“Got the beat by Powers and we just made a banger!” If you’re tapped into the genre-blurring sounds of hip-hop and rock music today, then chances are you’ve heard that producer tag often in the past few years.

It’s the calling card of Powers Pleasant, the DJ and producer with the chameleonic style who has lent his talents to an elite and wide-ranging collection of collaborators such as NBA YoungBoy, Denzel Curry, Princess Nokia, BTS, $not and, most frequently, his Pro Era brethren Joey Bada$$.

Born and bred in Brooklyn, NY, Powers co-founded the Pro Era collective that reinvigorated New York hip-hop in the 2010’s with the late visionary, Capital STEEZ and wunderkind Joey Bada$$. While attending Edward R. Murrow High School in New York City, the teens bonded over a shared appreciation of music of all kinds. Powers (yes, that’s his real name) was a gifted drummer and percussionist, raised by a jazz musician father and a music-loving mom who introduced him to his biggest musical influences—The Neptunes and Kanye West—and helped him get his start making beats. 

In the decade since then, Powers has evolved from bedroom beatmaker to platinum producer. His song-first mentality and gift for collaboration has yielded crew love classics like Beast Coast’s “Distance” and Denzel Curry’s standout collab with 6LACK, Rico Nasty, and Kitty Cash, “Ain’t No Way." This year he is set to release LIFE SUCKS, a follow up album to LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL, via Mass Appeal in October 2024.

Young Daredevil.

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Damian Robert Nesta Marley, also known around the world as “Junior Gong” and more recently as “Gongzilla” was born in 1978 to parents Bob Marley and Cindy Breakspeare, Miss World 1976.  As a young adult, he developed a passion and a gift to speak for those who cannot always speak for themselves. A self-proclaimed ‘Spiritual Revolutionary’, Damian has worked assiduously to carve his own niche in music history and to add a new perspective to the Marley legacy for the 21st century. 

At the age of 13, Damian began performing in a group called “The Shepherds” which comprised of Shiah Coore (son of Third World guitarist Cat Coore) and currently a member of his band, and Yashema Beth McGreggor, daughter of reggae singers Freddie Mcgreggor and Judy Mowatt and then began touring with his brothers, Stephen, Ky-mani, Julian and Ziggy. 

By 1996, Damian had already made his stamp as a different kind of Marley when he released his first solo album “Mr. Marley”, a heavily dancehall-influenced album produced by his brother Stephen Marley.  His second album “Halfway Tree” was released in 2001 by a major record label and showcased Damian’s unique gift for blending dancehall, reggae and hip-hop styles.  This album won Damian much recognition and remained on the Billboard Top Reggae Album Charts for 158 weeks and earned him his first Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 2002. 
While honored by this recognition by the global music fraternity, Damian continued to work in the studio, laying the groundwork for the tracks that would become his highly anticipated album, “Welcome To Jamrock”. The lyrics in this album presented Marley as a true spiritual revolutionary, as he used his talent to evoke a spiritual change while trying to enforce a better way of thinking.  He is described as “rhyming with the conviction of a street preacher with the intellect of a university economist”.  

Damian’s hit single “Welcome to Jamrock” was listed as one of the Top 100 Songs of the Decade by Rolling Stone, and at the 2006 Grammy Awards, he won Best Reggae Album and Best Urban/Alternative Performance for Welcome to Jamrock. Damian is the only Jamaican reggae artist in history to win two Grammy Awards on the same night. He is also the only reggae artist to win in the Best Urban/Alternative Performance category at the Grammy Awards. The New York Times called Welcome to Jamrock the “best reggae song of the decade.” 
Welcome to Jamrock led the pathway to Damian’s critically acclaimed collaboration with Nas for 2010’s much lauded album “Distant Relatives” – a project which explored the relationships between reggae, hip-hop and Africa. The album title refers not only to the bond between the artists, but the connection to their African ancestry, which inspired the album both musically and lyrically. USA Today referred to the album as a “potent and often provocative collaboration” and by Rolling Stone as “an Afrocentric winner.” The album debuted at Number 5 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart and Number 1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, Rap Albums and Reggae Albums charts, with Billboard heralding the album as “a dynamic hybrid.”    

