In an industry where hype tends to outlive originality, Maxo Kream’s sense of style allows him to remain authentic. “I went straight from tall tee’s and dickies to Evisu skinny jeans and shit like that,” he says laughingly. At the tail-end of Rolling Loud weekend, the Houston rapper was laced in a Moncler puffer coat, Supreme sneakers, and custom Vanquish & Fragment denim jeans, an on-brand reflection of his commitment to streetwear.

During the pandemic, Maxo spent time juggling fatherhood, getting his clothing line off the ground, and his brother’s untimely death. And yet, the 31-year-old rapper remains unmoved by what’s happening around him, not having time to process change and thoroughly unpack the emotional strain that comes with confronting loss.

His words depict unspoken truths, exposing those inner demons masked by Maxo’s deadpan delivery. Through music, he has a pre-established sense of familiarity with listeners. Although, with fashion, the opportunities remain limitless, mirroring the element of mystique that lies in not knowing who Maxo Kream really is.

Weight of the World, Maxo’s latest full-length album, is his most personal project to date. There’s so much more to be said about the Roc Nation signee other than the rhymes he writes or his seemingly imposing appearance. His diamond-encrusted grill and custom pendants are small victories in comparison to his winning mentality. And though he’s had one hell of a year musically, Maxo is still learning how to adjust along the way: “I don’t ever get comfortable.” 

Can you describe what goes into a Maxo Kream performance?

Shit, you gotta come see it. That ain’t something I can say. You gotta tune into the music. The word is enough for the wise. If you hear the music, you see the persona. And if you don’t get it, that’s on you.

Talk to me about the Persona lifestyle, what exactly does it mean to you? 

Persona means whatever you are, what’s your personification. I am the persona. I’m 100% Maxo and I’m doing it big. Big Persona shit, r.i.p Money Du. 

Weight of the World covers a mixture of emotion and experience-based trauma. Have you mastered your flow at this stage in your career or are you currently experimenting with new sounds? 

I’ve mastered what I do but I always feel like shit could be sharper. It could get better. I don’t ever get comfortable. This shit ain’t ever over. I’m always experimenting and trying to push myself. 

While on the subject of being pushed, has pain influenced your overall maturation as an artist to any capacity? 

Me opening up about my stories made me more vulnerable. Pain, I feel like I’m numb to that shit. To be honest, Ion feel shit but the adderall. Once the adderall kick in, after I finish a song and a day later I listen to it, I be like damn, that’s how I was feeling.

What’s changed the most for you since the pandemic hit? 

I lost my brother during the pandemic, but it’s been a bandemic, too. Shit, my clothing line launched during the pandemic. Before the pandemic, I sold merch or whatever. Now, I got an actual company. We still growing, we doing big numbers, but it’s bigger numbers we can do – r.i.p Virgil. See, now we can talk. All that rap shit be cliche but I love this shit: high-end streetwear, fashion shit. I grew up off of Evisu, Red Monkey, Supreme, 10.Deep, all that shit. I ain’t never do the Ed Hardy wave. I went straight from tall tee’s and dickies to Evisu skinny jeans and shit like that. 

Can we expect more fashion contributions from you going forward? 

Hell yeah. I been doing it, but now I’m more out wit it.