Hip-Hop Listening Club of the Week #250: Maxo Kream - The Persona Tape - HipHop | HipHop Channel

Pages

Hip-Hop Listening Club of the Week #250: Maxo Kream - The Persona Tape - HipHop

Hip-Hop Listening Club of the Week #250: Maxo Kream - The Persona Tape - HipHop

Hip-Hop Listening Club of the Week #250: Maxo Kream - The Persona Tape

Posted: 11 May 2018 06:22 AM PDT

Welcome to HHH Listening Club!

Today we'll be listening to The Persona Tape by Maxo Kream

This album was selected by /u/yung_hokage_stef

Background provided by /u/yung_hokage_stef

Within the past few years, trap music has become synonymous with shallow cliché lyrics, overused flows, a general lack of rapping ability, and dime a dozen beats riddled with 808's and hi-hats. On top of this, trap as a whole is viewed as inferior compared to the rest of hip-hop, a brand of music equivalent to a fast-food meal that can never truly reach the heights that the genre's other sounds have to offer. Now, we all know that isn't actually true, but in my opinion no other rappers dispels this myth as well as Maxo Kream. Within a short span of 6 years, Maxo has delivered several examples of how a trap project can stand on its own as a great piece of music given the right ingredients. Pairing his unique and versatile flows with grimey hard-hitting lyrics and a surprising knack for storytelling, plus an array of unconventional beats that stray from the usual sound trap is associated with, he has also established himself as one of hip-hop's most talented and interesting newcomers. The Persona Tape is the follow-up to Maxo's 2015 mixtape Maxo187, largely considered to be his magnum opus, and while the argument that it's his best is easily made, I believe this project is just as good.

From the opening track, "Choppas", The Persona Tape's gritty tone is set almost immediately with filtered drums that sound like something out of a Call of Duty trailer. With the bars

Still see the same niggas that I shot

Still see a couple plugs that I robbed (Scary nigga)

Have a nigga see my face get shot

The other half see my face and start to run

you get a good understanding of who Maxo is as a person, a hardened Crip member who is willing to deal with both the highs and the lows of the trap lifestyle as long as it gets him paid. This song is both an excellent introduction to Maxo's style as well as the tape itself, especially because it is very cinematic. This is a testament to Maxo's commitment to making a project that actually feels like a project, with a beginning, end, and proper pacing, another one of The Persona Tape's strengths.

From then on you're supplied with several tracks consisting of both excellent rapping and production. Maxo tackles every instrumental here with ease, maintaining sharp catchy flows that he can switch on the drop of a dime (a great example of this is in "Karo"). He has the ability to sound comfortable on any beat thrown at him, whilst also managing to craft some impressive narratives with his aforementioned story telling. This is put on its best display with the track "Hit Mane", a personal highlight where Maxo describes his daily routine working as a hitman for hire. He keeps you invested until the twist ending comes to a close and creates some striking imagery along the way with lines like

Pro drilling like a killing, don't negotiate my prices

Blood spilling like Al-Qaeda, walking crisis, one man ISIS

The last thing I'll note about this tape is how diverse its production is. Each beat on this tape has a sound that makes it stand out within the trap soundscape but also maintains what makes trap beats so alluring in the first place. They take inspiration from all types of hip-hop to give the project a very flavourful feel. "Karo" consists of a funky bassline peppered with Memphis-esque drums, whereas "Big Worm" samples Wiley's grime classic "The Morgue" to the tune of the hardest snare drums I've heard in a minute, and "G3" sounds like something out of a JRPG.

In conclusion, this mixtape is a breath of fresh air in a subgenre that many view to be stagnating. It is both an attempt at pushing the trap sound further while also harkening back to its early days (the ode to H-Town with Paul Wall on "Smash" is a nice throwback) resulting in one of the best projects of 2016. Even though many trap artists may find their footing by way of a hit single, The Persona Tape shows that putting in the time and effort to create something special really pays off.

Album: The Persona Tape

Label: Kream Clicc/TSO Music Group

Producer(s): Wlderness, Ryan ESL, Pe$o Piddy, Tommy Kruise, Chuck Inglish, Wolfe de mchis, Slug Christ

Representing: Houston, Texas

Streaming Sources:

YouTube

Soundcloud (missing the track "Talkin' Shit" for some reason)

Spotify Apple Music/iTunes

Google Music

Guidelines:

  • This is an open thread to share your thoughts on the album. Avoid vague statements of praise or criticism. This is your chance to be a critic.

  • Please keep any top level comments to 140+ characters. Why do you like this album? What are the best tracks? Did it meet your expectations? Have you listened to this tape before? What is your first impression? Explain why you like it or why you don't.

  • Remember, people who participate in the discussion in a meaningful way are entered into a drawing to select next week's album (if I don't forget to ask in time lol)

LIST OF PREVIOUS LISTENING CLUBS

submitted by /u/Sputchit
[link] [comments]

New Music Friday: May 11th, 2018

Posted: 11 May 2018 08:44 AM PDT

Albums

Playboi Carti - Die Lit

Tee Grizzley - Activated

Ski Mask The Slump God - Beware The Book of Eli

Ty Dolla $ign - Beach House 3 (Deluxe Edition) and Beach House - 7

Junglepussy - JP3

AUGUST 08 - Father

Bladee - Red Light

Singles

John Mayer - New Light (prod. by No ID)

Rita Ora - Girls (feat. Cardi B, Bebe Rexha & Charli XCX)

Ben Khan - do it right

Elujay - Starchild

The Cool Kids - Ripple

The Internet - Roll (Burbank Funk) [KAYTRANADA REMIX]

Buddy - Trouble On Central

Skepta - Pure Water

submitted by /u/TheRoyalGodfrey
[link] [comments]

Ameer Vann (BROCKHAMPTON) accused of having sex with underage girls, making forceful advances on women, and more.