The Distant Relatives Tour kicked off in 2011 and saw Damian traveling and performing for thousands of fans all over the world, including South America, Europe, The United Kingdom, The Caribbean and North America.  

Damian continued to cross musical boundaries in 2012, as he went on to partner with Skrillex for their groundbreaking track “Make It Bun Dem”, which Rolling Stone called “a monster mash up of dubstep and dancehall” and has led to several remixes of the original version.  Damian recently released two other singles; “Set Up Shop” and  “Affairs of the Heart” which both received widespread airplay. 

Damian continues to tour with his band all over the world as a way of entertaining and healing as he continues to spread the message for those whose voices cannot be heard. He is working with his brothers Stephen and Julian under their Ghetto Youths International Label, to discover, develop and sign gifted artistes by applying their musical talent and vast experience to create new and different styles of music.  

Damian is currently in the studio working on his upcoming solo album.

Jamar Rolando McNaughton, using the moniker Chronixx, has ignited a torch in people's hearts the world over and is confidently lighting the path for an entire generation of youths to rediscover roots and culture.

Born October 10, 1992, Chronixx was musically nurtured from an early age by his father, the artist Chronicle, and grew up surrounded by the likes of Burro Banton, Norris Man and Gregory Isaacs. This was before 'Little Chronicle' benefited from the mentorship of Danny Browne with whom he recorded his first tune in 2003. His remarkable ascension in the music industry was in full effect when he began harmonizing for artists such as Lutan Fyah and providing production assistance for tracks sung by Konshens, Munga Honorable, Popcaan and others.

Today, Chronixx is a respected artist in his own right after his career was stimulated by the unfortunate passing of both his blood brother in 2007 and his brother-in-arms, Lil' J.O.E., in 2010. He decided during that period of grief to bypass the difficulties of a young producer seeking external talent by, instead, channeling his energy wholeheartedly as a vocalist. Thankfully, early and unwavering support was received from Zincfence Records producer Romaine 'Teflon' Arnett, who was the first to urge Chronixx to sing the lyrics he was writing for others.

The first EP, Hooked on Chronixx, was released in 2010 and immediately put the budding artist on the radar of music lovers and industry heads alike. Among its 7 tracks, 'Start A Fyah,' 'Capitalist' (featuring Infinite) and 'Behind Curtain' stood out as a fan favorites, reaching far beyond Jamaican shores. Meanwhile, 'Warrior' became Chronixx's first official video and served to alert many more to his arrival.

Chronixx toured for the first time in 2013 when he went to Europe with his own band. Soon afterward, he bestowed a name upon this carefully assembled musical crew: Zincfence Redemption. Altogether, their fascinating stage presence has elevated the Chronixx experience to new and ever increasing heights.

Also in 2013, he and his team were Jamaica's only representation in Nairobi, where he performed as a Peace Ambassador ahead of Kenya's general elections. The next year, he found himself in New York City where he participated in a reggae and jazz series together with living legends Ernest Ranglin and Monty Alexander. By this time, Chronixx had established new and renewed working connections with Sly & Robbie, King Jammy, Leroy Sibbles and, again, Danny Browne.

The Dread & Terrible Project was released in April 2014 with seven tracks plus three dub versions, immediately topping both the Billboard and iTunes reggae charts. Neither an album nor an EP, the Project also includes a short film based on one of its tracks, 'Rastaman Wheel Out.' The film was directed by "The Guru" Ras Kassa and has received high critical acclaim. The hit single, 'Here Comes Trouble' can also be found on The Dread & Terrible Project.

With so much accomplished in so short a time, the world is bracing for greater wonders from this young man who walks with an old soul. For Chronixx himself, music is a mission and history is being made everyday still.

"Prepare your minds and hearts for this revolution."


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