Philip 'Fatis' Burrell Dead: Influential Reggae Producer Suffers Fatal Heart Attack

David Corio/Redferns

Philip "Fatis" Burrell, an influential Jamaican music producer, died of a heart attack on Dec. 3, the New York Times reports. He was 57.

Burrell's legacy spans over 20 years of championing young and emerging artists from Jamaica. Among those that he managed and produced, Sanchez, Pinchers, Luciano and Sizzla stand out as some of the island country's strongest reggae acts to date.

Growing up in the Trenchtown section of Kingston, Burrell established himself as a hungry producer with his now-defunct label Lions and Kings in 1984. After the death of reggae patron saint Bob Marley, dancehall music began to take hold of Jamaican radio. Burrell was insistent to keep the roots of his country's music alive, and continued to employ session musicians while contemporary Jamaican music grew more and more electronic-based. By the late '80s, the producer had founded the Xterminator label which remains as a true showcase of the island's talent.