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Maxo Kream
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Key Information
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 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
[edit]Maxo Kream grew up in Southwest Houston, and attended Kempner 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
[edit]Studio 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
[edit]As 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) | |
| "Goons" | 2025 | Hanumankind | Monsoon Season |
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 $tash on Apple Music". iTunes. Archived from the original on September 24, 2016. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ^ "Fetti – prod. ChrisFresh feat. Da$h & Maxo 808mafia".
- ^ "Super (feat. Maxo Kream & Alief Biggie) by Yarbro the Dragon on Apple Music". iTunes. Archived from the original on September 24, 2016. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
External links
[edit]Maxo Kream
View on GrokipediaEarly life
Family background and Nigerian heritage
Maxo Kream, born Emekwanem Ogugua Biosah Jr. on March 29, 1990, in Houston, Texas, is the son of a Nigerian immigrant father and an African-American mother.[10][11] His father's immigration from Nigeria established the family's Nigerian heritage, with the surname Biosah directly tracing to paternal roots in the country.[3][12] This background positioned Maxo Kream as a first-generation Nigerian-American, blending West African cultural traditions with American urban life.[13] Nigerian familial influences were prominent in his upbringing, particularly the cultural priority on education and discipline, which his father enforced rigorously.[14] In interviews, Maxo Kream has described how his parents, adhering to Nigerian values, emphasized academic achievement over other pursuits, reflecting broader patterns in immigrant households from Nigeria where parental expectations often prioritize professional stability.[15][16] Despite these pressures, his heritage informed a dual identity—navigating Nigerian-rooted expectations alongside the realities of growing up in Houston's diverse, working-class environment.[17] No public details specify the father's exact Nigerian ethnic group or migration date beyond the general immigrant context of the late 20th century.[18]Upbringing in Houston and early criminal involvement
Maxo Kream, born Emekwanem Ogugua Biosah Jr. in Houston, Texas, in 1990, grew up amid the city's pervasive street culture and economic challenges, which shaped his formative experiences.[11] His household was marked by instability, as his Nigerian immigrant father served multiple prison terms for fraud under the alias "Brandon Banks," often absent during Kream's childhood and leaving him exposed to local influences that normalized illicit activities.[19][20] Influenced by familial patterns and his surroundings, Kream entered criminal life early, partnering with his older brother in drug peddling and robberies as initial ventures into Houston's underground economy.[11] This progression mirrored broader dynamics in his neighborhood, where he later described gang affiliation as a common rite akin to suburban youth joining clubs or sports, driven by proximity to violence and limited alternatives rather than inherent predisposition.[21] By his mid-20s, Kream's activities escalated through ties to the Kream Clicc, a Houston-based group linked to drug distribution and money laundering. In October 2016, he and seven associates were arrested on two counts of organized criminal activity, including charges of delivering marijuana and financial schemes, stemming from a multi-agency sting operation.[22][23] Though facing potential RICO implications, Kream successfully defended against the organized crime charges in subsequent proceedings.[24]Musical career
Independent mixtape phase (2012–2017)
Maxo Kream initiated his recording career in 2012 with the self-released mixtape Retro Card, distributed digitally via platforms such as Spinrilla, marking his entry into Houston's underground rap scene with tracks emphasizing street life and personal bravado.[25][26] The project, comprising 13 tracks produced by local beatsmiths, garnered initial local traction among fans of Southern trap but remained confined to niche online and regional audiences without broader promotional backing.[27] In 2013, he followed with Quicc Strikes, another independent release that expanded on themes of aggression and survival, self-distributed to build momentum in Texas's competitive hip-hop circuit.[28] This mixtape, featuring raw production and unpolished flows, helped solidify his reputation for vivid, unfiltered narratives drawn from Northside Houston experiences, though it still lacked mainstream exposure or label investment.[29] By this point, Kream was performing at small venues and freestyle battles, cultivating a grassroots following through word-of-mouth in the city's rap community.[30] The 2015 mixtape #Maxo 187, released via the nascent TSO Music Group—a small Houston-based imprint—represented a step up in production quality and thematic depth, with Kream detailing incarceration and family dynamics in tracks like the title cut, which referenced his legal troubles.[30][31] Earning praise from regional outlets for its authenticity, the project, distributed on DatPiff and similar sites, boosted his visibility beyond local circles, attracting attention from bloggers and early supporters in the trap subgenre.[27] Kream handled much of the promotion himself, leveraging social media and Houston radio play to amass thousands of streams without major distribution deals.[32] Closing the phase, The Persona Tape dropped in 2016 under TSO, showcasing refined storytelling and collaborations with emerging producers, further honing Kream's signature blend of menace and introspection that resonated in underground playlists.[29][27] Throughout 2012–2017, these releases—totaling over 50 tracks across four projects—positioned him as a persistent independent artist in a label-dominated industry, relying on self-funding and organic growth to navigate Houston's saturated market before signing with a major in 2018.[32][31]Major label breakthrough (2018–2021)
