For his second album, Hoover crip and ex-con Maxo Kream got really personal. It’s named after his father, and the album cover splits the two men’s faces like Two-Face from Batman.
The album is about family. Brothers, fathers, sons, gang brothers. Maxo tells of his own, and his father’s, criminal past, going through events with vivid imagery. Like getting out of prison and seeing his family again.
But none of this feels like an excuse. “How can you blame a nigga,” he says on “Change,” but in no way does he seem to say his life of crime was not his choice. He’s giving us context, not excuses.
This is an extraordinary album.
