Kingston, September 25 – Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has extended condolences to the family and close friends of iconic record producer of Channel One fame – Joseph “Joe Joe” Hoo Kim.

“He was one of a kind,” said Grange. 

Hoo Kim died peacefully in the arms of his wife Joyce at his Long Island New York home last week Thursday, September 20, 2018, after a lengthy battle with cancer. 

Grange said the loss of Hoo Kim signals the departure of another of our pioneers in the creation of this great art form we gave to the world called Reggae Music. 

Born on Maxfield Avenue to parents of Chinese and Chinese-Jewish descent, Joe Joe went into the music business in the early 70s. He founded the Channel One Sound System before building a studio with the same name in 1972, along with younger brothers Paul, Kenneth and Ernest. 

The studio worked closely with the legendary Sly Dunbar, a collaboration which was responsible for the creation of the rhythm for the Mighty Diamonds mega hit “when the right time come”. It was unique in many ways, including the introduction of a new drumming style with emphasis on the rim shots. Robbie Shakespeare later teamed up with Sly, to signal the start of perhaps Reggae’s best known and celebrated rhythm duo. 

The studio band at Channel One in the 1970s was The Revolutionaries, one of the most sought-after backing bands of the time. 

The label was to achieve more success with many other well-known artistes including Leroy Smart, Freddy McKay, Wailing Souls, Black Uhuru, Horace Andy, and Delroy Wilson. 

Joe Joe produced the first Jamaican 12-inch single which was a mix that combined versions of “Truly” by The Jays and Ranking Trevor, sung or deejayed by a slew of recording artistes. This is a clear prototype for the modern dancehall song as it evolved over time. 

Joe Joe's footprints extended to New York where he, along with wife Joyce, operated HIT BOUND, a pressing plant for vinyl records and later CDs. 

Minister Grange said, “Joe Joe Hoo Kim was without question one of Jamaica’s greats of the music business. He has left behind a lasting legacy, particularly the rich Channel One catalogue, for which generations of musicians will be eternally grateful. Walk good my friend”.

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