Reggae legend Colvin ‘Cocoa Tea’ Scott has died.
His wife, Malvia Scott, confirmed to The Gleaner that the veteran singer passed away at 4:46 this morning at a hospital in Broward, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, following a cardiac arrest. He was 65.
“I got a call early this morning to say that he had been transferred from the facility to the hospital … which is like five minutes away … because he was vomiting. He was initially diagnosed with lymphoma in 2019, but for the last six months he was also struggling with pneumonia,” Malvia told The Gleaner.
Following the diagnosis six years ago, the Nah Give Up singer kept a positive outlook, even to the very end.
“He was definitely very brave,” shared Malvia, who is the mother of three of Cocoa Tea’s children. “He was positive throughout it all. About three weeks ago when he was admitted in the hospital he asked if I was worried and I said ‘I am always worried’. He told me not to worry because everything was going to be all right. He was always very hopeful.”
Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, told The Gleaner that she was “very saddened by the passing of Sweet Sweet Cocoa Tea”.
“He has been a staple in the industry for so long. He is one of the greatest reggae singers who has ever lived and his work will stand the test of time. We salute him at this time … condolences to his family. It has been a pleasure working with him over these years and we are glad that we had the opportunity to give him some of [his] flowers while he was here with us. May his soul rest in peace,” Grange stated.
Known for his sweet, melodic voice, as well as his powerful chanting, Cocoa Tea’s last performance was three years ago on the Welcome to Jamrock Cruise. In 2019, the I Am The Toughest singer performed at Buju Banton’s historic Long Walk to Freedom concert at the National Stadium in Kingston.
Born in Rocky Point, in Clarendon on September 3, 1959, Cocoa Tea started making his name in Jamaica in 1985 with hits such as I Lost My Sonia and Sweet Sweet Cocoa Tea.
He became successful worldwide in the 1990s and expanded his fan base, thrilling with songs such as Israel’s King, Weh Dem A Go Do…Can’t Stop Cocoa Tea, Holy Mount Zion, Rocking Dolly. His Wikipedia bio states that one of his most famous songs, Rikers Island, was later turned into a dancehall version by Nardo Ranks titled Me No Like Rikers Island (featured on the 1991 Columbia/SME Records compilation Dancehall Reggaespañol).
In 2003, Cocoa Tea started the annual New Year’s Eve event Dancehall Jam Jam. 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.
In March 2008, the name Cocoa Tea was on the lips of many people after he released a song titled Barack Obama, in support of the then-US presidential candidate, who subsequently won the elections.
Cocoa Tea is survived by his wife, Malvia and eight children.
*Article reposted from Jamaica Gleaner*
