Running since 1987, New Generation Records is a New Jersey label with nearly four decades of history in soulful, gospel and afro house.
Led by producer, composer and CEO Larry LaBirt, New Generation Records was founded alongside his late brother Mike LaBirt after the pair graduated from the Center of Media Arts in New York City. What began with the DJ’s On Vinyl series, a compilation that went on to sell 5,000 pressings, has grown into a label with a deep catalogue rooted in the musical traditions of Black music, from jazz and gospel through to classic soul and modern house. LaBirt’s productions are defined by warm harmonies, intricate arrangements and emotional depth, qualities shared by the label’s core roster of collaborators including Corey Holmes, Shino Blackk, Rob Rhythm, Vangela Crowe and Ed Ramsey. With a prolific run of recent releases and new music on the way, New Generation Records continues to carry forward the spirit that started it all: a love and passion for the music and the scene.
New Generation Records has been running since 1987, nearly four decades. What motivated you to start the label, and what’s kept it going all this time?
Actually Mike LaBirt, my brother started the label. He passed away in 2024. We both went to Center for the Media Arts in New York. But we both started out as DJs and after graduating Center for the Media Arts we started recording songs, and we shopped them, and none of them got picked up. My brother decided to press up the records without even saying anything to me or the other guys. That was the DJ’s On Vinyl series which featured myself, Larry P Rauson, Joe Ruvolo, Jerry & Ricci Melillo. It went on to sell 5,000 pressings, 500 at a time. Would have been more if we could have pressed more at a time. The love and passion for the music and the scene.
The DJ’s On Vinyl series was a huge early success for the label. Tell us about that era and what it meant for New Generation Records.
The DJ’s On Vinyl series was a major success for us early on. People couldn’t believe we put that many songs on one release. Major labels were interested in a couple of the songs on the series. But we never could lock a deal in, just afraid to get taken advantage of. I do regret that.
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The label was a real collective effort from the start. How did that original team come together, and what did everyone bring to the table?
Yes, it was always a collaborative effort. Larry Rauson was very musical and Joe Ruvolo and Jerry and Ricci Melillo were very hip. And also DJs and just had a real love of house music. Their sound was very influential in cultivating that Jersey house sound.
You’ve been on a prolific run recently with a steady stream of releases. How do you approach working with collaborators, and what do you look for in the artists you release?
We have a pretty tight ship. We don’t sign too many demos because between Cory Holmes, Shino Blackk, Rob Rhythm, as far as producers, and Vangela Crowe, Gary Adams. And we’re doing some stuff with Ed Ramsey, that’s kinda our core group and it seems to work. And now Kevin Oliphant and myself are doing a lot of production that seems to be working.
The label spans soulful house, afro house, and everything in between. How would you describe the New Generation Records sound, and how has it evolved over the years?
We definitely lost some of our core sound. Because Larry Rauson, you know, keeping it very musical, has left us. RIP. But we have a Jersey sound. Corey and Shino kind of formulated our sound. So it’s soulful house, gospel house, afro house, and every once in a while we dabble a little in other areas. Vocals, we try to do a lot of vocals.
New Jersey has a deep and storied connection to house music. How has that local scene shaped the label’s identity and direction?
Derek Jenkins from Backroom Productions, behind the song A Definition of a Track and the group Jomanda, was very influential to me wanting to do music. So being around him and some of the other people is what kind of inspired us to do this thing called house music.
You’ve got new releases coming. What can you tell us about them, and what should people expect?
We’ve got several releases coming. Ed Ramsey, Gotta Believe, is a new one coming. A couple of Cory Holmes songs. So those are hot. Ed Ramsey with Distant People, that should be a hot release. And also self-produced, Nobody Knows, a remake of a gospel song that Timmy Regisford and Mark Francis really love. Timmy played it at the Shelter reunion, Mark played it at the Southport Weekender. And Timmy has done a rework, soon to be released.
What advice would you give to anyone looking to start their own independent label today?
Gotta have patience. It takes time to cultivate a label, so expect a long haul. You could have a hot record but may not get the shine. Because the label has no recognition. Patience.