MTV: 4 Reasons Why You Should Be Listening To Chronixx

Here comes trouble! In the past year, Jamar Rolando McNaughton, better known as Chronixx, has topped charts and garnered major international attention. At just 20 years old, the young singer who originally hails from Spanish Town, Jamaica is no stranger to the music industry.

From creating riddims and producing for popular Jamaican artists like Konshens and Lutan Fyah, to performing full international tours of his own music, Chronixx has seen extraordinary success both inside and outside of Jamaica’s highly competitive music industry. If you’re still unconvinced, here are four reasons you should be listening Chronixx.

1. He’s continuing a musical legacy

At an early age Chronixx was exposed to the world of music through his father, Chronicle, a veteran reggae artist who he describes as the “original dancehall father.” Chronicle had achieved international acclaim by working with New York-based producer Bobby Konders, who is currently the host of Hot 97’s “On Da Reggae Tip.”

Some of his hits included “Jah Rise,” “My God” and “Light It Up,” but more importantly he foresaw that his son was incredibly talented both in terms of songwriting and producing music. By age five, Jamar had penned his first tune “Rice Grain” and his father revealed that when he was not in the studio, he was probably in church harmonizing with local gospel singers.

2. He’s already a favorite among the rock gods

Of all the artists to emerge from Jamaica, what’s particularly unique about Chronixx is that he’s already established a celebrity fan base from around the world. The Rolling Stone’s Mick Jagger, a longtime reggae fan, celebrated his birthday by attending the 20 year old’s recent concert in New York’s Central Park. He’s also garnered respect from Diplo, who used his Major Lazer project to help Chronixx release his first major mixtape.

And just a few months ago Jimmy Fallon featured a live performance of the single “Here Comes Trouble” off his most recent release The Dread And Terrible EP on “The Tonight Show.”

3. He’s got substance and style

Despite his growing popularity, Chronixx has been unrelenting in his commitment to lyrical integrity, but he’s still been able to avoid isolating his growing international fan base. One of the catchier songs on The Dread And Terrible EP, called “Spirulina,” is an upbeat anthem promoting a health conscious lifestyle.

This runs in stark contrast to many songs in popular culture that promote the use of drugs and alcohol, and Chronixx actually takes pride in never having taken a sip of alcohol in his life. With that said, he has embraced certain aspects of pop culture, particularly street fashion, and for his most recent single “Capture Land” he teamed up with Los Angeles based skateboard company Lifted Research Group (LRG) for the official video.

4. He’s pioneering the reggae revival

Chronixx broke through on the international music scene at a unique moment in reggae’s history, as part of a group of young Jamaican artists that are focused on revitalizing the genre. For years reggae has had issues with relevance especially in the United States as some of the genre’s top stars have struggled to obtain work visas. and faced other legal problems.

But a group of young artists including Chronixx, Protoje, Kabaka Pyramid, Kelissa and Jah9, to name a few, have been at the forefront in bringing the genre back into popular culture. These artists often collaborate, and one of the biggest reggae songs in the U.S. market over the summer was “Who Knows?” a rootsy ode to the West Indies written by both Chronixx and Protoje.