Deeby Macc (real name: Daryl Brandon Macdonald) is an American superstar rapper from L.A. with a criminal past. He served two prison sentences as an ex-gang member who had committed gun and drug offenses.

He plays into the story because of his supposed interest in Lula Landry. The press and the public swoon over the possibility of Macc and Lula becoming romantically entangled — he mentions her in a few of his songs and he refers to her as his “ideal woman and soul mate,” but the two never actually meet. His record company rents the flat beneath Lula Landry’s, but he arrives on the night that Lula dies and he stays at Claridges instead of the flat.

One of Deeby Macc’s songs is called ‘Hydroquinone‘ from the album ‘Jake On My Jack‘. Rochelle Onifade tells Strike that she used to rap to the song in the car with Lula and Kieran Kolovos-Jones. Rochell recites the song for Strike in McDonald’s:

“No hydroquinone, black to my backbone,

Takin’ Deeby lightly, better buy an early tombstone,

I’m drivin’ my Ferrari – fuck Johari – got my head on straight,

Nothin’ talks like money talks – I’m shoutin at ya, Mister Jake.” (Part 3, Chapter 8)

Robin later hears Strike rapping the song on his way up the office stairs.

The Cuckoo’s Calling is dedicated “to the real Deeby.” Who could this be?