World Famous V.I.P. Records

Social Relation:

Founded in the late 1960s, V.I.P. Records' original location opened in South Central and specialized in blues, gospel, jazz and R&B music. Today, the World Famous V.I.P. Records' Long Beach location, which opened in 1978, is located in a strip mall off Pacific Coast Highway. The store's iconic record-shaped sign still hovers above the facade of the store. For more than 35 years, the record store/recording studio was center for West Coast music; in particular gangsta rap. The store also played a key role in breaking urban artists and serving as a tastemaker for the neighborhoods of Long Beach even the Los Angeles area.

At one point in time, the V.I.P. Records name was attached to a dozen satellites in Southern California. In the '70s and '80s, V.I.P. Records distributed albums and housed two labels, Magic Disc Records and Saturn Records, the latter of which put out Ice-T's 1982 debut single, "The Coldest Rap." By the early '90s, West Coast Hiphop was taking over, Kelvin Anderson (owner) enlisted the help of Los Angeles producer Sir Jinx to build an in-store recording studio, in part to bolster what he calls V.I.P.'s role as a "safe-haven" for young people in the community.

Hiphop Outcome:

World Famous V.I.P. Records is iconic in the annuals of West Coast gangsta rap. It housed the studio where Snoop Dogg, Warren G and Nate Dogg--then a trio known as 213--recorded the demo that lead to their big breaks. The little studio even helped launch the career of late comedian and entertainer Ricky Harris.

The infamous rooftop sign has been the backdrop for videos including Snoop Dogg's "Who Am I (What's My Name)," Jermaine Dupri's "Welcome to Atlanta" remix, "G'd-Up" featuring Tha Eastsidaz, and Warren G's "Do You See." In fact, Snoop Dogg picked V.I.P. Records to pass out Thanksgiving turkeys to fans and the needy during the holiday seasons. During the establishment's 1990 heyday, it hosted standing-room-only record signings and in-store performances by artists such as L.L. Cool J, Nate Dogg, and Warren G. Today, the store is under negotiations to restore it and keep it in Long Beach as an anchor for the World Famous V.I.P. Records Black Music Museum and Creative Arts and Technology Center.