Rap artist and record producer Faustin Lenon, Jr. (aka Sagat, Blaksam, Jump Chico Slamm) took an interest in music at a very young age. His skills began to blossom under the tutelage of keyboardist Charles Arnette, his music teacher at Waverly Elementary School, after which he went on to study piano at the Peabody Conservatory of Music. He also mastered various percussion instruments.By his mid-teens Faustin had gained experience with recording studios and live DJ performances with likeminded musicians in East Baltimore and a short residence in Chicago. His styles varied from rap, hip hop, ska, house, and other urban sounds.
In the mid-’80s, known as Chico Slamm, he earned a DJ spot at O’Dells and subsequently co-formed CPI Productions, Inc. with Chris Beggs, Mike Felder aka ‘DJ Quest’, Big Daddy, Bo Pete Ferrari, Bo, and Dax Johnson. They promoted and performed as dance DJ’s at The Place on 31st Street as well as parties and gigs at various colleges and universities. As the CPI DJ Trio, Faustin (Chico Slamm), along with DJ’s Mike Felder and Chris Beggs performed stints at Club Zanzibar, and others, where they were able to incorporate their studio work.
After a brief hiatus, Chico Slamm teamed up with Beggs and DJ Jerome Hicks performing at Club Fantasies, and soon began recording at Baltimore’s Mainframe Recording Studios with Engineer George Hagegeorge. In 1989 Slamm founded CUZN records and released his first single “Make You Sweat.”
In 1990 legendary dance music pioneer DJ Tony Humphries began incorporating Chico Slamm’s music into his live shows at Club Zanzibar, and on his Mix Show on radio station 98.7 KYS, leading to record label interest.
From Chico Slamm website: “Chico Slamm, DJ Jerome Hicks, and DJ Chris Beggs continued to collaborate on several recording projects and formed Freestyle Jam Sessions, which played live at Club Paradox in Baltimore. The Jam Sessions combined DJ Jerome Hicks’ Spin Set along with Chico Slamm’s live keyboard and drum machine performance. The science of combining drum and bass with break beats that was spearheaded by the Slamm Productions trio inspired Chico Slamm to experiment with other fusion music principles and theories.
“The explosion brought forth the creation of Chico Slamm’s “Wildstyle Theory”, which fused Chicago Acid, Funk, Ska, Samba, Jersey Style Dance, Chicago Style Hip House and variations of ‘The 6/8 rhythm counts’ mostly of the Western African and South American Traditions together. It then combined these styles along with offsprings of Underground Dance Cult Hits like “Tumblin Down” (Hermann on E-legal records), “Feel Free” from the Slamm Project (Cajual), “Batte Con” (CLR) and “House Thing” (unreleased E-legal) which was a Baltimore Hip House cult jam performed by Labtekwon, Faze, and Chico Slamm as Sagatmanchu (Formerly Known as Sagat). This formed the group ‘3 Deep’. Mainframe Recording Studios then became Track in The Box and later The Sweatshop Studios as George Hagegeorge expanded in his field. Chico Slamm’s recordings were done at those recording studios with the exception of occasional recordings at High Heel Studios which was also in Baltimore.
“From 1990-1992, Chico Slamm had numerous live performances throughout the east coast between New York and South Carolina using the artist names Blaksam, BlackStar and Oneson with Baltimore Dance and Choreography Pioneers Booda and Johnny ‘Kuumba’ Jackson, Russell and Juddy and the Almighty Mickey’s. It was during the years of 1991-1993 that Chico Slamm along with Composer/Writer/Engineer/Producer/Mixer Tim Moore AKA Phat Dahdee, founder of Dabrovasgroove and Glenn ‘DJ Technics’ Brand collaborated Underground Smashes that still captivate dance floors to the present including “Fuk Dat / Funk Dat” (released under his alias Sagat on Maxi Records), The Tapp Project (Yeah Yeah) including “Shake Dat Ass Girl,” “It’s Your Birthday” and “Dikkontrol” (Tapp Project 1993), “Jamma Quadrant One” (CLR) and the “Slamm Project” (Cajual).”
To date the 1993 record release ‘Why Is It? (Funk Dat)’ was his biggest hit, gaining worldwide popularity in 1994. The music video made rotation on MTV and appeared on episodes of Beavis & Butthead. The follow up single “Luvstuff” was a club hit in Europe. Both singles were included on the 1994 album “My Poem Is… The World According To Sagat” (Maxi Records).
Recording under the alias Blacksam he released the single “Mr. Phat” (Max’n Records, 1994). A complete discography is available on his website. Information from Wikipedia, discogs, and with thanks to Chico Slamm’s website
Jump Chico Slamm Discography (Releases, Production and Remixes…):
1989 Cuzn Make You Sweat (Make You Wet)
1992 Cuzn C.A.T. The Low Ride Song (remix)
1993(12″) Cajual CAJ208-1 Slamm Project (EP) (artist: Jump Chico Slamm)
1993(12″,CD) – Maxi 2014 Fuk Dat (artist: Sagat) (note later released as “Why Is It? (Fuk Dat)”)
1993(12″,CD,CS) – Maxi 2014-1 Why Is It? (Funk Dat) (artist: Sagat) (Note: Clean radio version)
1994 Maxi MX2017 Luvstuff (artist: Sagat)
1994(CD) Maxi My Poem Is… World According To Sagat (artist: Sagat)
1994(12″) Max’n 3011 Mr. Phat (artist: Blacksam)
1995(12″,CD) Maxi 2022 Get Outta My Face (artist: Sagat)
2010(12″) IUSS “Galactic Alignment” (artist Jump Chico Slamm)
2012 Cyberjamz CJ0078 Pyrotechnics EP (artist Jump Chico Slamm)
2012(12″) Rush Hour 041 Galactic Alignment (note: Netherlands re-release: artist Jump Chico Slamm)
2013(CD) Imperial Underground IU1201 The Way You Move (artist Jump Chico Slamm)
As Writer / Producer / various artists:
1992 E-Legal EL-846210 Tumblin Down feat. Hermann Carter (mixed by ‘Chico’ Slamm)
1993 SPG 801 I Need to Go Away (All by Myself) (artist Tommye)
1993 Yeah Yeah It’s Your Birthday EP (EP) (artist: Tapp – Chico Slamm: producer)
1995 Maxi 5006 Warning: Maxi-Mum Dancefloor Capacity Volume 2 (various artists – incl ‘Get Outta My Face’
1995 CLR Jamma Quadrant One “Batte Con”
1997 CLR Jamma Quadrant One “Summertime” feat. Tapp
2012 Studio !K7 Feel Free (1993 version) (various artists CD: Hercules & Love Affair/ DJ Kicks)
