In The Street interview conducted by “Big Stone aka Claude Sinclair July 13th, 2015, in Kingston, Jamaica. Eel A Mouse turned 63 on 20th November, 2020. Read this insightful interview of the great reggae toaster.
Fantra Zine Note: Eek A Mouse aka Ripton Hylton, speaks his mind according to the Gospel of Eek A Mouse. And this often creates controversies. It is no secret, that Eek A Mouse is a “bad bwoy” rock star (who performs reggae). And his life choices get him in trouble often. But overall, Mouse is a good person. He is kind and generous to people. Mouse on occasions peels of 100 dollar bills and give them to people who need or begged him money. As Dave Resin once said, “Eek is a gentle giant.” Folks had a hard time believing the rape and kidnapping charges August 16, 2008, in Kill Devil Hill, North Carolina – USA. Gorgeous women always throw themselves at Eek A Mouse man. Mouse was allegedly charged with rape and kidnapping of a young woman. Charges were reduced to two misdemeanors. He was released to U.S immigration authorities five years later in 2013.
Big Stone: Welcome once again to In The Street. Today is a very historical day. And also today is a very spiritual day because we are coming to you in front of his Imperial Majesty with love, truth, and righteousness. Today I’m here with a mega superstar. And if I say Ripton Hylton, you might not recall. But if I say E-E-E-Eek A Mouse, with songs like ‘Wah Do Dem,’ ‘Ganja Smuggling,’ ‘For Hire And Removal,’ aka ‘Mi Muma,’ then you are talking about the real deal. This brother has been in the business for a long time. And he is ready to take his career to the next level in the world. Today I’m here with Eek A Mouse (shaking Mouse’s hand). The below info is excerpts from Big Stone’s Youtube interview with Eek A Mouse in Kingston – Jamaica, July 13, 2017.
We might say this brother is an imitator, because that sounds like the real Eek A Mouse. Be hafi (have to) hear ‘Mi Muma’ because that is the song we Jamaicans grow up with. Eek A Mouse give a little piece of ‘Mi Muma.” EEK A MOUSE: Singing Mi Muma…
Big Stone: Ahh him, Ahh Him Ahh Him. Ahh the great, great, great, great big Eek A Mouse. MOUSE — Ah Wah Do dem…
Big Stone: It is an honor sitting here with you my brother. As a youth growing up, I was not able to go to some of your shows (Sunfest, Sunsplash), but meeting you in the flesh is indeed an honor for me to be talking to you today. I know you are from Arnet Garden, Concrete Jungle a place called Havanah.
EEK A MOUSE: Without Trench Town, there would not be a Bob Marley.
Big Stone: So Eek A Mouse, tell me about your early years growing up in Arnet Garden as a young man and how you got introduced to music?
EEK A MOUSE: Well you see in 1974, going to Grantham College, I recorded two songs, one called ‘Creation,’ and one called ‘My Father’s Land,’ on Eek A Mouse label with my math and sport teacher, Mr. Stuart Dehaney. So he saw The Mouse in me as a student. But he never see the bang-ding-ding in me until 1980 when I created it. It was 1980 when I created bang-ding-ding. And you see the bang-ding-ding, I did not like it. My friends would say Mouse freestyle. But when I’m freestyling and I can’t find any lyrics and did not want to stop, I say bang-ding-ding… Even when I was going up to Bob Marley’s house in 1977-78, I got a new song entitled, ‘Noah’s Ark’ Bob Marley heard it and said big chune. And Bob Marley start calling me Bang Ding Ding. So every day I drove to his (Bob Marley) house with Tony and deejay Dellinger. While Bob Marley is upstairs and Ziggy, Steven and Cedilla Marley came home from school, Bob Marley said go see Eek A Mouse. So Ziggy Marley and Stephen Marley said, “Eek A Mouse, daddy said sing for us.” So I sing for them. Rita Marley always come and say, “Eek A Mouse — mek sure yuh nah gi dem nuh ganja (make sure you are not giving them ganja).” I said no. Mi cool.
