Sean Paul’s 2017 compilation album Dutty Classics Collection has officially been certified Platinum in the United Kingdom by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) as of June 6, 2025 (300,000). The project, released via Rhino, brings together 18 of Sean Paul’s most iconic tracks, including “Get Busy,” “Temperature,” “Baby Boy,” and more, all of which helped define the dancehall crossover era of the early 2000s.
This marks Sean Paul’s third Platinum album certification in the UK, following Dutty Rock (certified in 2003) and The Trinity (certified in 2024). The Dutty Classics Collection serves as a career-spanning highlight reel, showcasing hits pulled from across his studio albums—Stage One, Dutty Rock, The Trinity, Imperial Blaze, Tomahawk Technique, and Full Frequency.
In a 2021 interview with World Music Views, Sean Paul revealed a long-standing legal and industry reality behind many of these songs’ rights.
“VP Records and Atlantic Records own all my hits,” he said at the time. “They were a big distribution link, so those are owned by them.”
That control over his catalog, Sean said, took him years to navigate. But in late 2024, sources close to the matter confirmed that VP Records acquired the full rights to distribute the Dutty Classics Collection, allowing it to be reissued and promoted more broadly—culminating in its Platinum certification.
During the same interview, Sean reflected on the evolution of dancehall, collaboration, and legacy building.
“Unity is the best community for dancehall right now—collaboration over clash, let’s go get the cash,” he said. “I always wanted to own my songs. It took me twenty years.”
He explained that while he doesn’t own the original recordings of his biggest hits, he has the right to re-record them after 15 years and plans to explore that route in the future.
“With Island Records now, I own my masters but lease them for a few years. When that’s done, I get them back. I always wanted that.”
