Maxo Kream has had a history of representing his Nigerian roots. Throughout his music career, he powerfully tells the story of his life growing up in Texas and being the child of immigrants. He continues to disclose his struggles throughout his life and how being a child of immigrants has affected him.
During the Tiny Desk performance, Maxo Kream goes into heavy detail about what he endured during his youth. In his song ‘Roaches’, he spoke about his housing experiences while living in Texas and how the improper housing affected him as an adult and brings him back to his humble beginnings.
Maxo Kream didn’t have an easy life. He’s suffered the loss of multiple close family members, poverty, gang violence, and much more that he may have not disclosed just yet.
In the song, he states, “First time I shot the gun, the neighbors called the peoples I was watchin’ 12 search for shells like Easter. That’s around the time they shot my daddy for the Rollie.”
He tells a detailed account of the traumas he’s experienced from the death of his brother and father. Having suffered major losses like these continue to aid in his urge to tell stories through his music.
He eloquently told the story of the process of coming out of that environment and looking back at how far he’s come since then. He addresses how his experiences have differed from the experiences of Black Americans without immigrant parents.
In his song, ‘Mama’s Purse’ he discloses the moments he spent with his mother struggling to assimilate into American culture after immigrating to the U.S. It lets the audience hear the perspective about the hardships of coming to America that isn’t broadcasted as often.
Maxo Kream is one of many artists who shamelessly pour their experiences out in their music and exposes the audience to a different demographic in hip-hop. Because most American hip-hop artists don’t have family members to connect back to Africa, artists like Maxo Kream need to serve as a voice for those people who have experienced the same hardships.
Below I have linked the music video, Mama’s Purse.