Bio

IN 2004, CHECKMATE STARTED HIS RAP CAREER IN THE BACK OF CLASS AFTER A CLASSMATE TOLD HIM HE SHOULD GIVE IT A SHOT. HE WAS RAPPING UNDERNEATH THE NAME OF LILTAZ UNTIL HIS COUSIN GAVE HIM THE NICKNAME CHECKMATE. HE GOT THE NAME BECAUSE HE WAS ON HIS HIGHSCHOOL CHESS TEAM. IN THE BEGINNING HE WOULD BATTLE IN THE SCHOOL LUNCHROOM AND HALLWAYS, AND WAS KNOWN FOR HAVING HIS OWN STYLE AND A FUNNY SORT OF HIGH PITCHED VOICE. HE STARTED WRITING VIGOROUSLY AND EVERONE NOTICED HIS IMPROVEMENT. IN 2005 A FORMER FRIEND CONVINCED HIM TO JOIN OBEAST ENT. WHILE THERE HE WAS IN A GROUP WITH 2 CLASSMATES, WHILE STILL WORKING ON HIS OWN SOLO PROJECTS. IT WAS THEN THAT HE RECORDED AND MIXED 5 MIXTAPES AND 2 ALBUMS ON HIS OWN. WHILE ON THE LABEL HE DID AROUND 5 SHOWS AND STARTED GETTING NOTICED AROUND HIS NEIGHBERHOOD. IN 2006, HE AND AR THA GUNN MET AND WERE LABEL MATES FOR A FEW MONTHS. THAT’S WHEN IN THE SUMMER OF 2006 THE 2 DECIDED TO COLLAB FOR A MIXTAPE, SINCE THE GROUP THAT HE WAS IN COULDN’T GET APROJECT TOGETHER. THE 2 FINISHED WRITING 3 SONGS FOR THAT NEXT DAY AND RECEIVED HATRED FROM OTHERS ON THE LABEL. AFTER THE LABEL HEAD DID’T WANT THEM TO DO THEIR MIXTAPE, THEY DECIEDED THAT THEY WOULD BE BETTER ON THEIR OWN. IN SEPTMEBER OF 2006, CHECKMATE AND AR LEFT OBEAST ENT AND FORMED “THE GOODFELLZ” AND COMPLETED A 12 SONG MIXTAPE IN 3 DAYS AND IT WAS MIXED AND PRESSED BY THEM 2 DAYS LATER. THAT NEXT WEEK THEIR LEAD SINGLE OFF OF THE MIXTAPE “LET ME BREATHE” GOT SPINS ON POWER99 FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS. IN DECEMBER 2006, HE AND AR PUT OUT THEIR SECOND MIXTAPE “OVERHATED AND UNDERATED”. THAT IS WHEN AR INTRODUCED CHECKMATE TO MIKE MILLZ. THEY BECAME FRINEDS AND THE TRIO FORMED THE GROUP “THE GF GANG” AND THE TRIO HAVE BEEN BANGING OUT SONGS EVER SINCE. CHECKMATE IS NOW PREPPING HIS SOLO MIXTAPE ENTITLED “ALL FACTS NO FICTION” WHICH IS DONE AND IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST ON MY MYSPACE PAGE. WWW.MYSPACE.COM/CHECKMATEGS99