Lincoln Barrington "Sugar" Minott (25 May 1956 – 10 July 2010)Campbell, Howard (2010)
Reggae singer Sugar Minott dies at 54
, Associated Press, 11 July 2010. Retrieved 12 July 2010Peru, Yasmine (2010)
Godfather of Dancehall, Sugar Minott, dead at 54
", ''

Jamaica Observer ''Jamaica Observer'' is a daily newspaper published in Kingston, Jamaica. The publication is owned by Butch Stewart, who chartered the paper in January 1993 as a competitor to Jamaica's oldest daily paper, ''The Gleaner ''The Gleaner'' is an ...

'', 12 July 2010. Retrieved 12 July 2010 was a Jamaican

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...

singer, producer and sound-system operator.Barrow, Steve and Dalton, Peter: "Reggae: The Rough Guide", Rough Guides, 1997, Thompson, Dave (2002) "Reggae & Caribbean Music", Backbeat Books,

Biography

After working as a selector on the ''Sound of Silence Keystone'' sound system, and then his own ''Gathering of Youth'' system, he began his singing career as part of The African Brothers in 1969, along with Tony Tuff and Derrick Howard. The group released several singles in the first half of the 1970s on labels such as Micron and their own Ital label, and were an early example of the

Rastafari movement Rastafari, sometimes called Rastafarianism, is a religion that developed in Jamaica during the 1930s. It is classified as both a new religious movement and a social movement by scholars of religion. There is no central authority in control of ...

's influence on the

Jamaican music The music of Jamaica includes Jamaican folk music and many popular genres, such as mento, ska, rocksteady, reggae, dub music, dancehall, reggae fusion and related styles. Reggae is especially popular through the international fame of Bob Marley. ...

scene, taking a clear lead from

The Abyssinians The Abyssinians are a Jamaican roots reggae group, famous for their close harmonies and promotion of the Rastafari movement in their lyrics. History The vocal trio was originally formed in 1968 by Bernard Collins and Donald Manning. Their fir ...

. After recording "Mysterious Nature" for producer

Rupie Edwards Rupert Lloyd Edwards (born 4 July 1945) is a Jamaican reggae singer and record producer. Biography Rupie Edwards was born in Goshen, in Saint Ann Parish.Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , pp. 103–105 The fa ...

, the group recorded 1974's "No Cup No Broke" for Studio One, breaking up shortly after. Minott then teamed up with the producer Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, as studio apprentice at Dodd's Studio One, working as a singer, guitarist and percussionist, and soon began recording his own singles.Larkin, Colin: "The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", Virgin Books, 1998, Minott developed a talent for writing new songs to fit over existing rhythms (which at the time was common when singers performed live, but rare in the studio), often proving more popular than the original songs, pioneering an approach that would be central to the emerging

dancehall Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The R ...

style. After a number of moderately successful hits for Studio One, such as "Vanity", "Hang On Natty", "Mr. DC", and "Jah Jah Children", his debut LP ''Live Loving'' made his name and increased his popularity, and is regarded as pioneering the dancehall style that would dominate the early 1980s. It was followed in 1979 with a second album, ''Showcase'', which included his singles that had been omitted from the first album. The ''Bittersweet'' album followed, and then the third album of 1979, ''Ghetto-ology'', which saw a return to

roots reggae Roots reggae is a subgenre of reggae that deals with the everyday lives and aspirations of Africans and those in the African Diaspora, including the spiritual side of Rastafari, black liberation, revolution and the honoring of God, called Jah ...

. ''Roots Lovers'' (1980) saw a move towards

lovers rock Lovers' rock is a style of reggae music noted for its romantic sound and content. While love songs had been an important part of reggae since the late 1960s, the style was given a greater focus and a name in London in the mid-1970s.Larkin, Col ...

, which was a UK

hit Hit means to strike someone or something. Hit or HIT may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities * Hit, a fictional character from '' Dragon Ball Super'' * Homicide International Trust, or HIT, a fictional organization ...

. He became a bigger star in the UK than in Jamaica, his self-produced "Hard Time Pressure" being a major UK reggae hit in 1980, leading Minott to relocate to the UK, where he became a focus for UK reggae. Singles such as "Run Come", "Not for Sale", "African Girl", "Lovers Rock", "In a Dis Ya Time", "Africa" and "Make It with You" (with

Carroll Thompson Carroll Thompson is a British lovers rock singer, best known as the "Queen of Lovers Rock" Biography Thompson was born in England and is of Jamaican descent. Thompson undertook classical piano training on the piano and sang in school and chur ...

