Africa has many countries worth seeing. Famous reggae singer Cocoa Tea picked Zimbabwe as his first African stop. He passed away at 65 on March 11 from heart problems at a Florida hospital. The star behind the 90s hit "Riker's Island" fell in love with Zimbabwe when he performed there.
He sang at the Lion Lager Summer Beer Fest at Glamis Stadium in 2011. The warm welcome from Zimbabweans touched him deeply. After Nelson Mandela died in 2013, he talked about this special connection. Cocoa Tea said he never visited South Africa or any other African nation except Zimbabwe.
Born Colvin Scott, he often spoke about wanting African unity. He called himself "the son of a slave" whose ancestors came from Africa. He renamed the Caribbean the "Carry-beyond" because it sat far from his true homeland. He felt sad not knowing which African tribe or village his family came from.
Zimbabwe held a special place in his heart. He described his visit there as a career highlight. The love he felt from Zimbabwean fans made him cry with happiness. He called it his "mama land" and said the reception amazed him. He wondered about fans in other African countries who never saw him perform.
His Zimbabwe shows thrilled reggae fans and the local Rastafari community. His death shocked many Zimbabweans who loved his music. After hearing about his passing, fans shared memories on social media. They celebrated his musical legacy, which mixed beautiful sounds with cultural pride.
Classic263 reggae host Terry Mapurisana met Cocoa Tea during his Zimbabwe visit. He called it a "dark moment for reggae fans" and shared his condolences. A fan from Tafara thanked the singer for music that changed his life. Bus operator Absolom Muyambiri remembered hearing Cocoa Tea songs at dancehall shows in the 1990s.
Muyambiri said they played his music at a club named Rumours, nicknamed the "Agony Centre." He attended the 2011 concert and called it "massive." It reminded him of growing up listening to reggae in Tafara. He described Cocoa Tea as having "a great voice" that nobody can replace. His death marks the end of "one of the finest voices" in reggae music.
He sang at the Lion Lager Summer Beer Fest at Glamis Stadium in 2011. The warm welcome from Zimbabweans touched him deeply. After Nelson Mandela died in 2013, he talked about this special connection. Cocoa Tea said he never visited South Africa or any other African nation except Zimbabwe.
Born Colvin Scott, he often spoke about wanting African unity. He called himself "the son of a slave" whose ancestors came from Africa. He renamed the Caribbean the "Carry-beyond" because it sat far from his true homeland. He felt sad not knowing which African tribe or village his family came from.
Zimbabwe held a special place in his heart. He described his visit there as a career highlight. The love he felt from Zimbabwean fans made him cry with happiness. He called it his "mama land" and said the reception amazed him. He wondered about fans in other African countries who never saw him perform.
His Zimbabwe shows thrilled reggae fans and the local Rastafari community. His death shocked many Zimbabweans who loved his music. After hearing about his passing, fans shared memories on social media. They celebrated his musical legacy, which mixed beautiful sounds with cultural pride.
Classic263 reggae host Terry Mapurisana met Cocoa Tea during his Zimbabwe visit. He called it a "dark moment for reggae fans" and shared his condolences. A fan from Tafara thanked the singer for music that changed his life. Bus operator Absolom Muyambiri remembered hearing Cocoa Tea songs at dancehall shows in the 1990s.
Muyambiri said they played his music at a club named Rumours, nicknamed the "Agony Centre." He attended the 2011 concert and called it "massive." It reminded him of growing up listening to reggae in Tafara. He described Cocoa Tea as having "a great voice" that nobody can replace. His death marks the end of "one of the finest voices" in reggae music.