Big Stone: So growing up in Havanah and actually graduating from Grantham College, Tell us apart of the early part of life for Eek A Mouse?
EEK AMOUSE: At that time I know I was an artist. Even at five years old attending Chetolah Park Primary School, on Williams Street, the teachers when they were going to keep concerts, they said let us call Ripton. I am five years old. But everybody knew, I was an artist.
Big Stone: Which producer was introduced first and had an added interest in you
EEK A MOUSE: I had no producer. Me and Roots Radics were the producers. Not Linval Thompson nor Junjo Laws. Linval Thompson or Junjo Laws paid for the studio and then they left me and Roots Radics in the studio. Flabba Holt (Errol Holt) or Steelie (Wycliffe Johnson), Dwight Pinkney or Bingy Bunny (Eric Lamont) or the drummer — Style (Lincoln Scott), said Mouse, what song you have? I said okay. I got a song name ‘Ganja Smuggling.’ They said Mouse sing it. I said (mouthing), “pu bu bu pum pu pum, pu bu bu pum pu pum, pu bu bu pum pu pum, pu bu bu pum pu pum, bang bang be de bang bang, be de bang bang be de beng beng, badda bing bing bi di bo ho, early early Sunday morning it was a big ganja smuggling.” Then the bass player (played that)… That’s an instrument in my stomach.
Big Stone: …Eek A Mouse, we lost track of you for a moment and we are trying to understand if you were in England or United States.
EEK A MMOUSE: (I was) worldwide, Russia, Bosnia, Israel — ‘everywhere there is a house, there is always gonna be a Mouse.’ (Laughter). I sing music like an Olympian representing Jamaica, you have some artists who are big abroad and nuh (not) big a yard. Some artists are big abroad and big ah yard. So you have Mouse. The people just love Mouse. I was doing 250 shows (a year) in America. That is why they love Eek A Mouse. I had to take a break. Bang ding ding.
Big Stone: So you have a family, do you have children.
EEK A MOUSE: I have three kids in Jamaica. But I have five kids in America (dropping his head and shaking it remorsefully).
EEK A MOUSE’s PISSED AND DISGRUNTLED RANTING CHANTINGS:
Big Stone: So you have five children in America. I noticed when I touch America, you hold your head down. Is there something you wanna talk about in regards to your children in the America.
EEK A MOUSE: Yeah. Five kids in America. One is Toran Hylton. (Mouse’s phone rang: I can’t talk now. I’m doing an interview. Call mi back later.) He continued — I got five kids in America. This golden child Toran Istock Hylton, born when Istock Rabin was murdered. Then at three years old, Toran Istock Hylton read the Children’s Encyclopedia, At five years old, Toran Istock Hylton, skipped Kindergarten 1st Grade doing 12th Grade mathematics. Genius! (Toran) going to an all-white school is the first time I felt a t’ing called institutional racism. They did not want to talk to the black father. At 15 years old he represents Florida in mathematics and came in fifth. Genius! So that makes the manager (Robert Fitzpatrick) say Mouse, I’m going to put your money in an artist trust fund making $100,000 U.S, per month… Mr. Fitzpatrick also managed the Who, Buddy Miles drummer for Jimi Hendrix. He was also the manager for the Bee Gees and also the manager for the Beatles. (Fantra Zine Note: Actually Robert Fitzpatrick — R.I.P. managed Miles Davis also. As an attorney he represented The Beatles, The Who, The Rolling Stones and Peggy Lee, etc.) But this bwoy (Robert Fitzpatrick) was too racist. He (Fitzpatrick) said Mouse I’m gonna put your money in a trust fund. And when the four years (management period) done, he ran away with the money.
