Sean Paul Says Relinquishing His Music Masters To VP, Atlantic Records Was A “Stepping Stone”
Dancehall superstar Sean Paul says the relinquishing of ownership of his music masters to VP Records and Atlantic Records more than 20 years ago while still a budding deejay, though regrettable in the long run, was a means to an end.
The Temperature artist was speaking with entertainment journalist Anthony Miller during on Television Jamaica’s The Entertainment Report which was aired on Friday night.
In response to Miller asking whether he really was not the owner of his masters, for the hits from his early days, Sean Paul said that at the time, like many of his Dancehall counterparts, there was no better option for him. His signature gave the record labels control over the financial gains from his recordings and in effect, control over what is done with his songs.
In making the decision to sign away his underlying rights at the time, he said, he was always cognizant that he could and would make even greater hits after establishing himself as a mainstream artiste, as it was his voice, which was the ultimate asset.
“Is my voice. As long as I still have my voice, and I can sing the song for people and they enjoy it, that’s a thing. I did sign that contract. I know what I was signing. And at that time there was no better option for me to get my work out there. And I always thought, is a big song but I can always make bigger song, which I have done,” Sean Paul explained.
“I mean, the song with me and Sia [Cheap Thrills], went to number one. It wasn’t my song but it was the first time she went to number one, so that is an indication that is telling you that you don’t have to just always rely on those things. You can move on; you can do your thing. For me once you have life that’s the greatest thing,” the Wolmer’s High School old boy added.
Sean also explained that he carried no ill-feeling toward either Atlantic or VP Records, and while he did not own the masters, he was now legally able to re-record the songs.
Sean had pointed to that fact in a previous interview with Donovan Watkis’ World Music Views podcast, in which he also said that he has the right to re-record the songs after 15 years. However, based on his pronouncements during Friday night’s interview, he appears to be in no haste.
“There has been a plan fi quite a few years to do it enuh. But again, I am just kinda looking towards the future first. So for me, there is so much more injustices that has happened to our artistes and our producers in the past that what happened to me was not really a big deal,” Sean Paul stated.
When asked whether he felt he should be the owner of his masters, Sean responded in the affirmative.
“Yes, I feel I must own my music. I feel that that is a legacy that my kids will be able to benefit from. When you look at the time that is just changing, yuh just haffi just move with it and just try not to live in the past,” he said.
“I would really like to record them over again but at the same time I am trying to get a hit just as potent, so that is what my main focus is on. And nowadays I own the records. I kinda lease them to Island Records and that was a deal that they gave me. So, sometimes these companies play hard ball because they want to own everything. So they probably won’t do that with a younger artiste, but now I am established and I was able to negotiate that,” he explained.
The We Be Burning singer also had some words of advice for younger artists who are considering engaging in music deals.
“I would say to younger artistes: ‘Don’t fraid a di VP, don’t fraid a di smaller distributors that would give you something now, because it’s a stepping stone,” he said.
Paul had signed with Atlantic Records in a joint deal with VP Records in late 2002 following on the heels of his successful track Gimme the Light.
Atlantic released Sean’s major-label debut album, Dutty Rock, in November that year, which scored five Top 10 United Kingdom singles and five Top 15 Billboard Hot 100 hits, among them Gimme the Light, Baby Boy (featuring Beyonce), Like Glue, Get Busy, and I’m Still in Love With You which featured Sasha.
Dutty Rock had opened with first-week sales of 65,000 copies and peaked at number nine on the Billboard 200. Over in the UK, the album debuted at number two and sold several million copies globally.
The Kington native’s follow-up album, The Trinity, was released in September 2005 and set a record for first-week sales by a Jamaican reggae act in the US with 107,000 copies. It also debuted at number six on the UK Album chart and number six on the Billboard 200 Album chart.
His third album Imperial Blaze, was certified gold in France and hit number one on Billboard’s Rap Album and Reggae Album charts in the US, peaking at number 12 on the Billboard 200 and number three on the R&B/Hip Hop album chart.
His next album, Tomahawk Technique, was released in January 2012, reaching number two on the Billboard Reggae Album chart and number 30 on the UK Album chart.
Sean Paul and Atlantic severed ties in September 2014.
His last album, Live N Livin was released under his own imprint, Dutty Rock Productions, in March, while his next, Scorcha, will be released by Island Records sometime in May.