Lincoln Barrington "Sugar" Minott (25 May 1956 – 10 July 2010) was a Jamaican reggae and dancehall singer, record producer and sound-system operator.

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. 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 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. label and Youth Promotion organization, the latter with the aim of helping young singers from the same ghetto background as himself.

He is survived by his widow Maxine Stowe and 14 children, grandchildren, brothers, and sisters.

On May 25 2012, a concert Sugar Minott Day Tribute was held by his big daughter Pashon at his former home commemorating his birthday, with Minott's children (who include daughter Tamar, aka Pashon) joined by Bounty Killer, Sizzla, Beenie Man, Junior Reid, Ken Boothe and John Holt. Proceeds went to the Youthman Promotions Music Centre and other causes helping local poor people.

Discography

  • Live Loving (1977, Studio One) Roots Archives states 1977, Discogs says release year is unknown
  • Showcase (1978, Studio One, probably a smaller edition in Jamaica by Studio One already 1977,); reissued in US as Showcase (1992, Heartbeat) with different mixing; reissued as Jah Jah Children 2012
  • Black Roots (1979, Black Roots Records & Gorgon Records in Jamaica; 1979 by Mango for US and 1980 by Island Records for UK and (Germany) with other, shorter names on the 10 songs). The LP-album Black Roots, released for the Jamaican market on Black Roots Records, 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) in UK
  • Ghetto – Ology (1979, Trojan) – reissued as Ghetto-ology + Dub (2000, Easy Star Records 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
  • African 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, RCA 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)
  • Ghetto Youth Dem Rising (1988, Black Roots)
  • The Boss Is Back (1989, RAS)
  • Ghetto 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. Daddy Freddy) (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 and Leroy Smart)
  • Double Dose (1987, Blue Mountain) (Sugar Minott and Gregory Isaacs)
  • Showdown Volume 2 (Channel One) (Sugar Minott and 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 Treasures (1999, Easy Star)
  • Hard Time Pressure: Reggae Anthology (2011, VP Records)

;With the African Brothers:

References

  • Roots Archive discography
  • Interview by Ray Hurford