Spotlight on Chronixx
One of the great forerunners of the Neo-Reggae movement; setting a new path for the genre
24 Feb 2022 | reggae
Son of reggae artist Chronicle, Jamaica's Chronixx got his start under the name Little Chronicle. Born Jamar Rolando McNaughton, Chronixx showed musical promise at a young age, prompting his father to bring his son into the studio where he would meet reggae singers like Gregory Isaacs and Burro Banton.
He launched his own career in 2003 while still singing harmony with artists like Lutan Fyah. A string of singles in 2011 that included "Behind Curtain" and "African Heritage" helped put him on reggae's frontline, and in 2012, the mixtape Light a Fyah appeared, presented by Diplo under his Major Lazer alias.
2014 saw the release of Chronixx's debut EP, Dread & Terrible. Hitting the top spot of the Billboard Reggae Charts on release, the EP went on to spend 42 consecutive weeks in the Top Ten. Chronixx continued to earn plaudits for his music, with nominations for MOBOs and gongs at the International Reggae & World Music Awards and the Linkage Awards.
2015 saw him appearing on Joey Bada$$' debut album and performing at the Glastonbury Festival in the U.K., as well as releasing the singles "Ghetto People" and "Light It Up." Chronixx's long-awaited debut album finally appeared in 2017, with Chronology receiving praise and Grammy nomination for its mix of socially conscious nu-roots and uplifting contemporary reggae. Two years later in 2019, Chronixx issued a deluxe edition of Dread & Terrible to celebrate its fifth anniversary.
On 13 March 2020, Chronixx released the first single "Dela Move" from his second album, "Dela Splash". The title of the track and album were inspired by his hometown – De La Vega City, a district in Spanish Town, Jamaica.
