After establishing himself as one of the fastest-rising Afropop stars on the continent with his ground-breaking debut album Bravo, Nigerian singer-songwriter Cheque returns with his new single "Way Too Young" and sophomore EP Chequemate. The 6 track body of work is a smooth fusion of Afrobeats, R&B, hip-hop, dancehall and everything in between, all held together by his distinct ear-grabbing voice, irresistible flow, relatable songwriting, and vibrant performance prowess. The project sees Cheque teaming up with producers like Ozedikus (Rema, BNXN), Hitsound (Ayra Starr, Joeboy), and 10ten (Blaqbonez, Candy Bleakz) to bring his vibrant musical visions to life. The EP also sees Cheque reuniting with his childhood friend Fireboy DML on the celebratory track titled "Hustler", following their chart-topping track "History" from the Bravo album. On "Way Too Young", he flexes his newfound fame and exquisite lifestyle, imploring us that he wants to enjoy his life so no one should stress him. The only other feature is the Mavin Records prodigy, Crayon, who joins forces with Cheque for the captivating guitar-driven "Sunflawa" track, further enriching the 6-track EP.
Speaking about the inspiration behind his Chequemate EP, Cheque says, “This EP is born out of my life's journey in recent years – the relentless hustle and cycle of striving to achieve something bigger and more impactful. I just want to help and inspire others through my music, and if you listen to ‘Shine’, which opens the EP, you’ll hear how I’m intent on motivating people to overcome tough times because I myself was going through similar adversities. There’s a lot of hate in this world, but some love and motivation might just be what we need to make things better”.
Stream Chequemate EP here.
