Cocoa Tea was an iconic reggae singer-songwriter best known for his smooth voice and his acclaimed record and single, “Riker’s Island.”
- Died: March 11, 2025 (Who else died on March 11?)
- Details of death: Died in Fort Lauderdale, Florida of cardiac arrest at the age of 65.
- We invite you to share condolences for Cocoa Tea in our Guest Book.
Cocoa Tea’s legacy
Born Calvin George Scott but better known by his stage name, Cocoa Tea won over fans and left his mark on the worldwide reggae scene thanks to his smooth voice and hypnotic blend of reggae, dancehall, and lovers rock.
He was still in his teens when he took his first steps into the world of performing music in the early 1970s. A single released under his birth name, “Searching in the Hills,” proved a false start to his career at just 14. After those efforts, he worked as a racehorse jockey, then as a fisherman in Rocky Point, his fishing hamlet birthplace in Clarendon, Jamaica. By the early 1980s, however, he moved to Kingston, took on his stage name, and started gaining recognition on the reggae stage.
He made his true debut as Cocoa Tea with the release of his first album, 1984’s “Weh Dem a Go Do … Can’t Stop Coco Tea.” Many LPs followed – Cocoa Tea was a prolific artist – including a 1989 collaboration with Shabba Ranks and Home T, “Holding On,” that spawned the big Jamaican hits “Pirates Anthem” and “Who She Love.” His most notable track may be the 1990 single “Riker’s Island,” followed by an album of the same name the following year. The LP was a politically charged, socially conscious project that set the stage for future Cocoa Tea works that also made political waves.
Some of his most famous tracks include “I Lost My Sonia,” “Rocking Dolly,” “Good Life,” and “She Loves Me Now,” songs that made him a staple on the reggae and dancehall scene. Over the years, he worked with figures like Barrington Levy, Beres Hammond, Buju Banton, and other acclaimed artists.
Cocoa Tea was also the founder of record label Roaring Lion Records, and he established the annual New Year’s Eve celebration, Dancehall Jam Jam.
Tributes to Cocoa Tea
Full obituary: USA Today
