Cocoa Tea

Quite simply the best introduction to a giant of dancehall music. And mind you, this isn't your kids' dancehall: Cocoa Tea is no gruff-voiced baller making midnight booty calls and begging the ladies to "shake dat ting." The guy's a lovers rock crooner who started singing dancehall before synthesizers hit the scene -- and maintained his soul and social conscience once they did. If you love reggae and want to understand its history from the 1980s to the present, this release is essential.