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A LOOK INSIDE ROCKERS INTERNATIONAL RECORDS


While in Kingston, the Deh’ya team had the privilege of visiting the historical record shop known as Rockers International Records. We couldn’t have timed our Friday afternoon visit better as the head of the shop, Mitchie, let us know that every Friday people pull up to DJ and listen to the music street side. We each collected records to listen to and were also blessed by the sounds that the DJs came in and provided to the neighborhood. Mitchie was also kind enough to share a bit of information on the shop's history.
Text by Tyrell MacLennan
Photography by Saemouhl

“Rockers was started in or around the mid 70’s by legendary musician and producer Augustus Pablo, it’s one of the longest operating record shops in Jamaica and all the Caribbean. The shop still maintains a physical antique appearance just like the shops that were also around back then. Both Pablo and his brother Garth ran the shop in its earlier years, and Garth continued running it after Pablo passed away in 1999. I (Mitchie) joined the Rockers team in 2000 and the rest is history. Garth eventually ventured into other musical endeavours while I continue to operate alongside Addis (Pablo’s son). Rockers International still sells loads of vinyl records in this digital era and is a must stop for a lot of visitors from outside Jamaica. The shop has been featured in numerous documentaries, commercials, music videos, movies, sitcoms etc. A few of the more notable names who have come through here include Shaggy, Buju, Koffee, Shensea, Protege, Taurus Riley, Chance the Rapper, Kano, the BBC, and The Guardian newspaper to name a few.”