This is the 4th full-length studio LP from Houston, Texas emcee & songwriter Maxo Kream. Breaking out in the beginning of 2018 off his debut album Punken following his first 4 mixtapes, this resulted in him signing to RCA Records for the sophomore effort Brandon Banks & of course Weight of the World that celebrated it’s 3-year anniversary last month. Some of the singles ahead of Personification however have become the best of his entire discography & I had to give it a shot.

The cloudy trap intro “Mo Murda” acknowledges that people start thinking you’re a part of the illuminati once you start making the amount of money that he does whereas “Fashitso” works in a flute from Cubeatz to talk about coming a long way from kickin’ doors down. “Cracc Era” featuring & produced by Tyler, The Creator turns the bass up telling everyone listening to let go of the drama & people talking shit prior to the sample-driven “Street Fraternity” explaining that you die for eternity once you join.

“Big Hoe Me” kinda has this atmospheric drill vibe instrumentally publicly admitting that he’s almost lost his life twice out in the streets until the fame while “Smokey” featuring BigXthaPlug links up over a Memphis-inspired trap beat from Hit-Boy making it clear they blasting you the next time you owe them. “Higher Than Ever” featuring Rob49 & Skilla Baby dabbles with Detroit trap boasting they real smooth, but then “Drizzy Draco 2” is a sequel to the Brandon Banks highlight.

Josh Kream joins Maxo on the moody trap joint “Walk by Faith” that Beat Butcha laced taking aim at TKO Group Holdings co-founder with individually self-booked runs as WWE Champion & ECW World Heavyweight Champion Vince McMahon while “Drop Top Impala” featuring Z-Ro sees them getting rich off vocals & touring globally. “Bibles & Rifles” is another standout from the Evilgiane instrumental to ask if he’d be forgiven or struck down for wishing death while “Talkin’ in Screw” featuring That Mexican OT remembers the late Screwed Up Click leader and chopped & screwed pioneer DJ Screw.

“Bang the Bus” reunites with Evilgiane again except they experiment with sample drill painting images of the gangsta lifestyle that he’s lived through for nearly 3 minutes & finally, the closing track “Triggaman” featuring Denzel Curry properly rounds out Maxo’s first offering in 3 years & the first in his discography since leaving RCA with both southern MCs over a trap beat ringing off an eerie atmosphere talking about letting the sticks off.

Upping the ante by imbuing it with a heady concept organized around the various ways he has presented himself on wax, Personification is pretty much Maxo diving into all of the themes presented by these different characters. Trigga Maxo, Punken & Emekwanem all get a chance to show what parts of him they represent whether it be the first being hardened by the streets & inspired by the swampy Southern goodness of Houston’s rap tradition, the other becoming more fond of nostalgia & simpler times or the final one discussing his responsibilities as a man & father.

Score: 4/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!