EEK A MOUSE rants on: Now Jim Buss owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, while he and I was at a bar, he was in a drunken stupor, called my baby mother and ask her what is she doing with Eek A Mouse? He is 20 years older than you. He said your son is a genius and mi (I) want him. He wasn’t kidding. And he (Jim Buss) came backstage at the Coachhouse Nightclub and said Eek A Mouse, I am Jim Buss the billionaire, I’m gonna manage you. I’m gonna give you a car and a house. He gave me none. During that time he intercepted my baby mother Rebecca A., and told her get rid of that nigger Mouse, and she did. So while I was asleep, she called the police. I said what? And took my Lexus and drove out. She told the cops, the San Diego Police how I beat her and punched her up. “She snooze she loose and on her pale white body, she did not show a bruise.” A friend of mind name Tod Elgard who value over 100 million (U.S) dollars, came to my hotel in Southern California and extended stay and told her (Toran’s mother) get rid of me. He took my kid to his house… Gary Himelfarb (aka Dr Dread) from RAS Records, sold RAS records, now he is back in the business buzzing around Barrington Levy, now he got Tafari Music, invited me to his house in Belair, mansion… what do you see in that negro Eek A Mouse? It was like some subliminal message. When Eek a Mouse is on Tour, get him out. Them rich white bwoys now have my son Toran Roy Hylton who I have not seen in 18 years… So Jim Buss who came backstage all the while partying for 20 years, betrayed me for a young, dumb, stupid white girl. My own management betrayed me… Now all of a sudden they say Eek A mouse is banned from reggae. Can you imagine that? Mathematically impossible.
Eek A Mouse continued: I have a dispute against UB40… Why you gonna be so rude? There is no black artist personnel in the front office… UB40 made over 300 million pounds and resign. Gentleman boasted 50 or 80 millions dollars. They come in and brainwash us. We Jamaicans control reggae. Reggae music is our national history and heritage. I remembered once when the Christians say reggae music was the devil’s music. Now they are feeding off it. Bang ding ding! So we wanna make some money.
Eek A Mouse rants on: “…The fact remain that I was in Brazil. I have my own label called the big “Truth” label. And certain personnel came to Brazil looking for me. Brazil have 300 million people (actually 208 million), and they all love reggae. Especially Bahia (State), Salvador, Teresina… And many reggae artists, all old-school artists — Paragons and bla bla bla, Horace Andy and bla bla bla, kno what I’m sayin’ — you’re big time. Big Time! You must go to Brazil and go on Rondo TV. When I am walking on the street I am a star!” Eek A Mouse-ese can be a completed lingo.
Eek A Mouse still chattin’ passionately: Reggae music is a multi-billion business. And we ain’t making no money. Royalties! I ain’t getting no money from VP Records. I got a song called “Wah Do Dem.” It was in a movie called “You Don’t Mess with the Zohan” with Adam Sandler. They paid about $50,000 to $85,000 for the song. I didn’t get no money from VP. VP paid me $1,100 U.S. dollars for 20 CDs. Publishing, royalties, I need me a lawyer — looking like Tom Sawyer. I’m gonna come in like Huckleberry Fin. I need that. Money! Jamaica has 2.5 million people and the money is devalued. So all those folks from Germany, Brazil — they can sing reggae in their native language and make millions of dollars and Jamaica mek nothing. That is the incorruptibility of the system. It’s before our eyes. The world is so uncivilized, watching all Jamaicans die. Human genocide and they turned their heads away thinking Eek A Mouse would die, “poverty was my enemy and hunger was my friend. Now I am starving in Jamaica for one loaf of bread. laughing and starving thinking about Nelson Mandela and Marcus Garvey and Bob Marley. Bang ding ding…! But we Jamaicans — oh yeah Rasta, peace and love — it’s a must cease and fund! We want cash. Bang ding ding.
Big Stone: Looking back on your career now, where is Eek A Mouse? This is the year 2015, can you travel to the United States, England — do you have a visa?
EEK A MOUSE: Well I was accused for rape and kidnapping a white woman, 20 years old name Amanda Roddam. I never raped har (her). She came looking for me the Thursday (8.14.08) before the two shows on Friday (8.16.08) and Saturday (8.16.08) (in Outer Banks, North Carolina – USA Aug. 16, 2008).
