Emekwanem Ogugua Biosah Jr. (born March 29, 1990),[2] known professionally as Maxo Kream, is a Nigerian-American rapper. His debut album Punken was released in 2018, and the follow-up and major label debut, Brandon Banks, was released in 2019.[3]
Maxo Kream | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Emekwanem Ogugua Biosah Jr. |
| Also known as |
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| Born | March 29, 1990 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2012–present |
| Labels |
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Maxo Kream is known for his honest lyricism, speaking to his past life living in poor neighborhoods within Houston, Texas. He is a member of the 52 Hoover Crips.
Maxo Kream's younger brother, KCG Josh, is also a rapper.[4]
Early life and career
editMaxo Kream grew up in Southwest Houston, and attended Hastings High School.[5][6] He is of Nigerian descent through his father, who is a Nigerian immigrant to the U.S.[7] Kream began rapping in high school as part of the group Kream Clicc. In 2012, he started to gain popularity after releasing a remix of Kendrick Lamar's "Rigamortus" on YouTube.[8] His early mixtapes Retro Card and Quicc Strikes pushed him into the limelight, hitting over 85,000 hits on LiveMixtapes. In 2013, he supported Chief Keef on the Texas leg of his tour.[9]
His 2015 mixtape #Maxo187 received attention from XXL Magazine and Pitchfork among others.[10][11] He followed it up in 2016 with The Persona Tape.
On October 22, 2016, Maxo Kream was arrested for engaging in "organized crime" under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. He, along with members of the Kream Clicc Gang, held charges sourcing from money laundering, possession of 85 pounds of mariijuana, 2,000 Xanax pills, 13 firearms, cash, and drug manufacturing/distribution paraphernalia.[12] Maxo was held at Fort Bend County Jail in Richmond, Texas.[13] He was released on bail of $200,000 the next day and denied the allegations, claiming to only be "organizing his music".[14]
Maxo turned himself into authorities on April 3, 2023, for RICO related charges.[15]
In 2018, he released his debut album Punken.[16]
On June 27, 2019, he signed a deal with Roc Nation.[17]
On July 19, 2019, he released his major label debut, Brandon Banks via Big Persona/88 Classic/RCA Records.[18]
On October 18, 2021, he released his second major label album Weight of the World.[19] The album largely focuses on Maxo's experience since popularity, and dealing with the death of his brother Money-Du. Money Du was murdered on March 9, 2020, in Los Angeles.
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| US [20] | ||
| Punken |
|
— |
| Brandon Banks |
|
68 |
| Weight of the World |
|
— |
| Personification |
|
— |
Mixtapes
edit| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Retro Card |
|
| Quicc Strikes |
|
| #Maxo187 |
|
| The Persona Tape |
|
Singles
editAs lead artist
edit| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Cell Boomin" (featuring Father) |
2015 | #Maxo187 |
| "Thirteen" | ||
| "Out the Door" (featuring KEY!) |
The Persona Tape | |
| "Shop" | ||
| "Grannies" | 2017 | Punken |
| "5200" | ||
| "Bussdown" | ||
| "Mars" (featuring Lil Uzi Vert) |
Non-album single | |
| "Meet Again" | 2019 | Brandon Banks |
| "Still" | ||
| "She Live" (featuring Megan Thee Stallion) | ||
| "Big Persona"[21] (featuring Tyler, the Creator) |
2021 | Weight of the World |
| "Cee Cee"[22] (featuring Monaleo) | ||
| "Bang The Bus" | 2024 | Personification |
| "Talkin In Screw" (featuring That Mexican OT) | ||
| "Cracc Era" (featuring Tyler, the Creator) |
As featured artist
edit| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Flexin" (J $tash featuring Maxo Kream)[23] |
2014 | non-album single |
| "Fetti" (Playboi Carti featuring Da$H and Maxo Kream)[24] |
2015 | |
| "Super" (Yarbro the Dragon featuring Maxo Kream and Alief Biggie)[25] |
2016 |
Guest appearances
edit| Title | Year | Artist(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Flex Hard" (Remix) | 2014 | YF, Katie Got Bandz | I Am YF |
| "Mary and Molly" | 2015 | Dice SoHo | Icey Life |
| "7 Day Theory" | Dash | SkrewFace | |
| "16 Speakers" | Chuck Inglish, Caleb James, Fat Tony | Everybody's Big Brother | |
| "She Fuckin'" | Les | Steak x Shrimp 2 | |
| "Chopper" | 2016 | Fredo Santana, 808 Mafia | Fredo Mafia |
| "Pull Up" | 2017 | Trae tha Truth | Tha Truth, Pt. 3 |
| "Hole in My Heart" | AD | Blue 89 C2 | |
| "Pictures" | Suicideboys | Kill Yourself Part XV: The Coast of Ashes Saga | |
| "Moral" | 2018 | IDK | IDK & Friends :) |
| "Oh Wow...Swerve" | 2019 | Dreamville | Revenge of the Dreamers III |
| "Brazy Crazy" | Sauce Walka | Sauce Ghetto Gospel 2 | |
| "Izayah" | Guapdad 4000, Denzel Curry, KEY! | Dior Deposits | |
| "I Was Trappin" | 2020 | Peso Peso | Salsa |
| "Bulletproof" | IDK, Denzel Curry | IDK & Friends 2 (Basketball County soundtrack) | |
| "What's The Move" | Wiz Khalifa, SNSTBLVD | The Saga of Wiz Khalifa (Deluxe) |
References
edit- ^ "Maxo Kream Announces Signing with RCA for .5 Million". May 3, 2019.
