I’ve said this many times before, but hip hop is such an interesting genre for a multitude of reasons. One of the most interesting things about the genre is the distinct sounds and musical styles that come from different cities. You’ve got Chicago drill, Los Angeles west coast bounce, Bay Area hyphy, New York boom-bap, Atlanta trap, Houston trill, and many more different styles. Today’s post will focus on one of the brightest young rap stars in Houston, Maxo Kream. 

Rise in popularity  

Maxo Kream first jumped into the mainstream light in 2015 even though he’s been rapping since he was in high school. His first mixtape that garnered him more attention was #Maxo187. The tape was featured in numerous high-profile publications including XXL and more. That tape featured popular rappers Joey Bada$$, Fredo Santana, and more. The sound on the tape was very Houston-influenced, with deep basslines, chopped-and-screwed vocals, and violent street tales. 

Following #Maxo187, Kream released 2016’s Persona Tape and then his 2018 debut album Punken. The 2018 project was met with positive reviews for its high level storytelling and versatility. On the project, we saw Maxo continue to improve his rapping ability while continuing to try new sounds and beats to the delight of many fans.       

Why you should give him a chance 

If you are a fan of lyrical rap that tells great stories while also flowing over beats of all types, you’ll most likely enjoy Maxo Kream’s music. He takes all of those things into his craft along with constant evolution and incorporation of new elements. Kream also has nods to the city he came from, citing his city as a big influence on his musical style. He can also craft great hooks that are super catchy while also not being too repetitive or one dimensional. His voice is quite catchy and distinct compared to a lot of the rappers that sound similar to each other.

I can honestly say that Maxo Kream is up there near the top of the ranks of my favorite new artists. I love the way that he can tell such a compelling story while also making each song sound different from the last.  

Notable songs

When you have an artist as good as Maxo it can be difficult to choose his most notable songs. But without further adieu, here are the most notable songs from Maxo Kream’s discography thus far.    

“Astrodome” – Maxo Kream 

This track was one of the first of Maxo’s that I ever listened to. What draws me to this track is the chopped n screwed vocals, they just fit so perfectly. The feature from Sauce Twinz is so Houston and fits perfectly as well. This is a great track from the #Maxo187 project for sure. 

“Big Worm” – Maxo Kream

Remember earlier how I mentioned those unorthodox beats that Maxo somehow sounds great over? Yeah, this is definitely one of those tracks. “Big Worm” is an essential track for any Maxo fan-to-be. His flow is impeccable and that beat though. Damn man, this is a dope track.

“Spike Lee” ft. Playboi Carti & Rich The Kid – Maxo Kream 

This song right here is one of Maxo’s most popular, and for good reason. It features a young Playboi Carti and an amazingly catchy hook. The verses from everyone are great and the beat is a work of art. This should be an instant add to your playlist if you enjoy what you’ve heard from Kream thus far. 

Punken – Maxo Kream

I’ll admit, I’m kind of cheating this section by including this link. But the whole Punken album is simply too good to not listen to. It is the best version of Maxo Kream that we’ve heard so far and it would be a shame if you didn’t experience that. It was one of the better hip hop releases of a strong 2018 and I would really recommend it. But if you don’t want to listen to the whole thing, my favorite tracks from the project are “Grannies”, “Beyonce (Interlude)”, “Love Drugs”, and “Roaches”. 

What’s next? 

2019 has been a pretty good year for Maxo Kream thus far, seeing as he’s released a few singles during the buildup to his latest album Brandon Banks. The singles that he’s released thus far this year include the excellent “Meet Again”, the hard-hitting “Still”, and “She Live” ft. Megan Thee Stallion. Brandon Banks is set to release on July 19th and I absolutely cannot wait. Check it out on your selected streaming service if you like what you’ve heard from Maxo! 

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