Maxo Kream is a rapper who I have always felt is mad underrated. He has the talent to be one of the top Southern Trap rappers in the game, but has never reached that status I feel he deserves. Now, there are a few reasons for this, in my opinion. For one, even if he has a palatable style, I feel like it leans a bit too underground for the mainstream at times. Particularly in his beat selection and in some of his flows, Maxo goes a bit too far out of the box for mainstream Hip Hop fans. I do think the main thing holding him back in recent years, though, has been his lack of output in recent years. Maxo Kream first popped off in the early to mid-2010s, when he dropped a series of mixtapes that took the Hip Hop world by storm. His sound blended old-school Houston Rap music with modern Trap in a way that really made him stand out, with people especially attracted to his storytelling and his flows. Maxo Kream continued his momentum to close out the decade when he released his first two albums, 2018’s Punken, and 2019’s Brandon Banks. These two records cemented Maxo Kream as one of the most riveting rappers on the rise and made it seem like he was poised to rise to the top of the game in the coming years. About a week ago, Maxo Kream had only released one project in the 2020s, 2021’s WEIGHT OF THE WORLD. I really enjoyed this album, but it did not seem to keep up the momentum in the grand scheme of the Hip Hop game as much as his previous two records did. It has been three years since his last album, and it seems like his momentum has all but faded. Now, I am all for artists wanting to take their time in between releases so they can perfect their craft, but in a music world where so many artists are extremely prolific, it is easy to become forgotten. Maxo Kream recently dropped his fourth studio album, Personification. I hope that this record can help Maxo Kream gain back some of that momentum he lost, as he deserves to be popping off more, in my opinion. Below, I wanted to highlight some of my favorite songs off of Maxo Kream’s Personification, then go over some overall thoughts on the album to close things out. Please let me know in the comments what song from Personification that you are into, and also comment on how you feel about the album as a whole!
Fashitso
‘Fashitso’ is a song that immediately takes me back to some of the music that made him really start to dig Maxo Kream back in the day. Anyone who was listening to Maxo Kream in the mid-2010s will be attracted to this song. The instrumental for ‘Fashitso’ is pretty relaxed, but it is also pretty complex. The melody for this track sounds like it is being provided by a flute and some bells; this melody is soothing but also has a melancholy feeling to it as well. The beat on this one is even-keeled but has a rattling to it that almost makes it a bit apprehensive. Maxo Kream’s flow and tone on this song certainly match the relaxing feeling of the instrumental. He raps with this very chantlike style that honestly makes ‘Fashitso’ sort of inviting. On Fashitso, Maxo Kream raps about the fast life he used to live, explaining why he liked to gangbang and deal drugs. ‘Fashitso’ is not an exciting track, but its appeal lies in its silky nature.
Cracc Era with Tyler The Creator
‘Cracc Era’ was dropped as a single back near the end of September, and it was the first instance that we were about to get a new record from Maxo Kream. Now, I do not think I would have ever expected these two artists to come together, but I have to say they work so fluidly. The instrumental from ‘Cracc Era’ is tough, simple, and gritty. There is not much of a melody for ‘Cracc Era.’ This short and sweet track(at 1:55, it is the briefest on the record) is pretty much driven by some hard-hitting drums with a Boom Bap tempo that varies in distortion. The distortion of the drums does give the song a bit of a tone, but I would not call it a melody. I really like the way Tyler and Maxo’s vocal styles mesh on this track. They both rap with a steady flow and a gruff tone that matched the energy of the instrumental super well. ‘Cracc Era’ is a braggadocious track where Maxo and Tyler rap about their money and status. This is not the most high-key song on the project, but it hits hard enough to make a solid impact.
Big Hoe Me
‘Big Hoe Me’ has a much softer and more laid-back sound, more akin to what we get on ‘Fashitso’ than what we get on ‘Cracc Era.’ If you were a fan of the music that Maxo Kream was making on Punken, this is a song for you. ‘Big Hoe Me’ is driven by an aloof, groovy melody that is driven by a warm piano riff and some synths. This melody makes me feel like I am floating when I listen to it, and the steady, light feeling of the Trap beat certainly adds to this feeling. I really like Maxo Kream’s vocal performance on this one. He raps with an even-keeled and sing-songy flow that is almost mesmerizing; his low tone is raspy, but almost has a soothing element that makes the track welcoming. On ‘Big Hoe Me,’ raps about how one of his old friends ratted him and his friends out to the cops and turned on everything he had preached to Maxo Kream throughout the years, which made him lose respect for this person. If you are into storytelling Coke Rap music, this is a song for you.
