Chronixx

Biography

Chronixx, real name Jamar Rolando McNaughton, is a highly respected artist in the genres of reggae, dancehall, and hip-hop from Jamaica. Born on October 10, 1992, the 29-year-old musician previously performed as Little Chronicle in homage to his musician father Selvin McNaughton, who went by the alias Chronicle.

Chronixx released his first studio album, Chronology, on July 7, 2017, via EMI. The debut album made it to the top of the Billboard US Reggae Albums chart, marking Chronixx’s second time becoming the number one reggae artist in the US. His other releases include his first EP, Hooked on Chronixx, from 2011, and his second, Dread & Terrible, from April 2014.

He’s currently signed to Soul Circle music and is set to release a second album, Dela Splash, in the near future. He’s done collaborations with Kelissa, Jah Bouks, Dre Island, Keznamdi, Jesse Royal, and many more. He’s received nominations and awards at the Reggae & World Music Awards, topped the reggae charts in several countries, and more.

Here’s some need-to-know information about this prolific reggae singer.

instruments played

Vocals

Genres

Reggae hip hop, dancehall

Labels

Soul Circle

Occupations

Singer, songwriter

Website

chronixxmusic.com

Years Active

2010 - present

Wiki Link

Chronixx's Early Beginnings

Jamar McNaughton is the son of Selvin McNaughton, a Jamaican musician better known as Chronicle. With help from his father, Jamar started writing songs at an early age, and he’s reportedly said that his whole family sings. His first song, called "Rice Grain," was penned at just five years old. He spent his childhood days working on music before going on to hone his skills as an artist. The budding artist went to St Catherine High School, but the young man was already making music with hometown friends before he reached senior high. One of his earliest collaborations came at the tender age of 11, a gospel track made under the mentorship of Danny Brown. He also provided harmony vocals for other artists during this time. The talented young artist sang in the praise band at his church and the choir at school, indicating that he might have a bright future in the music industry ahead of him. In his early life, Chronixx experienced the loss of his brother, which sent him into a period of grief that lasted several years. Jamar's brother passed away in 2009, and his death forced Jamar to develop a level of resilience that few teens have. Not long after, the artist started collaborating with Romaine Arnett and performing under the moniker Chronixx for the first time.

Getting Involved in the Industry

Before he was Chronixx, Jamar started his work in the music industry as a songwriter, producer, and background vocalist. Some of his earliest work was done at just 14 years old, including producing riddims (slang for rhythms) for Ice Box Records. Around that time, Jamar began singing background vocals on others' songs, including Jamaican singer Lutan Fyah. As a teenager, Chronixx produced beats for the likes of Popcaan, Konshens, and Munga Hornourebel.

Gaining Traction

2012 was a big year for Chronixx. His first singles, "Somewhere" and "Start a Fyah," came out that year, as well as his collaborative mixtape Start a Fire with Major Lazer and Walshy Fire. The Jamaican reggae artist became a mainstay on the radio in his home country and performed at Reggae Sumfest and other major Jamaican and Caribbean events. The following year, Chronixx scored major hits with the singles "Smile Jamaica" and "Here Comes Trouble," which preceded a period of intense touring in the United States and Europe alongside Zincfence Redemption Band. That same year, Chronixx became a Peace Ambassador to Kenya and performed at the Tuko Rada Peace Concert, an event that took place in Nairobi.

Dread and Terrible

While he had already released his debut EP by 2014, Chronixx's second, Dread & Terrible, became one of his most successful projects yet. He reached the top of the Billboard Reggae Album chart for the first time with the EP, leading to a performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and several awards. His accolades following the EP's release included the Linkage Awards for Culture Artist of the Year, Best New Artist, and Entertainer of the Year. After performing on The Tonight Show, Jamar had a milestone show in Central Park that was attended by thousands, proving that he'd become one of the hottest reggae musicians of the 2010s.

Chronology

Chronixx has released one album, Chronology, which came out on July 7, 2017, via Virgin EMI Records. The project received a Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album, Chronixx's first Grammy award nomination ever. This came after the release of one of his mixtapes, Roots & Chalice with Federation Sound. Chronology features 16 tracks, including "Loneliness," "Christina," "I Know Love," "Bad Bad Sound," and more. It earned favorable reviews after its release for its conscious lyrical content. In addition to the lyrics, reviewers praised the blend of multiple genres on the album, citing Chronixx as one of the key figures in the reggae revival. That same year, he received a Prime Minister’s National Youth Award for Excellence.

Singles by Chronixx

Below is a complete list of Chronixx's singles.

"Somewhere" (2012)
"Start a Fyah" (2012)
"Mi Alright" (2013)
"Access Granted" (2013)
"Alpha and Omega" (2013)
"Most I" (2013)
"Thanks and Praise" (2013)
"Here Comes Trouble" (2013)
"Selassie Souljahz" (2013)
"Smile Jamaica" (2013)
"Ain't No Giving In" (2013)
"Rain Music" (2013)
"Perfect Tree" (2014)
"Prayer" (2014)
"Play Some Roots" (2015)
"Capture Land" (2015)
"Ghetto People" (2015)
"Light It Up" (2015)
"Majesty" (2017)
"Likes" (2017)
"Skankin Sweet" (2017)
"Ghetto Paradise" (2017)
"Spanish Town Rockin" (2017)
"Sweet love" (2017)
"Eternal Light" (2019)
"Dela Move" (2020)
"Same Prayer" (feat. Kabaka Pyramid) (2020)
"Cool As The Breeze/Friday" (2020)
"Safe N Sound" (2021)