Dennis Alcapone

Jamaica, 1969–now

Jamaican deejay, born Dennis Smith in 1947, who ran the El Paso sound system and then, across 1970-73, cut records for Duke Reid, Coxsone Dodd and Bunny Lee at a rate matched only by U-Roy. Lighter and more melodic on the microphone than the deejays who followed him.

MusicRoots documents 4 artists who influenced Dennis Alcapone and 2 artists Dennis Alcapone influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Dennis Alcapone?

• Count Machuki — One of the three pioneers Alcapone started out imitating on his own El Paso sound system.
• King Stitt — One of the three pioneers Alcapone started out imitating on his own El Paso sound system.
• Sir Lord Comic — One of the three pioneers Alcapone started out imitating on his own El Paso sound system.
• U-Roy — The deejay Alcapone learned the record side of the job from, and then spent the early 1970s competing with for the top spot in Jamaica.

Which artists did Dennis Alcapone influence?

• Big Youth — One of the three deejays whose trail Big Youth followed onto the microphone.
• I-Roy — The other deejay I-Roy leaned on heavily while he was finding a voice on the Soul Bunny sound system.