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Leor Dimant (Leors Dimants; born December 18, 1972 in Riga, Latvian SSR), better known as DJ Lethal, is a turntablist and producer. He is best known as a member of the band Limp Bizkit, and formerly a member of the Irish-American-influenced hip hop group House of Pain.

Currently, DJ Lethal is the main producer of hip hop group La Coka Nostra, which includes his former House of Pain mates Everlast and Danny Boy, among others. The group's debut album is expected to be released in early 2009.

Biography

Early years

Leor Dimant was born in Riga, Latvia, when this country was still part of the Soviet Union. His first contact with music was through his father Grisha Dimant (1951–2007), who, along with his friends, played guitar in a rock band.

In 1979, when DiMant was seven, he and his family illegally left the USSR for Italy, where they remained for a year until they obtained a visa. They were then allowed to go to either Toronto, Los Angeles, or New York City. His parents chose New York. There, his father performed in various Russian clubs and restaurants mostly in Brighton Beach.

DiMant and his parents lived in Jersey City for a time. His family later moved to Los Angeles in 1987 when his father got a job at a new Russian restaurant there. His first introduction to hip hop was in Jersey City, when his school held a talent show with several students performing a rap song, and DiMant was amazed. Once he moved to Los Angeles, he quickly became interested in hip hop culture, including break dancing and graffiti. Before learning to DJ, he actually started off as a beatboxer. He later practiced DJing using his friend's turntables and mixer. On Limp Bizkit albums, he is credited for doing ''sound development''.

Fred Durst is prone to shouting things such as ''DJ Lethal, bring it on!'' or some combination of said words.

Features

Besides the work with his groups, DJ Lethal is producing records in his Hollywood based studio, working for artists such as Scott Harris, and is also preparing his long delayed solo album, which is set to feature will.i.am, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Chester Bennington, Kurupt, B-Real, Redman, Tha Alkaholiks, Rock of Heltah Skeltah, Pharoahe Monch, Chino XL, Diamond D, Dilated Peoples, Method Man, Streetlife, Talib Kweli, Bun B and more, along with his La Coka Nostra bandmates.

Relationship to Latvia

In a 2009 interview with the Latvian newspaper Diena, Dimant professed to still feeling ''Latvian'' despite his many years in the USA. This connection stems from the fact that he was born there, and has a grandmother, other relatives, and many friends of the family there. He mentions Laima Vaikule as an important family friend who encouraged him to maintian contacts with the country of his birth.

Having visited Latvia twice since the regaining of independence, Dimant professes positive feelings for the country.

During his early years growing up in Riga, Dimant spoke mainly Russian at home and at school. He says his parents could speak Latvian, but did not want their son to learn it, so that they could have private conversations without him being able to understand. Nevertheless, Dimant can still recall several phrases in Latvian, such as 'Nevajag viņam!' ('[You] need not [tell] him!').

Partial discography