Reggae singer-songwriter Cocoa Tea was born Colvin Scott on September 3, 1959, in Rocky Point, Clarendon, Jamaica. He is best remembered for his relaxed delivery on a series of albums and singles dating back to 1974. As a young boy, he sang in church and school choirs before cutting his first single, “Searching in the Hills” (1974) when he was just 14. When he didn’t achieve any significant success, he began working regular jobs over the next five years. However, he gave music another chance and began writing songs and performing in local dance halls. While living in Kingston, he collaborated with several artists – Henry ‘Junjo’ Lawes, Tenor Saw, and others – before releasing his debut album, Weh Dem a Go Do… Can’t Stop Cocoa Tea, in 1984. Converting to Rastafarian, lyrics referencing his faith became an important part of his subsequent recordings including albums such as The Marshall (1986) and Come Again (1987). His 1989 release Holding On featured Shabba Ranks and Home T with King Jammy and Gussie Clarke. A popular artist in his home country and abroad, he continued to release a series of albums including Riker's Island (1991), which included songs in protest of the Gulf War, One Way (1998), Feel the Power (2001), In a di Red (2012), and Sunset in Negril (2014). Cocoa Tea continued to perform and record tracks sporadically, although his once prolific recording career slowed down. He died on March 11, 2025, from a cardiac arrest at the age of 65.
