Cocoa Tea, Veteran Reggae Artist Dies At 65
Cocoa Tea, renowned Jamaican artist sadly passed away on March 11 at the age of 65 due to a cardiac arrest. His wife, Malavia Scott, confirmed the heartbreaking news. Fans and supporters from all over the globe expressed their sorrow and condolences upon hearing about his passing. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness also shared a tribute to him on Instagram.
“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,” Malvia said.
Who Was Cocoa Tea?
Cocoa Tea, whose real name was Calvin George Scott, was a well-known figure in the Jamaican music scene since the 1980s. He kicked off his career at just 14 years old in 1974 with the release of his song “Searching In The Hills.”
Cocoa Tea, born Calvin George Scott, later adopted his stage name and dropped some major hits like ‘I Lost My Sonia’ and ‘Rocking Dolly’. His most popular tracks include ‘Young Lover’, ‘Children Of The Ghetto’, ‘Rikers Island’, ‘Up Park Camp’, ‘Me No Like Rikers Island’, ‘Moving On’, ‘Bust Outta Hell’, ‘Tune In’, ‘No Threat’, and plenty more.
Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness has paid tribute to Scott, writing on X: “I extend condolences to the family, friends, and supporters of Calvin George Scott, affectionately known as Cocoa Tea. His smooth vocals and compelling lyrics gave us timeless classics like ‘Rocking Dolly’ and ‘I Lost My Sonia,’ songs that have become anthems in our cultural landscape.
“Beyond his musical genius, He was a beacon of kindness and generosity, consistently uplifting the less fortunate and embodying the warmth of our nation,” he added