) were hits in the years that followed. " Good Thing Going" (a

cover Cover or covers may refer to: Packaging * Another name for a lid * Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package * Album cover, the front of the packaging * Book cover or magazine cover ** Book design ** Back cover copy, part of copy ...

of a song originally recorded by

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...

in 1971) was picked up for distribution by

RCA The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Comp ...

and reached Number 4 in the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

in March 1981, leading to an album of the same name. The ''Herbman Hustling'' album saw a return to dancehall and

. He released an album of recordings from Channel One Studios, ''With Lots Of Extra'' in 1983, collecting several hits from his time working with Winston Holness. Returning to Jamaica, his ''Youth Promotion'' sound system performed regularly in Kingston's Maxfield Park, featuring

Jah Stitch Jah Stitch (born Melbourne James, 27 July 1949 – 28 April 2019) was a reggae deejay best known for his recordings in the 1970s. Biography After an introduction to music singing in a yard with the likes of The Wailers, The Heptones, Roy Shir ...

and newcomers who had been nurtured by his organization such as Ranking Joe,

Captain Sinbad Captain Sinbad was the deejay alter ego of Jamaican record producer Carl Dwyer (born c.1955). Biography Dwyer was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and entered the music industry as a deejay under the name Captain Sinbad on the ''Sound of Silence'' s ...

, and

Ranking Dread Ranking Dread (born Winston Brown; – 1996)Moskowitz, David V. (2006) ''Caribbean Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall'', Greenwood Press, , p. 246.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2003) ''The Rough Guide to R ...

. His Black Roots label featured his productions of these artists plus others such as Barry Brown,

Tenor Saw Clive Bright (2 December 1966 – August 1988), better known as Tenor Saw, was a Jamaican dancehall singjay in the 1980s, considered one of the most influential singers of the early digital reggae era. His best-known song was the 1985 hit "Ring ...

Little John Little John is a companion of Robin Hood who serves as his chief lieutenant and second-in-command of the Merry Men. He is one of only a handful of consistently named characters who relate to Robin Hood and one of the two oldest Merry Men, al ...

, Tony Tuff, Barrington Levy,

Horace Andy Horace Andy (born Horace Hinds, 19 February 1951) is a Jamaican roots reggae songwriter and singer, known for his distinctive vocals and hit songs such as "Government Land", as well as "Angel", "Spying Glass" and "Five Man Army" with English tr ...

, and one of his discoveries from England,

Trevor Hartley Trevor Hartley (born 16 March 1947) is an English former footballer with West Ham United and Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic and football manager with AFC Bournemouth and Tottenham Hotspur. Biography Footballing career Trevor Hartley was born ...

. Minott also produced early works by

Nitty Gritty Glen Augustus Holness (1957–24 June 1991), otherwise known by his stage name Nitty Gritty, was a popular reggae singer. Born in the August Town section of Kingston, Jamaica, he was the second of eleven children born to religious parents. ...

Junior Reid Delroy "Junior" Reid (born 6 June 1963) is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall musician, best known for his featuring on the songs " One Blood", " It's Okay (One Blood)" and " This Is Why I'm Hot", as well as being the lead vocalist for Black Uhuru ...

, Yami Bolo, Colourman,

Daddy Freddy S. Frederick Small (born 1965), better known as Daddy Freddy, is a Jamaican ragga vocalist. Early life Small was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and grew up in the city's Trenchtown district.Huey, SteveDaddy Freddy Biography", Allmusic, retrieved ...

and Garnett Silk. In 1980s he was working with producers in Jamaica including,

Mikey Dread Michael George Campbell (4 June 1954 – 15 March 2008), better known as Mikey Dread, was a Jamaican singer, producer, and broadcaster. He was one of the most influential performers and innovators in reggae music. Biography Born in Port Anton ...

, George Phang,

Sly & Robbie Sly and Robbie were a prolific Jamaican rhythm section and production duo, associated primarily with the reggae and dub genres. Drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare teamed up in the mid-1970s after establishing themselves separa ...

, Philip "Fatis" Burrell, Channel One,

Prince Jammy Lloyd James (born 26 October 1947),Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter: "Reggae: The Rough Guide", 1997, Rough Guides, better known as Prince Jammy or King Jammy, is a Jamaican dub mixer and record producer. He began his musical career as a dub ma ...

, and

Donovan Germain Donovan Germain (born 7 March 1952 in Jamaica) is a reggae producer, one of the most successful of the digital era. Biography Germain's entry into the music industry was via his record shop in New York City in the 1970s.Larkin, Colin (1998) "The V ...

