Artist Eek-A-Mouse

Jamaican star Ripton "Eek-A-Mouse" Hylton is a towering figure onstage, and he boasts a big vocal range, with alternating high and low pitches and a rapid-fire delivery that often resembles a reggae version of scat singing. His name-making work was rooted in the upright lilt of '80s dancehall, but Eek-A-Mouse's odd, melodic vocals always push the groove forward. The Greensleeves label keeps classic Eek albums like 1984's Mouseketeer in print, though his most recent full-length releases are 2004's playfully, squeakily weird Eek-A-Speeka and 2008's best-of compilation Most Wanted.

Updated 12/17/2009