Bio

Checkmate is from the streets of Miami,Fl. He got his name from his friends who say "Everything he do is strategetic...it's like he treats life like a game of Chess" Checkmate grew up listening to the southern pioneers like Geto Boys, Eightball & MJG, and JT Money at the tender age of 8. And it was there where he found his love from music he recalls "From that point hip-hop became the soundtrack to my life" At the age of 13 he wrote his rhyme and spit it to a friend it was then after that he was given the name "Checkmate". After that day he dedicated every single second of his life music. "Everyday I write a verse. Even if I didn't do nothing but eat cereal and take a ****...when i write it you gon like it" he says. Checkmate started off with a independent label "Cranium" and things seemed to be going well. The label dropped a compliation mixtape called "The Refix" that quickly created a buzz not only for the label but for Checkmate. Receiving so much positive feedback not only the fans but labelmates began askin "When is Checkmate goin to drop a solo mixtape?" Still, not convinced Checkmate decided to wait to create a much bigger buzz. Due to differences within the label in the middle of recording their second mixtape the label collapsed bringing Checkmate back to square 1. With the question still goin around "When is Checkmate goin to drop a solo mixtape?" Checkmate hooked up with former labelmate Young Nut to form the "Get Money Gang". Consisently droppin new songs weekly the question still remained "When is Checkmate goin to drop a solo mixtape? Now, Checkmate relocated in Chicago is back in the studio. Not letting the setback take him off his square. Recording new material for the mixtape "This Is Chess Not Checkers". You can check out song "Closet Full Of Bapes" and his newest song "Hollaback" Checkmate says "I'm here to make real music. You can't take nothing away from facts...the truth. And that's what I make truthful music. Fact based, real music. If I say it it's the truth. And with a foundation built on truth you can't do nothing but respect it!