MAXO KREAM - Personification (Album)
Maxo Kream’s “Personification” seems like a spiritual successor to his last album “Weight of The World”, on which Maxo grapples with the death of his brother, Money Du. Maxo Kream continues to let out his grief through music on his newest project, contemplating the realities and consequences of gang life, and his belief in a higher power. The First track “Mo Murda” even opens up with ominous church organs; I imagined Maxo Kream inside a huge gothic church, staring up at stained glass windows saying “Fuck Karma Ima take it up with God/ Im not an angel or a saint If I cant get through Heaven Gates/ You can send me down to hell with the guys”. “Personification” takes a decidedly dark turn as Maxo Kream becomes more candid and honest with his violent thoughts, yet he remains one of the best storytellers in rap.
On “Street Fraternity”, Maxo threads together a tale about a young teenager becoming a Crip, and the negative conditions which led him to making that life altering decision. Maxo immediately follows up with a standout from the album, “Big Hoe Me”, where he tells the story of coming up on the streets under the guidance of his big homie atop of a wiry soul sample, whos drum pattern switches up three quarters of the way through, right when the story climaxes during a shootout. Maxo then reflects on the aftermath of the shooting, in which his big homie is pushed to tears; something a young Maxo is angered by. Maxo Kreams potent reflection on this illusion of leadership and faux masculinity from someone who was supposed to be his big homie, who got him involved in the street life, serves as a sort of Fable to show the true ugly face of gangster culture, which is often glamourized.
On “Walk By Faith”, which features his brother Josh Kream, Maxo struggles with the contradicting lifestyles of being religious while also being in the streets; “Baptized you were born a Chrisitan/ Till this street shit became your religion.” After questioning why God lets people in his life get murdered, Maxo admits that he's “Trying to keep my faith in God, right now I’m in denial”. Maxo follows this track up with the “Bibles and Rifles”, a laid back track with crunchy drill drums, where he juxtaposes his Christian beliefs and gangster lifestyle.
A few tracks like “Bang The Bus”, lyrically and thematically seem out of place, but the rule of cool applies here for this EvilGiane produced ear worm of a track. Using a Imogen Heap sample, Evilgiane creates a cloud rap beat which Maxo Kream absolutely floats on. Maxo Kream may be rapping about your run of the mill rap subjects (Money hoes guns etc), which make this track a departure from the albums subject matter as a whole, but his effortless and catchy flow matched with Evilgianes production put this track in another atmosphere. Other tracks departing from the dark theme of the album, like the Tyler, The Creator produced track “Cracc Era” and “Drizzy Draco 2” showcase a more energized Maxo and make for fun moments across the 44 minute experience.