Peter Bowditch, one half of the veteran rap duo Pete & Bas, had a dramatic moment onstage earlier this week when he passed out while suspended from the ceiling in a harness.
The London-based duo, both in their 70s, were performing in Chicago, Illinois, on Monday night (March 16) when the incident occurred. Video footage captured Bowditch rapping mid-air above the stage, backed by a group of dancers, before he suddenly lost consciousness, dropping his microphone and leaving the audience in shock. For a tense few moments, Bowditch hung motionless from the ceiling while the backing track continued to play.
Pete & Bas’ management quickly addressed the situation on social media, confirming that Bowditch is now in stable condition. “We would like to apologise for last night’s show,” the statement read. “The good news is Pete is now stable. We’ll be issuing refunds to all ticket holders. All current European tour dates will still be going ahead.”
Bowditch later shared a lighthearted video from his hospital bed, joking: “As you know, recently, I was pronounced dead on stage. They said it was exhaustion; the doctors managed to bring me back.” He teased fans with plans for a celebratory U.S. tour, saying: “Right people, it looks like I’m alive. Happy days. The wife’s brought me in a takeaway pint too, so I’m finally feeling like myself again 🍺. Now, Bas and I will be going on a massive 14-date US tour in June to celebrate. See you there, people, hallelujah.”
Pete & Bas first began writing lyrics in 2017, drawing inspiration from the narrative style of drill music. Their debut single, Shut Ya Mouth, quickly introduced their storytelling approach to a new generation of rap fans. Bowditch, a retired Royal Mail employee, discovered the genre via his granddaughter’s car, reflecting: “I thought, ‘This ain’t too bad.’ I talk to my grandkids and their friends, they keep us in the loop on the latest slang. One minute we’re ‘good,’ then it’s ‘sick,’ ‘fire,’ or ‘cold,’ but it all means the same thing.”
The duo released their first full-length album, Mugshot, in 2024 and are set to headline a European tour next month, with stops in Amsterdam, Stockholm, Oslo, and Helsinki.
What do you think?
Show comments / Leave a comment