- ^ "Maxo Kream Profile". HotNewHipHop. September 11, 2017.
- ^ "Maxo Kream Releases 'Brandon Banks' Album Feat. Travis Scott, ScHoolboy Q & Megan Thee Stallion: Listen". Billboard.
- ^ Udensi, Derek (October 21, 2019). "Houston Rapper Maxo Kream's Fatigue Couldn't Dampen Excitement at Emo's".
- ^ Buford, Jayson (October 21, 2021). "Maxo Kream Confronted Pain and Grief to Make His New Album 'Weight of the World'". Rolling Stone.
- ^ "Hastings High School Alumni". Hastings High School. June 2, 2020. Archived from the original on August 8, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
- ^ Andrew Dansby (March 21, 2018). "Rapper Maxo Kream opens up on "Punken"". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
- ^ "Maxo Kream – Rigamortis (Official Video)". YouTube. December 19, 2011. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
- ^ "Watching the Morph: Houston Rapper Maxo Kream and His Beautiful, Terrifying, and Amazing Video". July 22, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
- ^ "The Break Presents: Maxo Kream – XXL". May 14, 2014.
- ^ Pearce, Sheldon (March 19, 2015). "Maxo Kream" Maxo 187". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
- ^ "Members of "Kream Clicc Gang" arrested in drug and money laundering sting". ABC13. October 27, 2016.
- ^ Walker, Angus (October 22, 2016). "Maxo Kream arrested for organized crime". Hotnewhiphop. Retrieved October 22, 2016.
- ^ Walker, Angus (October 23, 2016). "Maxo Kream Released From Jail A Day After "Organized Crime" Arrest". HotNewHipHop.com. Urbanlinx Media, Inc. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
- ^ "MAXO KREAM SAYS HE'LL 'NEVER FOLD' AS HE TURNS HIMSELF IN OVER RICO CASE". April 3, 2023. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
- ^ "Maxo Kream Announces Tour". Pitchfork. February 7, 2018. Archived from the original on August 9, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
- ^ "Maxo Kream Announces U.S. Tour". Pitchfork. June 12, 2019. Archived from the original on August 9, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
- ^ Bloom, Madison (June 17, 2019). "Maxo Kream Announces New Album Brandon Banks". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
- ^ "On 'Weight of the World,' Maxo Kream's world expands amid personal tragedy". NPR. October 23, 2021. Archived from the original on August 9, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
- ^ "Top 200 Albums: August 3, 2019". Billboard. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
- ^ Ihaza, Jeff (September 7, 2021). "Maxo Kream and Tyler, the Creator Trade Grown-Man Flexes on 'Big Persona'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
- ^ Lee, Christina (October 21, 2021). "On 'Weight of the World,' Maxo Kream's world expands amid personal tragedy". NPR. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "Flexin (feat. Maxo Kream) by J $tash on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ^ "Fetti – prod. ChrisFresh feat. Da$h & Maxo 808mafia".
- ^ "Super (feat. Maxo Kream & Alief Biggie) by Yarbro the Dragon on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved July 16, 2016.