Early in his career, Hopeton Lindo had many elders he looked to for counsel, including engineer and producer Osbourne 'King Tubby' Ruddock and Lloyd 'King Jammy' James. But these days, Lindo is the one playing the role of mentor. Based in South Florida, Lindo has worked with several up-and-coming acts there, including Inique, Isha Blender and Fiona.
Inique is one of the artistes on the Favorite Riddim , an album released in April by his Irie Pen Records. "I believe in supporting the new generation of artistes. Unity is strength," said Lindo, who produced the seven-song set.
Among the tracks is Favorite Girl , Lindo's song which topped the Jamaica Music Countdown Reggae Singles Chart for two weeks. Other acts on the album are Sanchez, Novel-T, Anthony Malvo and Peter G. Favorite Girl , I Love The Way by Novel-T and Peter G's Not Taking No all topped the South Florida Reggae Chart.
Lindo, who is from the Kencot area of St Andrew, started his career as a sound system singer in the late 1970s. In the late 1980s, he got the mainstream breakthrough with Territory , a roots-reggae song used by Jamaica's Reggae Boyz during their successful campaign for the 1998 World Cup in France. Along with fellow songwriters Mikey Bennett and Carlton Hines, he was behind the success of producer Gussie Clarke's Music Works label during the 1990s.
In recent years, Lindo has worked with a number of young acts with producer Willie Lindo of Heavybeat Records..