Kenyan beatboxer Checkmate Mido shares Pete single

The track, available on all major digital platforms, is a follow-up to the well-received ‘Excellence’, which was released in February.

‘Pete’ is a feel-good, up-tempo, beatbox-driven song that reflects the playfulness and joy of love – finding, expressing, experiencing and sharing it.

‘Pete’ is a Swahili word for wedding ring, and it demonstrates the protagonist’s readiness to take his love to the next level, singing in the chorus: “Ka ni pete ungetaka, mimi niko tayari (If it’s a ring you want, I’m ready).”

Checkmate Mido says the song celebrates radical love: “I wanted to write a song that celebrates a mature, fiery type of love, which, although serious, doesn’t take itself too seriously at the same time.”

Nominated for a Sondeka East Africa Award in 2023, Checkmate Mido is a leading figure in the Kenyan underground music scene. Through his blend of hip hop, poetry and beatboxing, he skilfully tells stories in English, Swahili and Sheng.

He has shared the stage with American hip hop artist Akua Naru and South African a capella group The Soil.

His debut album Frqncy was released in 2020 to critical acclaim. He is currently working on new music for his next album, Ua. He is also involved in various collaborative projects including Beatbox Africa, a platform that celebrates and showcases beatboxers from Kenya and the continent.