Best of the Best 2010 Spotlight: Cocoa Tea

Born Calvin George Scott, Cocoa Tea hails from Kingston and carries on the island's reggae tradition. The early/mid-'80s saw him flirting with early dancehall stylings on chilled-out songs like "I Lost My Sonia" and "Too Young." But when dancehall veered into more aggressive, hip-hop-influenced territory, Cocoa Tea stayed put, and...

By Arielle Castillo

May 24, 2010

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Born Calvin George Scott, Cocoa Tea hails from Kingston and carries on the island's reggae tradition. The early/mid-'80s saw him flirting with early dancehall stylings on chilled-out songs like "I Lost My Sonia" and "Too Young." But when dancehall veered into more aggressive, hip-hop-influenced territory, Cocoa Tea stayed put, and these days sounds almost rootsy in comparison to the latest of the dancehall crop. Most recently, he gained some internet notoriety for his 2008 song "Barack Obama," which repeated the now-president's name over and over again in a maddeningly catchy melody.

Best of the Best 2010. With Diddy, DJ Khaled, Gucci Mane, Capleton, Barrington Levy, and others. 1 p.m. Sunday, May 30. Bicentennial Park, 1075 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. Tickets currently cost $54 and up; children under 12 are free when accompanied by an adult. 305-438-9488; bestofthebestconcert.com

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