10 Things You Didn’t Know about Maxo Kream
Maxo Kream never dreamed about being a hip-hop musician. He grew up exposed to street life, and with his father and elder brother in and out of jail, he had no man in his family to keep him in line. He sold drugs to survive, and now those difficult experiences he had when he was younger, inspire his music. Despite the PTSD he suffers from due to the childhood challenges, the rapper still enjoys life by playing basketball, shopping, and watching National Geographic. There is a lot to know about Kream, and these facts will let you in on his personal and professional life.
1. His Father Was Against Him Rapping
Like most parents, Kream’s father wanted him to focus on his studies because he did not think a music career would be successful. The rapper does not blame his father for pushing him to go to school because it is the Nigerian culture. He tried living up to his father’s expectations by going to college but dropped out during his sophomore year. However, Kream utilized the effort he would have used to get an education to study music, and he has no regrets for not graduating from college.
2. He Spends a Lot of Money on Clothes
Kream told abcdrduson that having a million dollars means nothing because he can go to galleries and spend it all within five hours. The rapper added that money in the bank is much better than having it in your hands because it is tempting to spend. Kream also disclosed that he has a soft spot for fashionable clothes, and Balenciaga, a renowned fashion company, was a temptation in Paris.
3. His Little Brother Used to Steal His Weed
Joshua Biosah, also known professionally as KCG Josh, is Kream’s younger brother. Although Kream tried his best to do what he could to ensure his brother never got involved in the street vices, Josh still got lured into selling drugs. Kream earned a living by selling drugs, and sometimes he would wonder why he had not made any money; little did he know that Josh was stealing his weed. Upon the discovery, Kream had to hide the weed in the bedsprings where his brother would never think to look for it.
4. He Stopped Seeing His Father As a Dominant Figure When He was a Teenager
In an interview with Passion of the Weiss, Kream said that his physique has not changed since he was thirteen. Before his father went to jail, the rapper was scared of the booming voice and would do whatever was asked of him. However, once he was huge, he stopped fearing his father’s dominance. His father going to jail had already changed the relationship dynamics, and instead of viewing him as a parent, Kream began taking him for a partner and a friend.
5. He Was Arrested on Money Laundering and Drug-Related Charges
In October 2016, Kream was arrested for organized crime, money laundering, and marijuana charges. The authorities said he was part of the Kream Clicc Gang. After the arrest for two counts of organized crime, he was taken to Richmond’s Fort Bend County Jail. His bail was set to $200,000 ̶ $100,000 for each count, and he was released a day after the arrest. He took to social media to tell fans that he was wrongly accused because all he was guilty of was organizing music for his album.
6. Travis Scott Pushed Kream to Start Rapping
They say your friends will either be the wind beneath your wings or the holes in your boat that eventually have you sinking. In the case of Kream, having one friend like Travis Scott was all it took to get him to believe in himself as a musician. He told Columbia Chronicle that they used to be friends with Scott, who often told Kream to start rapping. However, Kream never paid attention until he was released from prison.
7. His Advice for Upcoming Artists
Self-esteem is the first step towards success. Therefore, Kream said that even if others believe in you, if you have no faith in yourself, you will not begin the journey towards success. The rapper advised upcoming musicians to prove their abilities and added that working hard is paramount because success cannot be achieved overnight. Like the Christians read from their holy book, Kream quoted a verse that if you do not work, you should not eat. He encourages artists to put in as much effort as they would if they were in college.
8. How He Got His Stage Name
Emekanem Ogugua Biosah, Kream’s real name, can be a mouthful as it was for one of his childhood friends. Therefore, instead of the proper pronunciation, the friend spoke some gibberish, which became the rapper’s stage name. The friend was a high school classmate, and since Kream began rapping while in high school, the name came in handy when releasing his mixtape in 2012.
9. He Experiences Writer’s Block
He gets hit by writer’s block sometimes. It is a common occurrence for any writer, and getting through it can be challenging when you don’t know how to start writing. However, one proven method that works is writing through the block, even if you write gibberish. The rapper uses this method to overcome his writer’s block and says that when in the studio, all he has to do is think about life and start writing about real situations.
10. The Streets Influence Him Musically
While other musicians influenced other rappers, Kream did not look up to any famous singers. Instead, he said the being in the streets inspired him. His cousin Lyndon got him to the studio in 2011, and Kream, who had never thought about rapping, was drawn to music. He still has his favorite rappers ̶ Future and Nas.