Dillinger
Roots & Culture-Bearers
known for
A second-wave 1970s deejay celebrated for his sharp wit and irreverent, humor-driven toasting style, best known for the classic single "Cocaine in My Brain."
record
- Birth name
- Lester Randal Bullock
- Born
- June 25, 1953, Kingston, Jamaica
Full biography
Lester Bullock grew up around Dennis Alcapone's El Paso sound system in Kingston and began deejaying in 1971 on the Prince Jackie and El Paso systems, initially performing under the name "Dennis Alcapone Jr." while drawing style from Big Youth, U-Roy, and Alcapone himself.
His first record producer, Lee "Scratch" Perry, renamed him Dillinger after the American gangster John Dillinger. He rose to prominence as part of the mid-1970s second wave of deejay toasters, distinguishing himself from more culturally or spiritually oriented contemporaries with a lighter, comedic touch.
His 1976 album CB 200 featured "Cocaine in My Brain," which became a reggae standard, and the follow-up Top Ranking further cemented his reputation for quick-witted, playful chat over hard-driving rhythms.
Dillinger continued recording and performing in the decades that followed, remaining a respected elder statesman of Jamaican deejay music and a frequently cited influence on later humor-oriented dancehall toasters.
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