Smokey with BigXthaPlug and Hitboy
‘Smokey’ is one of the tracks that has been popping off from this record since it was dropped last week, and it is definitely easy to see why. After being introduced to BigX earlier this year, I knew that he would have undeniable chemistry with Maxo Kream, and ‘Smokey’ certainly proves this sentiment. ‘Smokey’ has a smooth and Soulful Trap instrumental that kind of feels like it is right in the middle of what both of these artists have become known for. The melody and beat for this one feel just as much like a typical Maxo Kream type of instrumental as it does a BigX one, which is interesting because I thought they both had distinguishable sounds( it intrigues me that their typical instrumentals are so close; this is super apparent on this track). Unsurprisingly, both Maxo Kream and BigXthaPlug sound great on this track. Maxo raps with his smooth, low, easygoing flow and BigX raps in a more energetic and high-key manner. Their chemistry is awesome, as their vocal styles actually work perfectly together. On ‘Smokey,’ Maxo Kream tells stories of gang banging and getting what is theirs in any manner possible. ‘Smokey’ is a track where two artists who seem like they are destined to work with each other come together and make a really dope track.
Higher Than Ever with Rob49 and Skilla Baby
‘Higher Than Ever’ is definitely the most high-key and intense song on this record. Out of everything on Personification, this is the one that feels the most like a club banger. The melody(if one can call it that) is intense and mean, sounding like something out of a horror movie. The beat for this track is intense, tough, and intricate. As I sit here listening to this one and writing about it, I want to headbang, as this just hits so damn hard. Each rapper on this track more than matches the energy of the instrumental, but Rob49 is the one who stands out the most. His weird, off-kilter flow sits on the instrumental in a way that really makes it pop. I love how he is almost rapping off-beat, as it gives the song a texture that truly makes it pop. On ‘Higher Than Ever,’ Maxo Kream and his features are rapping about turning up and popping out in a way that is larger than life, which certainly matches the energy of the instrumental. This is a massive Trap banger that could get any function jumping when it comes on.
Talkin In Screw with That Mexican OT
Like BigXthaPlug, That Mexican OT is a rapper who seems like would be the perfect feature for Maxo Kream. Like Maxo, he has a demeanor and style of rapping that is daunting yet inviting at the same time; they both have a way about them that is charming and audacious, which is very cool. As one may expect with a song called ‘Talkin In Screw’ by Texas-based artists, a sludgy, slow Trap instrumental that feels chopped and screwed. This song has a melody, tempo, and mix that makes me think of old-school Houston Trap music, which I dig a ton. Both Maxo Kream and That Mexican OT kill it on this track. Both artists rap with this fast, aggressive tone that adds so much texture to the track. I really like their flows feel almost off-center from the beat, as this gives the song life. On ‘Talkin In Screw,’ Maxo Kream and That Mexican OT gives various reasons of why they are not the ones to mess with, describing some of the life-threatening activities they got into back in the day. ‘Talkin In Screw’ is a dirty Houston Trap song by two awesome Houston Trap artists, and they both did this sound justice on this one.
Triggaman with Denzel Curry
Apart from ‘Higher Than Ever,’ ‘Triggaman’ is the most intense banger on this record. This one is not quite as high-key as ‘Higher Than Ever,’ but it is very close. There is a menacing and grating feeling on this track that makes it punch so hard. The melody for this one is scary, cold, and dark and the beat absolutely pounds. This track has the energy of a very demented club banger. It is fun and thrilling, but also super threatening. Both Maxo Kream and Denzel Curry more than match the energy of the instrumental with their belligerent flows and tone. I especially love Denzel’s verse on this one, as his slightly higher pitch and rapid pacing contrast Maxo’s lower tone in an interesting manner. The lyrical tone of ‘Triggaman’ is just as combatant as its sound, as Denzel and Maxo Kream basically give various reasons why they are not ones to mess with. Maxo Kream closes out Personification with an absolute boom with ‘Triggaman.’
When there was first wind about a month ago of a new Maxo Kream album coming out, I was totally excited. As I stated in the introduction, I have been wanting more from Maxo Kream in the last few years, and I was pumped up to finally get some fresh music from him. My initial thoughts about Personification is that frankly, Maxo Kream is Maxo Kream. I would not say that he really goes outside the box or tries anything new on this record. In fact, for the most part, the instrumentals on this album are pretty close to what he has always done. That is not the only thing that is extremely similar to what Maxo Kream has done frequently in the past when it comes to this record. The overall rapping styles and lyrical content on this record are in accord with what Maxo Kream is known for as well. He does not go against the grain very much on this record; what you get is what you get. The only moments where he kind of goes in a different direction are on the songs ‘Higher Than Ever,’ which I would say is probably the best song on this record, and ‘Bang The Bus,’ which is a very cool track that almost made this list for me. Even if this album does not go against what Maxo Kream is familiar with very much, I think this is okay. Personification is what it is, and it is enjoyable. If you are a fan of Maxo Kream’s past work, you will enjoy this record a ton, as it is very good. I am not going to lie, I would have liked to see Maxo Kream go outside of the box a bit, but the fact that he does not does not impede on the quality that is here Once again, I just wanted new Maxo Kream music, and Personification does satisfy that itch.
EAST SIDE VIBES 