Joel Chin
DOB Unknown – August 16, 2011
Joel Chin was the Director of A&R for the family run reggae dynasty known as VP Records. Founded in New York City in 1979 by Chin’s Jamaican-born grandparents, Patricia and Vincent Chin, VP has grown into the world’s largest independent reggae label. Its name has become synonymous with contemporary roots reggae, dancehall and soca. During the mid ’90s, Chin joined the family business – his father is legendary reggae producer, Clive Chin who has worked with Black Uhuru and Augustus Pablo, to name a few. The younger Chin quickly became instrumental to the careers of Beenie Man, Beres Hammond, Sizzla, and Sean Paul whose Dutty Rock album has sold in excess of 7 million copies. Chin is also credited with creating the wildly successful reggae compilation series, Reggae Gold and Simply The Best, the genre’s answers to the NOW That’s What I Call Music pop collections. In 2009, Chin moved to Jamaica to work more directly with the label’s artists. During the late night hours of August 16, 2011, 35-year-old Joel Chin was stepping out of his car in front his Kingston home when he was fatally shot in the head in what initially appeared to have been an ambush. The assailant or assailants quickly vanished into the night and authorities were not immediately aware of any motive for the killing.