Death Row Records signed Snoop later that year, after Warren G played the demo at a birthday party for Dr. Dre, his half-brother.
Anderson also helped facilitate the rise of Warren G, hooking him up with director John Singleton, who needed music for his 1993 film, Poetic Justice. Warren G's track with Nate Dogg, "Indo Smoke," caught the ears of executives at Violator/Def Jam, and his debut, Regulate ... G Funk Era, went multiplatinum.
1014 E. Pacific Coast Highway
Long Beach, CA 90806
Category: Retail
Region: Out of Town
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But that was then. Now, to ease his debt, Anderson plans to open a small V.I.P. outpost in the same complex to sell the 30,000 vinyl records V.I.P. has accumulated over the years.
"We got a little of everything in there — 12-inch records, 45s," Anderson says, adding that the inventory — which also will be sold online through the store's website — ranges from the gospel hawked in V.I.P.'s salad days to 213's demo.
It smells something like a fire sale, and it has provoked widespread angst.
"You can't walk into a Best Buy and have a discussion with the clerk about the new local artist playing on the speakers, and get recommendations from them," laments Luckett. "And you certainly can't get that on iTunes."
Not that the community hasn't tried to save the store. In October comedian Ricky Harris — a former Def Comedy Jam host who got his start doing skits on albums recorded at V.I.P. — hosted a comedy benefit at the Laugh Factory; it brought in several thousand dollars.
"That was great, but we'd need to throw about 200 more of those just to break even," Anderson says.
Ideally, he'd like to reinvent the store as a music museum, showcasing the history of music technology — think 8-tracks and old SP1200s. He'd also reconstruct the recording studio, torn down during V.I.P.'s downsizing in recent years. Eventually, he wants to revive the Kelvin Anderson Foundation, the stalled nonprofit he founded in 2006, which provided local kids with music-industry opportunities. "Right now, though, I'm just hoping I can get a good price for the sign on eBay," he admits.
Anderson will use that money to pay off the rest of the store's debt and eventually return to Mississippi, where he hopes to find more lucrative business opportunities. His son, however, plans to stick around the music industry in marketing and distribution. He cites his father's work as his inspiration.
"As a kid, I'd see the Wu-Tang guys or Notorious B.I.G. come in here just to buy records and meet the man behind the counter," says Kelvin Jr. "Everyone who came to the store treated me like their little brother. It was like all of Long Beach was my family. And in that sense, we'll never really leave."
Articles like this make me realize my own record store, which is also next door to a recording studio, both of which will soon close due to the State taking the place for a highway expansion, perhaps too will stir some memories of all whom have passed by/through. Long live Underground Records, and Long live VIP Records!
Damn, sometimes progress feels like our worst enemy. I worked with Kelvin and V.I.P. Long Beach for some 15 years in my days in the music business.I have rollled through there with many artists like LL Cool J. That guy from day one was a mentor to me and a good friend as well. I wish nothing but the best for Kelvin tho I suspect he will do well in whatever he does. But no matter where we go from here they cannot erase the memories of what V.I.P Music has meant to the music business, and to hip-hop.
One of the Greatest Blk Retailers in AmericaMy Friend Kelvin ,Good Luck with your Future endeavers.Too bad that the careers You Launch did not realize that it was your Shoulders that They Stood On to get where they are todayOne Day The True Story Will be Told about the Importance of Blk Retail Was to Black Music,ALL Gendres ::But To Rap & Hip HopWe were their Life Line ...Period.
Through those years, the World Famous VIP Records inspired me back in 1993 because I always wanted to know what they were doing in that little studio and now I know. Not a feeling like it, getting behind a studio mic reaching for that perfection. Nothing may not be in the building BUT memories will forever be.
ASIANS CAN ACTUALLY READ MINDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!they can hear and see what your visually thinkingthis is the complete truth
The reason a lot of Asians have completely expressionless faces, only associate with Asians and don't associate with non Asians that much, and are very unfriendly in general is to avoid accidentally revealing that they can read minds. If all over a billion Asians where to show facial expressions all the time just as much as non Asians, associate with non Asians much more, and be much more friendly and talkative, then a lot of them might accidentally reveal that they can read minds by accidentally showing a facial expression or dirty look when someone thinks, or visually pictures something in their mind they don't like, find astonishing, or funny etc because those people might see that and and really wonder what that was that just happened there and see the connection, if they all associated with non Asians a lot more then there would be a lot more people around for them to accidentally show facial expressions when those people think things they don't like etc, so they only associate with Asians so there won't be anyone around for them to see that and have any accidents happen in the first place.
Think about it, it's not normal how a lot of them act, it's not normal human behavior! and the entire way they act is all to hid their mind reading abilities, it makes perfect sense to do all of that to hide that they can read minds, because all of that is the perfect way to do it!Every single Asian alive is hiding their mind reading abilities, they will always deny that they can read minds, they will lie about having mind reading abilities forever!!!Because they value hiding their mind reading abilities more then their own lives! That's why nobody knows about it!
Try thinking, best yet visually picturing in your mind something absolutely crazy as you possibly can when you are around Asians, and try looking for Asians who give people particular looks, especially dirty looks for what appears to be for completely no reason, that is them giving people looks when they hear and visually see someone thinking something they don't like, find astonishing, or funny etc.It still happens spite a large percentage of Asians having completely expressionless faces all the time, it would just happen a lot more if none of them had completely expressionless faces all the time, it's still not uncommon!
I know this sounds crazy, impossible and completely unbelievable, BUT IT ISN'T CRAZY WHEN ITS TRUE
The reason you think this truly is crazy, impossible, and unbelievable is because our society as propagandized us into believing that nothing extra ordinary is real, and that it is impossible that people can read minds, and that it is crazy to think that it's true that people can read minds, all just to cover up that Asians can read minds! who says that can't exist? the people who have mind reading abilities who are trying to cover it up!
You have to spread the message!!!!!!!The world has to know about this!!!!!!!
So sad seeing record stores close, especially stores like this that are more than just "stores".
I hope he does get to create the museum. I'm sure he has lots of great stories to share with music fans.
I am a 26-years-old servicewoman (working in Air Force), mature and charming but still single. I am seeking one who can give me real love, so I joined in the online service ---Kissinguniform.c0m---. It's a 10-year-old club for uniformed personnel finding their intimate lovers. Well, being in military service does not mean to be lonely; you can meet the Mr. or Miss Right there.p.s. The admirers of those uniformed person are also warmly welcome, there are lots of servicemen and women.
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