Video: Maxo Kream – “5200”

Fresh Off His Headlining and Fast-Selling Tour, the Critically Adored Rapper Brings a Punken Highlight to Life

4.30.2018

Critical Praise for Maxo Kream:

“Over the last couple years, Maxo Kream has established himself as one of Houston’s most exciting young rappers by way of being one of Houston’s least traditionally minded artists.” – Noisey

“A sinister and visceral portrait of Houston street life.” – Pitchfork

The Video:

A refined technician with excellent taste in beats, Maxo Kream is redefining the parameters of Texas rap. Taking us on a tour of Houston from the neon-lit downtown to his modest home neighborhood, Maxo boasts about the art of the hustle on “5200.” Earning and counting cash wherever he goes, Maxo makes his way from the club to the chop shop and to the BBQ in the new video, showing off all sides of his considerable hustle. “My first job was in the kitchen, I was washin’ dishes,” rhymes Maxo. “Robbin’ n*ggas, juugin’ bitches, I made it out the trenches/Nowadays I work my work, you should really thank me/Used to take your work and smirk, I was hella janky.” With an ethereal instrumental and some of Maxo’s most inventive flows, “5200” is the closing track from Punken, Maxo’s acclaimed debut studio album.

Titled after one of Maxo Kream’s childhood nicknames, Punken takes a deep and revealing look into the rapper’s past, with Maxo mastering his storytelling ability and hypnotic flows atop forward-thinking production. Featuring appearances from Trippie Redd, 03 Greedo, and D. Flowers, and with production from The Wlderness, Beatboy, Sonny Digital, Ethereal, Honorable C Note, $uicideboy$, Tommy Kruise, Wolfe De Mchls, Teddy Walton, and MexikoDro, Punken builds upon 2015’s Maxo 187 and 2016’s The Persona Tape with emotionally and sonically diverse tracks sitting side-by-side with insane drug-dealing bangers. In their glowing review of the album Pitchfork praised the album as “full of unsparing storytelling, pusher anthems, and a dynamic array of trap production over which Maxo delivers some of his most effective writing.” Maxo recently finished the nationwide Punken Tour, closing out the successful run with a Texas homecoming in El Paso.

Watch “5200”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCI6GmGZtg8

Listen to Punken:

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/punken/1327576441
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/maxo-kream/sets/punken
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1DQGBofK4pgOylFMRRy7dB

Please contact Michelle or Dharmic if interested in talking with Maxo Kream.

Maxo Kream Background:

Upon meeting him, gangsta rapper isn’t the impression that most would get from buzzing Houston emcee, Maxo Kream, age 27. He has a surprisingly goofy and playful demeanor, often cracking self-aware jokes and displaying a smile which showcases either his gold grin or his trademark gap in the upper row of this teeth. But, make no mistake, Maxo’s backstory is a tale consisting of crime and death that would catch the attention of the most jaded followers of gangsta/trap rap.

Inspired by his college trip to SXSW and the fact that other street cliques throughout Houston such as FDAB (founded by late rapper T.O.Y, a childhood friend and Crip associate of Maxo) and MashMode (which has now resulted in the buzzing careers of Houston rap duo, The Sauce Twinz) were transitioning into music as a form of expression, Maxo and his younger cousin Lyndon (rap moniker Lyndo C), jumped into music. Maxo Kream’s sophomore project, #Maxo187 garnered attention with its unrelenting lyricism and exceptional production. With big name features and unmatched confidence, Maxo intends to show that he can compete with any emcee in the game.