Papa Kojak, the deejay who had a clutch of hit songs during the late 1970s with singer Liza, died in Linstead, St Catherine, on September 12.

He was 68 years old.

His wife, Benicia Williams, who confirmed his death with the Jamaica Observer, said that Papa Kojak (given name Floyd Anthony Perch) died at Linstead Hospital.

She did not give a cause of death, but said the artiste had suffered from health problems in recent years.

Also known as Nigger Kojak, the Waterhouse-born artiste took his monikers from the popular, bald detective Kojak played by American actor Telly Salavas during the 1970s.

Along with Liza, he had hit singles with Hole In de Bucket, Fist to Fist, and Bam Bam.

Released in 1979, Hole In de Bucket was a toast to Dennis Brown’s Ain’t That Loving You, produced by Joe Gibbs. Distributed in the United Kingdom by the Laser label, both songs did well on reggae charts in that country.

Papa Kojak had another big hit for Gibbs with Green Bay Killing, based on the controversial 1978 incident at the Green Bay shooting range in St Catherine in which five men were killed by members of the Jamaica Defence Force.

But for sporadic recordings for different producers, Papa Kojak faded from the spotlight in the late 1980s.

He is survived by his wife and father.