, as well as recording for United States-based Lloyd "Bullwackie" Barnes (the ''Wicked A Go feel It'' album from 1984). His biggest hits included "Herbman Hustling", "No Vacancy", "Jamming in the Street", "Rub A Dub Sound", "Buy Off The Bar", "Rydim", and "Devil's Pickney". He linked up with

for 1984's "Rub a Dub Sound Style" single, which is regarded as a prototype for the

ragga Raggamuffin music, usually abbreviated as ragga, is a subgenre of dancehall and reggae music. The instrumentals primarily consist of electronic music. Similar to hip hop, sampling often serves a prominent role in raggamuffin music. Wayne Sm ...

style that developed in the mid-1980s. Sugar Minott continued to record on his Black Roots label, Youth Promotion Label and for Major and Independent labels. His albums receive increasingly exciting reviews. He released over 60 albums and hundreds of singles. Minott is one of the artists who appeared on the (2006) record, ''

Radiodread ''Radiodread'' is a 2006 tribute album by the Easy Star All-Stars that covers Radiohead's 1997 album ''OK Computer'' in reggae, ska and dub styles. History ''Radiodread'' producer and arranger Michael Goldwasser said: :''OK Computer'' has el ...

'', released by the Easy Star label, he provided the guest vocals on the song "Exit Music (For a Film)". Minott's desire for independence led him to leave Studio One in 1978 and form his own Black Roots Records label and Youth Promotion organization, the latter with the aim of helping young singers from the same ghetto background as himself. Minott also ran the Youthman Promotion sound-system, giving young performers their first public exposure. Youthman Promotion has new selectors working alongside the veterans of Major Stitch, Ragga Steve and Drifter, Daddy Ants, Mr Shorty and Jimmy Knuckles. The selectors most recently added to the sound are DiGeneral Starry B in 2007, alongside Poochiny and Jr War, who were added in 2012. Ragga Steve has taken full control of the sound with Earl Minott in the UK.

Death

Minott died on 10 July 2010 at the University Hospital of the West Indies in St. Andrew Parish, Jamaica, after being admitted earlier that day. The cause of death remains undisclosed. He had been affected by a heart condition since early 2009, and cancelled several performances in May 2010 due to chest pains.Sugar Minott dies aged 54
, BBC, 12 July 2010. Retrieved 12 July 2010 In May 2012, a charity concert was held at his former home commemorating his birthday, with Minott's children (who include daughter Tamar, aka Pashon) joined by

Bounty Killer Rodney Basil Price (born 12 June 1972), known as Bounty Killer, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay. AllMusic describes him as "one of the most aggressive dancehall stars of the '90s, a street-tough rude boy with an unrepentant flair f ...

, Sizzla,

Beenie Man Anthony Moses Davis (born 22 August 1973), better known by his stage name Beenie Man, is a Jamaican Dancehall deejay. Biography Davis was born in the Waterhouse district of Kingston in 1973.Moskowitz, David V. (2006) ''Caribbean Popular Mu ...

Ken Boothe Kenneth George Boothe OD (born 22 March 1948) is a Jamaican vocalist known for his distinctive vibrato and timbre. Boothe achieved an international reputation as one of Jamaica's finest vocalists through a series of crossover hits that appeal ...

and John Holt.Morgan, Simone (2012)
Not so sweet for 'Sugar'
, ''

'', 22 May 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2012 Proceeds went to the Youthman Promotions Music Centre and other causes helping local poor people. In 2019, he was honoured with a Reggae Gold award by the Jamaican government for his contributions as artist and producer.

Discography

*''Live Loving'' (1977, Studio One) Roots

Archives An archive is an accumulation of historical records or materials – in any medium – or the physical facility in which they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual o ...

states

1977 Events January * January 8 – Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (now the Democrat ...

Discogs Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the ...

says release year is unknown *''Showcase'' (1978, Studio One, probably a smaller edition in

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of Hispa ...

by Studio One already

,); reissued in US as ''Showcase'' (1992, Heartbeat) with different mixing; reissued as ''Jah Jah Children'' 2012 *'' Black Roots'' (1979,

Black Roots Records Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have of ...

& Gorgon Records in Jamaica; 1979 by

Mango A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree '' Mangifera indica''. It is believed to have originated in the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in Sout ...

for US and 1980 by

Island Records Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, anothe ...

for UK and (Germany) with other, shorter names on the 10 songs). The LP-album ''Black Roots'', released for the Jamaican market on

, Gorgon Records and Thunder Bolt is dated 1978, so the album is recorded before the year 1979. *''Bittersweet'' (1979, Gorgon Records in Jamaica; Warrior Records in UK); also released as ''Give The People'' (1979,

United Artists Records United Artists Records was an American record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 to issue movie soundtracks. The label expanded into other genres, such as easy listening, jazz, pop, and R&B. History Genres In 1959, ...

) in UK *''Ghetto – Ology'' (1979,

Trojan Trojan or Trojans may refer to: * Of or from the ancient city of Troy * Trojan language, the language of the historical Trojans Arts and entertainment Music * ''Les Troyens'' ('The Trojans'), an opera by Berlioz, premiered part 1863, part 189 ...

