Nooks started his musical career in the youth choir at his church, and moved on to perform at school concerts and talent shows.
After first recording professionally in 1974, Nooks first found success performing under the name Prince Mohamed, as a deejay on discomix tracks for producer Joe Gibbs, notably on Dennis Brown's 1978 hit "Money in my Pocket", and "How Could I Leave", as well as "Light Up Your Spliff" for producer Prince Tony Robinson, founder of the Groovemaster roots record label, which also featured popular releases by Barrington Spence and Big Youth.
His first album, a joint effort with General Echo, People Are You Ready, was released on the United Artists subsidiary Ballistic in 1978.
Nooks also guested on Augustus Pablo's Rockers All Stars album, Dub With The Help Of His Majesty : released on Everton Da Silva's Hungry Town label, Jah No Partial in particular, is a much sought after rarity amongst the spiritual roots reggae sound system fraternity.
He had a hit in Jamaica with "Forty Legs Dread", which was a toast on Zion Gate written by Culture (band) and Joseph Hill (musician) and released by Joe Gibbs (producer) and Errol Thompson (audio engineer), and the increasing violence in Kingston prompted Nooks to record a version of Little Roy's "Tribal War", now singing rather than deejaying, and released under his real name, which he followed with a cover version of Errol Dunkley's "Darling Ooh".