Dancehall reggae legend Eek-A-Mouse will bring the sounds of modern Jamaica to Porter’s Pub on Nov. 8 for the second installment of A.S. Programming’s The Buzz concert series.
Renowned both for his entertaining stage antics and his unique lyrical approach, Eek-A-Mouse has remained one of the most innovative Jamaican DJs in the dancehall scene since the early ’80s. While his often-humorous songs and wild delivery have scored him numerous hits in Jamaica and the United Kingdom over the years, Eek-A-Mouse is best known and most respected for crafting the wholly original vocal styling known as “”sing-jay.””
A combination of roots reggae singing and toasting (a uniquely Jamaican form of dee-jaying characterized by syllabically charged vocal sound effects such as, in Eek’s case, “”Biddy biddy beng””), sing-jay greatly influenced Jamaican dancehall’s best in the ’80s and many of its stylistic elements were adopted into mainstream music overseas.
Born Ripton Hylton in the Kingston, Jamaica, ghetto of Trench Town, Eek cut his first records in the mid-’70s at the age of 17. However, it was not until his 1981 “”Wa Do Dem”” release and walk-on performance at Jamaica’s Reggae Sunsplash Festival that same year that Eek placed himself on the dancehall map. Since then, he has released almost a dozen albums, the latest of which being 2002’s “”Eeksperience,”” and has toured throughout the world, performing an impressive 150 to 200 shows each year.
Eek’s live performances are often visual and aural spectacles. At 6 feet 6 inches tall and often decked in ridiculous costumes, Eek commands a striking stage presence, and his shows are considered outrageous even for a dancehall, a regularly madcap genre.
“”Eek-A-Mouse put on a good show when I saw him at a reggae festival in Long Beach,”” said sophomore Marc Costa. “”So I’m excited to see him in a smaller place where he can do whatever he wants.””
San Diego hip-hop act the Icons will open the Nov. 8 concert at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at the UCSD box office or at any Ticketmaster outlet for $8 (UCSD students) and $10 (general admission). Must be 18 or older with a valid ID.