) – reissued as ''

Ghetto A ghetto, often called ''the'' ghetto, is a part of a city in which members of a minority group live, especially as a result of political, social, legal, environmental or economic pressure. Ghettos are often known for being more impoverished ...

-ology + Dub'' (2000,

Easy Star Records Easy Star Records is an American independent record label founded in 1996. Based in New York City, the label primarily produces and releases albums in the genres of reggae and dub. The label has had multiple albums chart at No. 1 on the ''Bil ...

in US *''Roots Lovers'' (1980, Black Roots); in Jamaica also released as ''Music for the Roots Lovers'' (1980?, Black Roots) with ''Sugar Minott & Black Roots Players'' *''

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

n Girl'' (1981, Black Roots); pre-release album was produced and released 1980 *''Sweeter Than Sugar'' (1981, Sonic Sounds for Jamaica, Hummingbird Records for US and UK) *'' Good Thing Going'' (1981,

for UK); (1982 Heartbeat for US); Re-issued with smaller edits as ''Good Thing Going'' (1994, Black Roots Records) * ''More Sugar Minott'' (1982, Studio One) – released on Jamaica *''Dancehall Showcase'' (1983, Black Roots) *''With Lots Of Extra'' (1983, Hitbound) *''Herbman Hustling'' (1984, Black Roots) *''Slice of the Cake'' (1984, Black Roots) *''Wicked a Go Feel It'' (1984, Wackies) *''Leader for the Pack'' (1985, Striker Lee) *''Rydim'' (1985, Greensleeves) *''Time Longer Than Rope'' (1985, Greensleeves) *''Inna Reggae Dance Hall'' (1986, Black Roots) *''Sugar & Spice'' (1986, Taxi) *''Jamming in the Streets'' (1987, Wackies) *''African Soldier'' (1988, Black Roots) *''Buy Off De Bar'' (1988, Sonic Sounds) *''Sugar Minott & Youth Promotion'' (1988, NEC) *''Lovers Rock Inna Dance Hall'' (1988, Youth Promotion) *''Sufferers Choice'' (1988, Black Roots) *''

Youth Dem Rising'' (1988, Black Roots) *''The Boss Is Back'' (1989,

RAS Ras or RAS may refer to: Arts and media * RAS Records Real Authentic Sound, a reggae record label * Rundfunk Anstalt Südtirol, a south Tyrolese public broadcasting service * Rás 1, an Icelandic radio station * Rás 2, an Icelandic radio sta ...

) *''

Child'' (1989, Black Roots) *''Smile'' (1990, L&M) *''A Touch of Class'' (1991, Jammy's) *''Happy Together'' (1991, Black Roots) *''Run Things'' (1993, VP) *''Breaking Free'' (1994, RAS) *''Stir it Up (feat.

)'' (1994, Music of Life) *''International'' (1996, RAS) *''Musical Murder'' (1997, VP) *''Good Thing Going'' (1998, VP) *''Easy Squeeze'' (1999, World) *''Simply the Best'' (2000), World *''From the Heart'' (2000), Blackwacks *''Leave Out a Babylon'' (2005), Discograph *''In A Lovers Roots Style'' (2008), Pinnacle *''Tribute to Studio One'' (2009), Tad's *''New Day'' (2009), Stop Look Listen ;Split albums: *'' Rockers Award Winners'' (1985, Greensleeves) (Sugar Minott & Leroy Smart) *''Double Dose'' (1987, Blue Mountain) (Sugar Minott & Gregory Isaacs) *''Showdown Volume 2'' ( Channel One) (Sugar Minott & Frankie Paul) ;Compilations: *''With Lots of Extra'' (1983, Hitbound) *''Best of Vol 1'' (1988, Black Roots) *''Collectors Collection Vol 1'' (1996, Black Roots) *''RAS Portrait'' (1997, RAS) *''Sugar Minott's Hidden

Treasure Treasure (from la, thesaurus from Greek language ''thēsauros'', "treasure store") is a concentration of wealth — often originating from ancient history — that is considered lost and/or forgotten until rediscovered. Some jurisdictions le ...

s'' (1999, Easy Star) *''Hard Time Pressure: Reggae

Anthology In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs or excerpts by different authors. In genre fiction, the term ''anthology'' typically cate ...

'' (2011, VP Records) ;With the

n Brothers:

References

External links

Roots Archive discography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Minott, Sugar 1956 births 2010 deaths Musicians from Kingston, Jamaica Jamaican reggae singers Jamaican male singers Island Records artists Easy Star Records artists VP Records artists Heartbeat Records artists