Prince Lincoln Thompson, known as Sax, was a Jamaican singer, musician and songwriter with the reggae band the Royal Rasses, and a member of the Rastafari movement. He was born June 18th 1949 in the west side of Kingston, Jamaica and died of cancer in London on January 23rd 1999. He was noted for his high falsetto singing voice, very different from his spoken voice.
He began his recording career as a harmony singer along with Cedric Myton of The Congos in 1967 in a band called The Tartans who then split up in 1969. In 1971 he was taken on by Coxsone Dodd, and recorded 3 songs with him at Studio One called Daughters of Zion, True Experience and Live up to your name. In 1974 he recorded the Humanity album with Cedric Myton, Clinton Hall and Keith Peterkin, and set up the God Sent label in order to sell it. He had two hit singles with Love the way it should be and Kinston 11.
He was only selling a tiny number of records until in 1978 he was signed up by Mo Claridge, who at the time ran Ballistics Records, a London offshoot of United Artists. A single Unconventional people was released as a 12 inch single in March 1979 with the Humanity album following in May. That summer of 79 the Royal Rasses recorded a second Prince Lincoln album, Experience, this time without Cedric Myton. This album contained more than just the traditional drum and bass sound of most reggae. The band renamed themselves the Rasses to avoid confusion with fellow reggae band The Royals to record a further album called Natural Wild in summer 1980. This time the music was made in London. Prince Lincoln's decision to invite English rock musician Joe Jackson was controversial, and the album was a commercial flop. Thompson returned to Jamaica and re-set up the God Sent label with the help of German company Juicy Peeple to produce his fourth album Ride with the Rasses in 1982. This music was recorded at Tuff Gong and Channel One studios, but again was not commercially successful. Around this time he and his family moved to Tottenham, London where he opened an Ital vegetable and fish shop. In September 1983 he recorded Rootsman Blues in Addis Ababa studio in London. It was released by Target Records with only three musicians per track, giving the music the intimate quality of chamber music.
He released a final album, 21st century in 1997 after an American heard the music in his shop and agreed to become a sponsor. This final album was also recorded in London.
