Colvin George Scott (born 3 September 1959), better known as Cocoa Tea, is a Jamaican reggae singer and songwriter.
Cocoa Tea Biography
Born in Rocky Point, Clarendon Parish, Jamaica, Cocoa Tea was popular in Jamaica from 1985, but has become successful worldwide since the 1990s. One of his most famous songs is “Rikers Island“, which was later put into a ragga version by Nardo Ranks entitled “Me No Like Rikers Island” (featured on Dancehall Reggaespanol) which was released the same year as the original “Rikers Island”. He also gained fame with the song “Young Lover”. He gained notoriety in March 2008 after releasing a song titled “Barack Obama” in support of the US Presidential candidate by the same name. Cocoa Tea’s song “Jah Made Them That Way” from his 1984 album Rocking Dolly interpolates “Human Nature” by Michael Jackson and “Answer Mi Question” by Dillinger.
He initiated the annual New Year’s Eve events Dancehall Jam Jam in 2003; It ran until 2009, with plans to resurrect it in 2015.
After recording for many of the top reggae labels including VP Records, Greensleeves Records and Ras Records, he started his own Roaring Lion label around 2000.
Discography
Albums
- Weh Dem A Go Do…Can’t Stop Cocoa Tea (1984), Volcano
- I Lost My Sonia (1985), Volcano
- Settle Down (1985), Corner Stone
- Mr. Coco Tea (1985), Corner Stone
- Sweet Sweet Coco Tea (1985), Blue Mountain
- The Marshall (1985), Jammy’s
- Cocoa Tea (1986), Jimpy’s
- Come Again (1987), Jammy’s
- Rikers Island (1991), Vp
- Rocking Dolly (1991), RAS
- Authorized (1991), Greensleeves
- Kingston Hot (1992), RAS
- I Am the Toughest (1992), VP
- Weh Dem A Go Do – Can’t Stop Cocoa Tea (1992), VP
- One Up (1993), Greensleeves
- Good Life (1994), VP
- Sweet Love (1994), VP
- Tune In (1994), Greensleeves
- Can’t Live So (1994), Shanachie
- Come Love Me (1995), VP
- Israel’s King (1996), VP
- Holy Mount Zion (1997), Motown
- One Way (1998), VP
- Unforgettable (2000), Roaring Lion
- Feel the Power (2001), VP
- Tek Weh Yuh Gal (2004), Kings of Kings
- Save Us Oh Jah (2006), VP
- Biological Warfare (2007), Minor7Flat5
- Yes We Can (2009), Roaring Lion
- In a Di Red (2012), VP
- Sunset in Negril (2014), Roaring Lion
Split albums
- Corner Stone Presents Clash Of The 80’s (1986), Corner Stone – Cocoa Tea & Barrington Levy
- Clash (1985), Hawkeye – Tenor Saw & Cocoa Tea
- Showdown Vol 8 (1986), Hitbound – Frankie Paul & Cocoa Tea
- Another One for the Road (1991), Greensleeves – Home T, Cocoa Tea, and Cutty Ranks
- Holding On (1991), VP – Cocoa Tea, Shabba Ranks, and Home T, a.k.a. Pirate’s Anthem
- Sanchez Meets Cocoa Tea (1993), Jet Star – with Sanchez
- Legit (1993), Shananchie – Cocoa Tea, Freddie McGregor, and Dennis Brown
- Israel Vibration Meets Cocoa Tea (1999), Cactus
- Another One For The Road (Greensleeves 30th Anniversary Edition) (2007), Greensleeves – Home T, Cocoa Tea, and Cutty Ranks
Compilation albums
- 20 Tracks of Cocoa Tea (1991), Sonic Sounds
- RAS Portraits (1997), RAS.
- In His Early Days (1998), Corner Stone
- Best Of (1999), Socadisc
- Reggae Legends Vol 3 (1999), Artists Only
- Kings of Reggae (2002), Nocturne
- Live in Jamaica (2002), Sankofa
- Reggae Anthology: The Sweet Sound of Cocoa Tea (2008), 17 North Parade
- Reggae Legends (2009), 17 North Parade
- The Best of Cocoa Tea (2012), Jammy’s
- Music is Our Business (2019), VP
In popular culture
His song “We Do The Killing” was sampled in the Pendulum song “Set Me On Fire”, which is included on their album Immersion.
Adapted from Wikipedia
