Eek-A-Mouse

On 7 November 2026 Eek-A-Mouse will perform at Metropool in Enschede. Born in Kingston in 1957 as Ripton Joseph Hylton, he emerged on the sound systems in the late 1970s and adopted the name Eek-A-Mouse. As a singjay he moves effortlessly between toasting, singing and free improvisation: a nasal flow, melodic inflections and an arsenal of onomatopoeic sounds that propel his tracks. His musical universe balances roots reggae, dub and early dancehall. After early steps with Joe Gibbs he worked with Linval Thompson and Henry 'Junjo' Lawes, during a phase in which Jamaican production became tighter and more rhythmically driven. From that period came the singles 'Wa-Do-Dem' and 'Ganja Smuggling', and albums such as Wa-Do-Dem (1981) and Skidip! (1982). Later releases include Mouseketeer (1984), Assassinator (1985), Eek-A-Nomics (1988) and Black Cowboy (1996).

On stage the emphasis is on that recognizable cadence and the call-and-response interplay, allowing room for dub versions and spontaneous vocal flights. Expect a set that pairs classics with later material, where his vocal delivery both challenges and grooves with the beat. Decades of touring across Jamaica, North America and Europe resonate in a show that continues to explore the boundaries between roots, dub and dancehall, precisely as only Eek-A-Mouse can.