Lil Mouse, born Mouse Myers in 1999, is a young rapper from Chicago who has stirred controversy due to his age and the violent nature of his lyrics. His rap style, categorized under gangsta rap, specifically drill music, brought him fame when his song "Get Smoked" was featured on Lil Wayne's Dedication 4 mixtape.
How Old is Lil Mouse?
As of 2014, Lil Mouse is 15 years old, an age that has fueled much of the debate surrounding his career. He first gained attention when his video for "Get Smoked" was uploaded to YouTube, featuring lyrics many consider unsuitable for someone so young. Lyrics such as "I'm rollin', all my ni*as rollin' - .30 clip and them hollow tips have his a*s sitting in Roseland - Rollin' off a pill, p*ssies better chill - My ni*as in the field; you might get killed - Pancake-ass ni*a, I keep that sh*t real - .40 hit his face, BBQ his a*s like a grill" have sparked criticism. The Chicago Sun-Times featured Lil Mouse on its cover, questioning if a child his age engaging in themes of violence, drugs, and guns constitutes child exploitation. Fellow Chicago artist Rhymefest remarked in an interview, "This has clearly crossed over into child pornography when you have a 13-year-old child rapping about sex and about violence and drug selling. We find that artists who glorify death in Chicago are being rewarded."
Violent Concert
During a release party for an album at Mr. G's Entertainment Center on Chicago's South Side, a confrontation escalated into a shootout. Witnesses report that a chair was thrown, triggering chaos and resulting in seven people being shot. Fortunately, all were in stable condition and expected to recover. The Chicago police have determined the incident was gang-related.
School Violence
Lil Mouse faced allegations of threatening and assaulting an 8-year-old classmate. The victim's grandmother claimed Lil Mouse approached her grandson at school, slapped him, and threatened to kill him for being a "snitch." She shared her concerns with Fox 32, stating, "I wanna pack up and just go. I've already lost one child and I don't want to lose another one." She further explained that the eighth graders had made a call declaring the child should be harmed for snitching. Lil Mouse was charged with assault, and the third grader was transferred to another school.