music out this year, I really focused on Spice, this whole project was a Spice project. It was a project I was dealing with from before and I had to keep putting it back because of the pandemic,” he said.  “The team at VP was a bit hesitant in trying to come out during the pandemic.”

Shaggy, who was speaking with Williams at the recent Circle Fest staged by legendary Jamaican Reggae band Inner Circle at their Circle House estate in Florida, was candid in his assessment of the album’s lead single, Go Down Deh, which had featured himself and Sean Paul.   The song was produced by Romanian Costi Ionita who had also produced Shaggy’s I Need Your Love.

“Go Down Deh really resonated with her core fans but also opened the door for the singer to receive new fans. The song doing well in Russia and Italy, now South America is dragging on to it,” he explained.

However, with Spice only doing one album with the record label, he didn’t expect to get the support to push the song all the way.  “We know we were limited with VP because it was her only album on VP. So wouldn’t expect VP to be investing in something that they don’t have another option on”.

“So we knew that whatever we were gonna get from VP that’s all we gonna get”, he continued.

Shaggy admitted that the song didn’t do spectacular numbers, but believes it made a statement for Dancehall.

“I think culturally it made a nice statement for us…as far as to say we really generated needle-moving numbers no we didn’t do that at all, that takes a lot more money and a lot more commitment. I don’t think the VP was willing to do that. It just didn’t make good business sense at the end of the day for them to do that.”

Spice’s album,  10 , debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard Reggae albums chart with pure album sales of 676 copies and 1,447 total units with streaming according to MRC Data.

The album has been nominated for Best Reggae Album at the upcoming 64th Annual Grammy Awards and BET has predicted that Spice will emerge as the winner at the awards ceremony, set to take place at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles on Monday, January 31, 2022.

“Spice is the Queen of Dancehall and has been fighting for the longest to be received here in the United States. After consistent effort, she dropped a beautiful debut album with collaborations from Shaggy and Sean Paul which debuted at number six on the Billboard Top Reggae Albums chart,” the entertainment network wrote today.  “She’s going to have a lot to talk about on Love & Hip Hop next season when she walks away victorious in January.”

The other nominees for Best Reggae Album are: Pamoja by Etana, Live N Livin by Sean Paul, Royal by Jesse Royal, Positive Vibration by Gramps Morgan, and Beauty in the Silence by SOJO.