Though he is an accomplished reggae producer, it is as a label owner that Fatis Burrell has had the most impact. After spending time in England and producing groups like Link N' Chain, in 1987 Burrell formed the Vena label to record and release records by a slew of burgeoning young Jamaican artists, such as
Sly and Robbie and Sugar Minott. Capitalizing on the publicity surrounding
Spike Lee's Malcolm X, Burrell changed the label's name to Xterminator. A scene rapidly grew around Burrell and the label, not akin to those at famous production houses such as Motown and Stax, and a distinctive paired down sound became the Xterminator's hallmark. The soft-spoken Burrell remains a significant player on the Jamaican dub scene. ~ Steve Kurutz