Posted: 11 May 2018 06:01 PM PDT

Link to the accusation: https://twitter.com/GIGlNOTHADID/status/995010948338368512

Link to a story behind the accusations: https://twitter.com/GIGlNOTHADID/status/995018021394464768

Tweets from his ex-girlfriend: https://imgur.com/a/vxCHRjk

UPDATE [12:42 EST] I reached out to Taylor (Ameer's ex), and she had this to say about the situation: https://imgur.com/a/5qlECxK

NOTE: As the old saying goes, "innocent until proven guilty." No concrete proof has been released yet, but I do think this is worth keeping an eye on. If any additional information arises, I'll be sure to add it.

submitted by /u/aidenedwards
[link] [comments]

At Rolling Loud, Young Dolph brought out the baristas who were fired for playing his song and gave them each $20,000

Posted: 11 May 2018 06:04 PM PDT

Lil Peep x Clams Casino coming May 13th

Posted: 11 May 2018 10:24 AM PDT

[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] Playboi Carti - Die Lit

Posted: 11 May 2018 07:14 PM PDT

almost been 24 hours. what are your guys thoughts on Die Lit so far?

submitted by /u/Blu_Jays
[link] [comments]

Chief Keef - Love Sosa

Posted: 11 May 2018 10:50 AM PDT

Lil Uzi Vert leaps from 50 feet onto Rolling Loud crowd for the second straight year

Posted: 11 May 2018 08:08 PM PDT

Childish Gambino- Freaks and Geeks

Posted: 11 May 2018 08:45 AM PDT

Nav dropping his next album "Reckless" 18th May

Posted: 11 May 2018 08:59 PM PDT

Rapper Kamaiyah Arrested For Refusing to Take Off Headgear at Airport

Posted: 11 May 2018 09:16 AM PDT

Apple Music and Pandora No Longer Promoting R. Kelly

Posted: 11 May 2018 12:01 PM PDT

Kevin Gates thanks Meek Mill for speaking about his situation, explains frustration with parole

Posted: 11 May 2018 11:27 AM PDT

Kevin Gates took to Instagram to thank Meek Mill for mentioning his recent parole struggles on The Breakfast Club

Gates then goes on to explain what got him locked up, explains that he's innocent but didn't want to snitch, and that he's not upset with the charges but is upset that his parole has been "punitive" rather than rehabilitative in nature

Gates really sounds committed to making steps forward and it was really nice to hear from him

https://www.instagram.com/p/Biom2VIlNLM/

submitted by /u/MoneyConvo
[link] [comments]

MF Doom ft. Count Bass D- Potholderz

Posted: 11 May 2018 04:31 PM PDT

[Fresh] Royce Da 5'9 Ft. Schoolboy Q - Cutthroat

Posted: 11 May 2018 08:45 PM PDT

[FRESH] Royce Da 5’9 ft. SchoolBoy Q - untitled (Spotify leak?)

Posted: 11 May 2018 08:05 AM PDT

Pitchfork's 'Beware the Book of Eli' review | 7.9

Posted: 11 May 2018 10:09 PM PDT

Daily Discussion Thread 05/11/2018

Posted: 11 May 2018 10:52 AM PDT

Welcome to the /r/hiphopheads daily discussion thread!

This thread is for:

  • objective questions with right/wrong answers (e.g. "Does anyone know what is happening with MIXTAPE?", "What is the sample in SONG?")
  • general hip-hop discussion
  • meta posts...e.g. ideas for the sub

Thread Guidelines

  • Do not create a separate self post for these types of discussions outside of this thread - if you do, your post will be removed, as stated in the guidelines.

  • Please be helpful and friendly.

  • If a question has been asked many times before, provide a link to a thread that contains the answer.

Weekly/Monthly Threads

Other ways to interact

There are a number of other ways to interact with other members of HHH:

New to /r/hiphopheads or hip-hop in general?

Check out these:

submitted by /u/AutoModerator
[link] [comments]

Baby ft. Clipse - What Happened To That Boy

Posted: 11 May 2018 02:20 PM PDT

Gunna - Oh Okay ft. Young Thug and Lil Baby

Posted: 11 May 2018 06:59 PM PDT

lil peep - we think too much (prod. nedarb)

Posted: 11 May 2018 02:21 PM PDT

[FRESH] Playboi Carti - Fell In Luv (feat. Bryson Tiller)

Posted: 11 May 2018 10:22 AM PDT

[FRESH ALBUM] NICKELUS F - STUCK

Posted: 11 May 2018 06:23 AM PDT

[First Impressions] Tee Grizzley - Activated

Posted: 11 May 2018 09:14 PM PDT

its been 24 hours lmk what yall think

submitted by /u/7alexbruno
[link] [comments]
at