In 2018, Maxo Kream's independent debut studio album Punken, released on January 12 through TSO Music Group and his own Kream Clicc imprint, received positive critical reception for its raw storytelling drawn from his Houston upbringing and criminal past, setting the stage for wider industry interest.[33][34] This momentum culminated in a major label breakthrough in 2019, when he signed a $1.5 million recording deal with Big Persona/88 Classic/RCA Records in May, followed by a management agreement with Roc Nation.[35][36] Brandon Banks, his RCA debut album released on July 19, 2019, chronicled the life of his father's criminal alias through 15 tracks, including guest appearances from Travis Scott on "Meet Again," ScHoolboy Q on "Magic Don Juan," and Megan Thee Stallion on "She Live," with production from Mike Dean and others; it entered the Billboard 200 chart, marking his first commercial charting success.[36][37] On October 18, 2021, Maxo Kream issued Weight of the World via RCA, a 16-track project reflecting on personal tragedies such as the deaths of his brother and grandmother, alongside themes of fatherhood and maturity, produced in collaboration with beatsmithes like Jay Versace and featuring appearances from artists including Tyler, the Creator on "Big Persona."[38][39][40]Recent developments and releases (2022–present)
In July 2022, Maxo Kream released the deluxe edition of his 2021 album Weight of the World, adding several new tracks including "BIG PERSONA" featuring Tyler, the Creator, "CEE CEE" featuring Monaleo, and "STREETS ALONE" featuring A$AP Rocky.[41] The expanded version built on the original's themes of personal struggle and family legacy, incorporating collaborations that highlighted his growing network in hip-hop.[42] Following a period of relative quiet in major releases, Maxo Kream issued his fourth studio album, Personification, on November 15, 2024, through Persona Money Gang and Stomp Down Records.[43] The project, described as an eras-spanning exploration of his various personas, featured singles such as "Higher Than Ever" with Rob49 and Skilla Baby, and "Big B's," emphasizing narrative depth rooted in his Houston experiences.[44] Production credits included contributions that maintained his signature blend of gritty beats and introspective lyricism. Into 2025, Maxo Kream continued releasing singles, including "Triggaman" featuring Denzel Curry and "Smokey" with BigXthaPlug and Hit-Boy, both slated for early-year drops.[45] He also shared snippets of unreleased material produced by Tyler, the Creator, signaling potential future collaborations.[46] Outside music, Kream faced personal incidents, such as an arrest on June 30, 2025, in Harris County for an expired license plate, which he publicly denied involved evading police.[47] Additionally, footage emerged in March 2025 of a physical altercation with fellow artist D Flowers in a parking lot.[48] These events underscored ongoing challenges in his public life amid continued artistic output.Discography
Studio albums
Maxo Kream's debut studio album, Punken, was released on January 12, 2018, through TSO Music Group.[33][34] The 13-track project highlighted his storytelling approach, drawing from Houston street life and family dynamics, with production from contributors like MexikoDro.[49] His second studio album and major-label debut, Brandon Banks, arrived on July 19, 2019, via Big Persona, 88 Classic, and RCA Records.[50][36] Featuring guest appearances from Travis Scott, Schoolboy Q, and Megan Thee Stallion, the album expanded on themes of criminal pasts and redemption through narrative tracks like the title song.[36] Weight of the World, his third studio album, was issued on October 18, 2021, by RCA Records.[51][52] The record incorporated introspective elements influenced by personal loss, including the death of his father, with beats emphasizing trap instrumentation and melodic hooks.[38] Personification, released on November 15, 2024, marks his fourth studio album, distributed via Stomp Down and Persona Money Gang.[53][54] Structured around evolving personas in his career, it features collaborations with artists like Rob49 and Z-Ro, blending conscious rap with trap production.[55]Mixtapes and EPs
Maxo Kream's early career featured a series of self-released mixtapes that showcased his raw trap sound and street narratives, released independently before signing with a major label. These projects, distributed via platforms like DatPiff and SoundCloud, built his local following in Houston.[9][56]| Title | Release date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| Retro Card | 2012 | Self-released [25][57] |
| Quicc Strikes | September 30, 2013 | Self-released [58][59] |
| #Maxo 187 | 2015 | TSO Records [56] |
| The Persona Tape | June 28, 2016 | Kream Clicc/TSO[60][61][62] |
