Remembering Cocoa Tea
Photo Credit: Beth Lesser
Jamaican music icon Colvin ‘Cocoa Tea’ Scott has passed away at age 65 following a cardiac arrest. Like his namesake, the popular Caribbean drink, Cocoa Tea was known for his sweet, sweet vocal tone and style. He scored hit after hit in the 80s, 90s, and beyond and has remained active as a recording artist and live performer in the decades that followed. As a devout Rasta, he excelled at songs of social protest, and is deeply respected by the Reggae and Dancehall community, consistently entertaining crowds with his uplifting and conscious music, whilst still maintaining his easy-going charm.
Born in the small fishing village of Rocky Point, Clarendon, on the 3rd September 1959, Tea was raised by his single mother, who worked as a domestic helper in their local neighbourhood. With a traditional Christian upbringing, naturally Tea’s early musical inspiration came via the church, singing regularly in choirs and at school. At the age of just fourteen he made his first foray into recording with producer Willie Francis. The resulting track, “Searching In The Hills”, failed to make much of an impact, leaving Tea feeling jaded with the music industry. Soon after he sought out other opportunities and began working as an apprentice and trainer at the legendary horse racing track, Caymanas Park. The tide turned, however, and subsequently Tea embarked on a career as a fisherman. It was during this time that Tea’s love for music was re-ignited and he became a regular on the Kingston soundsystem circuit.
Championed by the top-ranking Volcano Soundsystem selector Danny Dread, Tea quickly piqued the interest of revered producer Henry ‘Junjo’ Lawes. A slew of hits followed including “Rocking Dolly”, “Lost My Sonia”, “Informer” and many more. Soon Tea’s unique vocal tones and emotive songwriting, which weaved popular song melodies with the current stories of the day, became synonymous with the early sound of Dancehall. As his songwriting skills matured, Tea shifted focus to address social injustice and to promote a conscious message. He grew dreadlocks as a sign of his commitment to the Rastafarian faith and throughout his career he remained dedicated to Rasta values and fought hard for the underprivileged. In the 80s and 90s Tea was incredibly prolific, working with the predominant producers of the era such as King Jammy, Gussie Clarke, Phillip ‘Fatis’ Burell of Xterminator Records and Bobby ‘Digital B’ Dixon to name but a few, creating some of his most enduring classics including “Pirate’s Anthem”, “Tune In”, “Good Life”, “She Loves Me Now” and countless more. After working with several leading Reggae and Dancehall labels such as VP Records and Greensleeves, in 2000 he launched his own imprint, Roaring Lion. In 2008, Cocoa Tea gained widespread attention with the release of his song “Barack Obama”, a tribute in support of the then-U.S. presidential candidate who would go on to win the election.
He is survived by his wife, Malvia, and their eight children.
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Explore Cocoa Tea’s legacy through his music:
