The Belizean music industry is engulfed in grief this week following the passing of legendary producer and audio engineer Kendoyll Simpson, known professionally as KSBEATS, who lost his two-year private battle with cancer on Sunday. In an official public statement, Simpson’s partner Anika Perez shared new details about the producer’s final years, revealing that Simpson made the deliberate choice to keep his cancer diagnosis and treatment journey hidden from the public.
As a deeply private individual, Simpson chose not to disclose his illness to avoid causing worry and sorrow for his loved ones, fans, and colleagues within the music community. Perez added that Simpson also rejected public attention out of concern that pity from others would erode his mental strength and disrupt his ability to keep creating the music he dedicated his life to. Throughout his illness, Simpson remained committed to his craft, continuing to write and produce music up until his body could no longer sustain his work.
“While this news may come as a shock to many, we simply honored and respected his wishes throughout his battle,” Perez noted in her statement. Tributes to Simpson have begun to spread across Belize’s music scene, where the 20-plus year veteran built a legacy as one of the country’s most skilled and respected production talents. His discography crossed multiple musical genres and extended beyond Belize’s borders, as he collaborated with artists across the Central American region and played a foundational role in shaping the modern sound of Belizean music.
Beyond his professional contributions, Simpson leaves behind his 10-year-old daughter, whom Perez described as the object of his deepest love. In a poignant closing to her statement, Perez paid tribute to Simpson’s enduring impact: “The drums are silent, but your rhythm lives on in every life you’ve touched.” The Belizean music community has already begun celebrating Simpson’s life and career, highlighting both his extraordinary talent as a producer and his quiet resilience in the face of his illness.