When the world’s brightest stars fade, the void left behind is immeasurable, especially for those who were closest to them. For Jamaican dancehall legend Ninja Man, the recent loss of three vital figures—Cocoa Tea, his dear friend and competitor; Determine, his fellow artist; and his trusted attorney, Valerie Neita-Robertson—has been a painful blow, one that he is forced to navigate behind bars. While incarcerated at the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre, Ninja Man has had to reconcile with grief in solitude, all while keeping the public at arm’s length. Yet, his emotional tribute to his lost friends reveals the humanity behind the hardened persona.
Ninja Man, whose real name is Desmond Ballentine, has long been a fixture in the dancehall scene. With a career spanning decades, Ninja Man built his reputation on his fierce rivalry with other legends and his larger-than-life persona. However, his recent incarceration has placed a lens on not just his career, but the emotional toll of losing those closest to him. In a moving letter obtained by Prism Marketing Consultants, Ninja Man reflected on the impact of Cocoa Tea’s passing, a competitor who transformed into a close friend. “Cocoa Tea was relentless,” he wrote. “He would not stop until he was victorious. He brought a great energy to dancehall.” The loss of his attorney, Valerie Neita-Robinson, who fought tirelessly for him during his legal battles, has also compounded his grief.
Loss has become an undeniable theme in Ninja Man’s life. Between the deaths of Cocoa Tea and Determine—another peer who contributed to the cultural fabric of dancehall—Ninja Man is grappling with personal heartache while serving a life sentence for a 2009 murder conviction. According to statistics from Jamaica’s Department of Corrections, approximately 4,000 inmates are incarcerated in facilities such as Tower Street, and while the confinement stifles freedom, it doesn’t erase the pain of losing friends who were pillars of support both in his personal life and in the entertainment industry.
Yet, Ninja Man remains steadfast in his admiration for the artists and individuals who shaped his path. He recalls how the intensity of his stage clashes with Cocoa Tea showed him what true competition meant. “He was one of the most competitive artistes I have ever encountered,” Ninja Man said. Their ongoing friendly rivalry, despite the harsh competition, was marked by respect and love—an embodiment of the spirit of dancehall itself. “Win, lose, or draw, it was all about love, happiness, and freedom,” he mused in his tribute.
Through it all, Ninja Man’s message is clear: amid grief and loss, the power of love, respect, and unity remains paramount. In a world that often overlooks the emotional toll on entertainers, Ninja Man’s heartfelt words shed light on the pressures and personal battles artists face, especially when forced to cope with loss in isolation. In honouring his late friends, he reminds us all to cherish the moments we have and to treat one another with kindness while we can. “Rest in eternal power,” he wrote, sending his final farewell to Cocoa Tea, Determine, and Valerie Neita-Robertson.
