Chaundon – The Jammington

The likelihood of a crew maintaining its conjoined unity within the genre of Hip Hop often borders on an impossibility, as egos clash and personal motivations create complications far removed from the elements that initially bring teams together. Spearheaded by Little Brother (producer 9th Wonder and rappers Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh), North Carolina’s now defunct Justus League is divided amongst themselves after winning the hearts of purists by putting a refreshing spin on rap’s classic ambiance a decade ago. Bronx representer Chaundon has one of the former crew’s most tenacious spirits, still aiming for glory with his latest release The Jammington.

Primarily recognized and acclaimed for his trademark razor sharp wit and humor laced punchlines, Chaundon balances this jovial nature with a number of other facets on The Jammington. It becomes quickly evident he carries the unmistakable pride of a native New Yorker with the album’s opener “Skyline,” demonstrating a determination to be remembered amongst the Big Apple’s all time greats. To boot, DJs Flash and Skillz (not to be confused with the MC of the same moniker) pay homage to the legend of DJ Premier’s rap vocal cutting technique, and guest features include the likes of Juice Crew veteran Craig G and rising Brooklyn sensation Von Pea of Tanya Morgan on “Possession” and “This Just In” respectively.

Chaundon’s nickname “The Backtwista” boasts of an amorous prowess, highlighting the shameless exploits of a lothario on “Mandatory” and “BBW,” an ode fetishizing ladies of greater proportion. These spirited jaunts are tempered by the levelheaded and soulful “Hindsight” which speaks of the Justus League’s dissolution and “Loyalty Is Royalty”, honoring those who have faithfully remained in the emcees’ corner before and since the dawn of his professional music career.

The Jammington aims and succeeds at the model of quality over quantity, clocking in at under a half hour. This short length aside, the album further establishes Chaundon as a humorist and a wordsmith of repute, while simultaneously shedding light on that which grinds his gears as both an evolving man and an artist.