World Famous VIP Records, an iconic fixture of Long Beach and music history, will host a free community block party this weekend to celebrate Juneteenth.
Juneteenth commemorates the date — June 19, 1865 — when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to the last enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. Black Americans have celebrated Juneteenth for generations, but it became a federal holiday in 2021 after then-President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law.
VIP Records, meanwhile, has been a cornerstone of Long Beach’s history and musical influence since its founding in the late 1970s by Kelvin Anderson. By the early 1990s, it had evolved into a launchpad for aspiring local artists, providing a record store and a recording studio.
Thanks to Anderson’s work, VIP Records became a launching pad for iconic rappers, including Snoop Dogg, Warren G and Nate Dogg. It has long been recognized as a hub for West Coast rap, and has since been recognized as a historic landmark by Long Beach.
Now, VIP Records and the VIP Family Foundation are continuing their work to give back to the local community with this weekend’s event, dubbed the “World Famous Block Party: Juneteenth Edition.”
“V.I.P. Records has been part of this community for over 45 years,” Anderson said in a recent news release. “We have watched this city grow and this block party is our way of giving back. Juneteenth is about freedom and celebration, and there is no better place to do that than right here in Long Beach.”
From left, Tenisha Anderson and Latasha Anderson pose for a photograph with their father Kelvin Anderson at the World Famous VIP Records in Long Beach on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
VIP Records owner Kelvin Anderson poses for a photograph at the World Famous VIP Records in Long Beach on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
VIP Records at Long Beach’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Mayor Robert Garcia is presented a proclamation to brothers Kelvin Anderson,left, and Cletus Anderson for their contributions to the city of Long Beach. Cletus opened VIP Records in 1978 and his brother Kelvin took over the business the following year. The VIP Records sign, located at 1014 E. Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach, was declared a historic landmark this week. Long Beach Calif., Thursday, December 21, 2017.
( Photo by Stephen Carr, Daily Breeze / SCNG )
From left to right, Mayor Robert Garcia, VIP records owner Kelvin Anderson, VIP Records founder Cletus Anderson and Long Beach Sixth District Long Beach City Councilman Dee Andrews, as Mayor Robert Garcia presented a proclamation to brothers Kelvin and Cletus Anderson for their contributions to the city of Long Beach. Cletus opened VIP Records in 1978 and his brother Kelvin took over the business the following year. The VIP Records sign, located at 1014 E. Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach, was declared a historic landmark this week. Long Beach Calif., Thursday, December 21, 2017.
( Photo by Stephen Carr, Daily Breeze / SCNG )
Mayor Robert Garcia is presented a proclamation to brothers Kelvin and Cletus Anderson for their contributions to the city of Long Beach. Cletus opened VIP Records in 1978 and his brother Kelvin took over the business the following year. The VIP Records sign was declared a historic landmark this week. Long Beach Calif., Wednesday, December 20, 2017.
( Photo by Stephen Carr, Daily Breeze / SCNG )
A throwback photo of Kevin Ryder (far right) and Gene “Bean” Baxter (second from right) of KROQ 106.7/FM’s “The Kevin & Bean Show” outside of VIP Records during a promotional event. (Photo courtesy of KROQ 106.7/FM)
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From left, Tenisha Anderson and Latasha Anderson pose for a photograph with their father Kelvin Anderson at the World Famous VIP Records in Long Beach on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
The free event, taking place at Promenade Square Park, 215 E. First St., on Saturday, June 20, will feature two stages with live programming, according to the news release, including the VIP Main Stage, which will be hosted by KJLH Radio Station’s Ricky Ruckus.
DJ Battlecat will headline the VIP Main Stage, and will be joined by Emi Secret and the Gumbo Brothers, among other special guests and performers.
The LBC Park Jam Stage, meanwhile, will be hosted by Medusa, a Los Angeles MC and poet recognized by “The Queen of LA’s Underground Hip Hop,” the news release said. That stage will feature a variety of performers spanning musical genres and generations.
And then there’s the Block Party itself, which will feature various interactive exhibitions, hands-on workshops, family friendly programming, and more.
One exhibit, dubbed “The Art of DJing: The Legacy of DJ Battlecat,” will offer an interactive look at the artists’ life and legacy at the Edison Theatre. Getty will also host “Portraits in Bloom,” a free art workshop where participants will take professional Polaroid portraits, and learn how to transform them into mixed-media with local artist Da’Shaunae Marisa.
The Arts Council for Long Beach, the news release said, will also host creative activities geared toward children throughout the event; and Love, Peace & Spades will host a curated Black family game night with lessons on how to play Spades, Bid Whist, Tunk and Dominoes.
The Juneteenth Block Party will also feature a Black Business Tour from 1 to 5 p.m., with free shuttle pick-up and drop-offs at the Edison Theatre. The tour aims to offer attendees a chance to discover and support Black-owned businesses in downtown.
“Rooted in Black music, culture, and the spirit of Long Beach, the Block Party brings together artists, families, local creatives and community organizations to celebrate Juneteenth through food, art, and shared experience,” the news release said. “Juneteenth Edition is the first in a greater series of block parties planned throughout the year, each built around a moment worth gathering for. Long Beach, this is for you.”
The event is free and open to all. RSVPs are encouraged, but not required. To RSVP, visit shorturl.at/gCbRz. The event gets underway from noon to 8 p.m.