July 15, 2026 — Belize’s tight-knit music community is navigating a dual moment of grief and gratitude this week, following the passing of beloved local producer and artist Kendoyll Simpson, widely known by his professional moniker KSBEATS. After a two-year courageous fight against cancer, Simpson left the world on Sunday, leaving behind an indelible mark on Belize’s cultural and musical landscape that peers, protégés, and fans are already working to honor permanently. The National Institute of Culture and History has partnered with Simpson’s family and close friends to organize a meaningful tribute that celebrates his life, creative vision, and far-reaching contributions to the Belizean sound.
Over a career spanning more than two decades, Simpson worked largely behind the scenes, crafting countless tracks that became the soundtrack to ordinary and extraordinary moments across Belize. Whether refining tracks in a small recording studio, performing live on local stages, or mentoring the next generation of Belizean creative talent, KSBEATS built a reputation for uncompromising dedication to quality paired with a generous, encouraging spirit that lifted up everyone he worked with. His passing has left a gaping hole in the local music ecosystem, felt most deeply by those who shared a stage and a life with him.
Horace Bryce, Simpson’s oldest friend, recalled their decades-long creative bond that began in their childhood church days, where both cut their teeth as musicians on the congregation’s praise team. “We started our musical journey in church where we were on the praise team. We were musicians, you know, Kendoyll playing the drums, I’m singing or playing the bass. I helped out Kendoyll with the drums when he was little, you know, when his foot couldn’t even touch the pedal. He had a smile to die for. I mean, everything that he did, he was smiling. He plays the drums, he was smiling. Whatever instrument he was on, he was smiling. Even when we hung out talking, he was smiling. So I will miss his smile. I will miss him always teasing me, you know, and stuff like that,” Bryce shared.
Renowned Belizean vocalist Jackie Castillo collaborated with Simpson for nearly 20 years as a fellow member of the popular Center Stage Band, and remembered his gentle but firm commitment to bringing out the best in every artist he worked with. “Whenever you would be off-key, Kenny would be like, ‘You no hit the note. You need to hit the note.’ I always see that in my mind since I’ve been thinking about him. He would tell you quietly and sweet that you are not hitting the note properly, and he will insist that you hit the note. So he brought a lot of my best qualities and my best vocals in my recordings, because he ensured that it was top quality. I will always remember and appreciate him for that,” Castillo said.
That unwavering dedication to excellence ran through every project Simpson touched, from local pop to roots genres that crossed both genre and national borders. He worked with many of Belize’s biggest mainstream music names, including acclaimed artist Melonie Gillett, who recorded more than 30 tracks with the producer. “I want people to remember him as a musical genius, that’s for sure, and a pioneer in the Belizean music industry. Innovative and so smart, talented, and always, always willing to help. I was going through some of our messages and trying to piece everything together because all of this just makes no sense to me, you know, that he’s gone,” Gillett reflected.
Though Simpson’s live drumming has fallen silent, the body of work he leaves behind ensures his creative spirit will continue to resonate through Belize’s recording studios, local concert stages, and personal playlists for generations to come. This report was prepared by Shane Williams for News Five.