Big Stone: We are with Ripton Hylton, aka Eek A Mouse. We are talking about great times when he started as a young artist and the pitfalls as a superstar that he has encountered. …And it was supposedly an alleged rape. You were actually charged for that right. Tell us a little more about that. How that really got happened?
EEK A MOUSE: It was 2010. I was accused of raping and kidnapping Miss Amanda Raddom She arrived at the gate (venue) one day before my performance (8.14.10). I had two performances, one on Friday (8.15.10) and one on Saturday (8.16.10) at a place called Port o Call nightclub in Kill Devil Hill, North Carolina. This chick was in front of the stage with a white rat.
Big Stone: So because you are mouse she brought a rat… (laughter).
EEK A MOUSE: Oooh yea. it takes a cat to catch a rat. Anyway, she is there with a rat, the security guy escorted out of the club, then brought her back in, and she stationed at the front of the stage. She started flirting, showed me her breast, I liked her. Backstage now, we start hanging out, smoked a little weed. She start touching me up, and all of that. Boom boom boom boom. Free drinks for her. A second later the show. You play10 pm get off 11 pm, break and get on at 11:30 pm until 1 a.m. The show completed and I took her back to my hotel. I like her. Tattoo, tongue pierced, she looked eccentric. She came to my room. She have a six months pit-bull and a mouse in a cage. I like that.
Big Stone: So she took all these things to the club while you were performing.
EEK A MOUSE: One little rat but it was in her car. Anyway now, she come in (the room) and started crying. I said what’s up Amanda, she said these white boys beat her. They held her down with a cigarette and burned her in her back. She took a shower, had some weed and we had sex. About two hours after, I heard a knocking on the hotel door.
Big Stone: She was still there with you.
EEK A MOUSE: Oh yea. She was naked under the sheet. My two friends from Norfolk, VA, entered the room. I think she asked for weed and they gave her weed. They said Mouse, there is no place at the band’s house for us to sleep. So they wanna bunk with us. There was a separate bed in the room. Both men slept in the bed. About 7 a.m. in the morning, the door is slightly ajar. I saw her smoking a cigarette. Playing with her pit-bull with the maintenance guy who also had a pit-bull. My friend Five Star went outside to smoke a cigarette. She marched in the room and said Mouse take me to the beach. I said I was drained because of the one night stand. I said I can’t go anywhere. About two hours the tour van showed up. They said Mouse get ready. we are gonna have breakfast. I told Amanda, I’m gonna have another show tonight. I will put you on the guest list. Bring a few friends. I hugged her. Kissed her on the cheek and left. Went to have breakfast. Now in the middle of the night when I went on stage. The band was playing but the (stage) door was open so I was standing outside looking at the front of the hotel where I see six or seven bikers coming and two police chasing them. They surrounded my room inside my room. Eek A Mouse never went on stage at that moment. I went on stage did my show. marching across the road now, them (cops) sey (said) are you Eek A Mouse? I said yes. They said, do you know Amada Roddam, I said yes. She okay. What happened. They said Mouse, put your hand behind you. I said for what. They said rape and kidnapping. I pissed myself.
Big Stone: So you think you were setup then.
EEK A MOUSE: Setup! Big time setup!
Fantra Zine Note: Eek A Mouse was on the run. He spent a while in Brazil. When he was returning to the USA, via Paraguay, he was held and turned into the FBI by Paraguay authorities who held him when he was returning from Brazil. He was tried and he pleaded to lesser misdemeanor charges. Mouse was eventually deported to Jamaica. Eek A Mouse is currently doing gigs in Europe. Read about some of the drama and events leading up to Eek A Mouse’s extradition from Paraguay, trial in Kill Devil Hill – North Carolina, and being turned over to USA Immigration for deportation back to Jamaica at this red link.
Crossfire Reports wishes Eek A Mouse a very happy 63rd birthday.
Culled from Fantra Zine News Letter.