Tiko
Tiko, also known as “Tiko Angelos” (”angelos” is the Greek word meaning messenger), was born Lyndon Sterling to Trinidadian parents residing in St Vincent. Shortly after his birth his parents returned to Trinidad and Tobago where he grew up and during his teenage years developed the ability to chant or deejay over beats. Although he had accepted the Lord Jesus at the age of nine, Tiko recalls his teenage and adolescent years as being spiritually unstable and it was during this period that he experimented with dancehall Music and developed the art of rhyming and storytelling by weaving light hearted comedy and informative rhymes over popular riddims. Many close to him during those years recall his successes in clashes or “lyrics for lyrics” from which he got his name T-K-O (technical knock out… because of the depth of his lyrics) the letter ‘I’ was later added to this abbreviation to give it pronunciation, and the name TIKO as born.
His firm decision to commit all to the Lord Jesus did not come until he was completing his Advanced Level Secondary Education. To many it seemed that this youth known at the time to some as Tiko Devious or Tiko Banton, had turned church boy and disappeared from the Music scene altogether. Howbeit, almost six years later through the coaxing of Sherwin Gardner and others, Tiko would explode into the Gospel Music scene alongside a youth named Denton Peschier aka Gitta (Dan). The initially called themselves The Royal Priesthood but when they were signed to Lion of Zion Entertainment in 2002, they decided to change their name to Tiko and Gitta and title their debut album “Royal Priesthood“.
“Royal Priesthood” was critically acclaimed as an edifying and refreshing sound in Gospel Reggae. Despite the fact that this partnership only lasted for one album, the duo did extensive ministry work in Trinidad and Tobago and the greater Caribbean. Out of the work done on the “Royal Priesthood” album, Tiko won the Copyright Organization Of Trinidad and Tobago, Songwriter of the Year Award in 2003. This achievement spoke volumes, as it is not likely for persons performing such a genre of Music (Gospel/dancehall) out of Trinidad and Tobago to gain such recognition. The award also served to cement Tiko’s position as probably one of the best songwriters in both secular and Gospel industry.
In 2003, due to a difference in vision, Tiko and Gitta peacefully parted ways. Tiko had already taken up the position of Youth President of his local assembly, the Arouca Revival Tabernacle under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Raymond and Mrs. Jennifer Boca his pastors. He was at the time also involved in Youth For Christ, Trinidad and Tobago under the leadership of Mr. Frank Porter.
The following year 2004 he would undertake a mini tour of London alongside Allan Charles (The Man) and his then label mate the outstanding songstress Vanessa Briggs (Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda) and there he would bless the lives of many with his rhymes and preaching of God’s Word. This experience certainly added to the list of persons with whom he shared stage, a list that now includes the likes of Papa San, Stitchie, Prodigal Son, Christafari, Monty G, Mr. Lynx, Poppa Willie, Witness, Gamma, Red Beard, Shiselon, Sherwin Gardner, Jadee and many more. Tiko returned from his ministry in England and enrolled as a student of the West Indies School of Theology (W.I.S.T) where he is now pursuing his Bachelor’s in Bible and Theology.
Lyndon ‘Tiko’ Sterling as he is commonly called is now the Youth Minister at his local assembly and a member of the Church Council. In addition he is an executive member of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies (P.A.W.I), Trinidad and Tobago National Youth Council and heads the area of Missions and Evangelism. He determines to show himself approved as a workman for Jesus Christ. Tiko recognizes that his ministry has long gone beyond rhymes and chatting over riddims. He concedes that there is much more to impart than the three and a half minutes of a song will allow him to, hence the reason he insists that proper teaching and indoctrination must take place after persons have been drawn to Christ through the Gospel message heard in the Music. It is this belief that has reshaped his ministry to one that combines his use of the dancehall flow, teaching and the preaching of God’s Word so that as he says, “men may come to know the riches of the glory of the mystery which is: Christ dwelling in you is the hope of glory (Col 1:27) and that they may grow in relationship with God and so become mature Sons walking in the fullness of the Promise.”
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