Now just 23 years old, John Edmund Lee, AKA Jungle Dan, was born in the town of Lethem in Region 9 in February, 1999. He is the first of four siblings. From the time he was six months old, Lee’s parents left him in the care of his grandparents who raised him.
John Edmund Lee attended St. Ignatius Secondary School. However, shortly after finishing high school, in the year 2016, he was arrested and thrown into jail. In an interview with this publication, the young man asserted that he was wrongfully accused because he was seen in the company of someone who committed a crime. Unable to afford a lawyer, he was put away for 5 years. According to Lee, he represented himself in court and was finally able to prove his innocence, bringing about his release from prison in the year 2021.
But despite his imprisonment, Jungle Dan is optimistic. He has a tendency to look on the positive side of things. On this note, he relates that while in prison he learned many skills which was taught to him as an inmate by the prison rehabilitation system. Dan says he also learned the art of tattooing while in jail, and as such uses this skill to earn money. Upon release, Lee went straightway to look for work with the aim of elevating himself in life.
The young Lee explains that he grew up with his grandparents in conditions that may be described as poverty, but this only drives him to create a brighter future for himself and those he loves. He explains that his dream is to make a lot of money and be able to repay his grandparents for their sacrifices in raising him. On this note, the young man relates, his mind is always focused on ways to earn money and move ahead in life.
In this context, it is easy to understand why the title of Lee’s first song is “Dallas,” which means “dollars.” In the song, he encourages all Guyanese to focus, work hard, invest, and “get the dallas” so that they can create a better life for themselves.
Dropping the song on Tiktok just for fun in early January, John Edmund Lee was amazed at the virality at which the song was shared and circulated throughout social media, and the innumerable congratulatory messages and praises he received in the comments. This first “free style” which he sang without professional recording equipment became an overnight sensation, driving top labels to look up his contact information.
After John’s second music video, “Money Pun Mi Mind,” went viral, he was drafted in to a music group in the Rupununi which is giving him as much support as they can in developing his talent and taking the next step up the ladder of success.
John says he plans to sing positive songs with positive messages that encourage people to keep striving for success. Prior to his success in the music industry, John worked in construction, at a wash bay, and in making concrete blocks.
Jungle Dan says he has always had a love for music – since he knew himself as a child, and that he can easily belt out lyrics on the fly. His song, “Dallas,” the lyrics of which were composed by Dan himself, is clear proof of the accuracy of this claim.
For business purposes, John Edmund Lee can be contacted on telephone: (592) 701 0410 or Via his Facebook Profile: Jungle Dan
