Chronixx
photo: tomjhill · cc by-sa 4.0 ↗Jamar McNaughton, performing as Chronixx, is the son of dancehall artist Chronicle and became one of the defining voices of the Reggae Revival, pairing gritty social commentary with warm, melodic roots reggae production. Raised around Kingston's dancehall and roots scenes, he broke through with singles like "Here Comes Trouble" and "Smile Jamaica" ahead of his Grammy-nominated debut album Chronology (2017). He discovered and championed Koffee's early music, later touring and recording with her.
Chronixx has cited Bob Marley among the artists he grew up listening to, and his Trenchtown-rooted imagery and one-drop grooves consciously extend Marley's roots reggae lineage into the Reggae Revival.
listen forMarley's driving, community-anthem 'Trenchtown Rock' and Chronixx's land-and-belonging song 'Capture Land' both build around a chugging, insistent skank that feels built for a crowd to sing back.
Chronixx has named Buju Banton, whose mid-1990s turn toward Rastafari-informed conscious reggae reshaped Jamaican music, as a formative listen growing up.
listen forBuju's semi-acoustic, testimonial 'Untold Stories' and Chronixx's confessional 'Behind Curtain' both strip the riddim back to let a plainly sung, first-person story carry the song.
Chronixx has said he grew up around veteran deejay Burro Banton and other elder dancehall and roots figures in Kingston, absorbing their delivery firsthand before he ever recorded.
listen forBurro Banton's gruff, declarative chat on 'Boom Wah Dis' and Chronixx's bouncy, hook-driven 'Skankin' Sweet' sit at opposite ends of dancehall's toughness-versus-sweetness spectrum, but both ride that same rapid-fire riddim pocket.