Review Summary: Maxo Kream, the Houston, Texas-based MC delivers cold bars and catchy hooks on this psychedelic themed hip hop extravaganza.
I always tend to be drawn towards psychedelic things. I dig stuff like lava lamps and synthesizers, and I used to have a glow stick addiction when I was a kid and I’d always make my mom buy me glow sticks. When I first heard Punken, the debut studio album by Maxo Kream, I wasn’t too convinced it was my thing. Then, the second time I heard it I got it. There are a lot of qualities on this 2018 record that make Maxo stand out amongst the usual suspects.
The beats are definitely a strong point incorporating that trippy sound with aforementioned synths and 808 beats. Maxo Kream takes the listener on a journey back to the early oughts when he is a struggling preteen with crime all around him. On “Grannies” we learn about the day-to-day hardships of trapping while Maxo raps his ass off at lightning speed. Maxo reminisces about his older brother getting out of prison and how he is immediately pulled into a life of crime with him. “Capeesh” featuring Trippie Redd is a memorable highlight with a hilarious warning for any women who “use their teeth.” Trippie’s verse is undeniably catchy and fun. He is known for his mumbly melodic bars and he doesn’t disappoint when comparing his stacks of cash to thirty little people.
“Pop Another” is arguably the pinnacle of the album. It features a sampled hook from Tame Impala’s “Reality in Motion” which is pretty much a guarantee the song is gonna go hard. Despite its blatant glorification of recreational drug use, it is tricky to deny that it is a good party song.
One other song on the record that one can argue is the cream of the crop is indubitably “Roaches.” There is more vivid storytelling, taking the listener back to Maxo’s youth with references of Boost Mobile phones and Kobe and the Lakers taking down Iverson and the 76ers in the 2001 NBA Finals. Maxo also uses this time to address his disdain for wannabe thug rappers who don’t actually trap.
Overall, Punken, with its psychedelic themes and creative storytelling, might be one of the most overlooked hip hop albums of the 2010s. It is definitely worth a listen.
