Maxo Kream – “Local Joker”Maxo Kream – “Local Joker”

The great Houston rapper released his truly impressive album Brandon Banks almost two years ago. Since then, Maxo hasn’t exactly been quiet. Just last week, for instance, Maxo teamed up with fellow Houston rapper OTB Fastlane on the track “Smoke.” But Maxo hasn’t exactly been hugely busy, either, so it’s cool to see him teasing a new album and coming out with a new solo single.

The new Maxo Kream song is called “Local Joker,” and he makes it clear on the hook that he is not what the title describes. Maxo is one of rap’s great storytellers right now, and he opens “Local Joker” with a narrative about a tense traffic stop. Then he gets into some serious tongue-twisting tough talk: “It get hectic in my section, so my Smith & Wesson dirty/ Keep an FN when I’m steppin’, just like Stephen it shoot 30.”

The production on “Local Joker,” from Dreamville-associated beatmakers Kal Banx and Mario Luciano, is lush and laid-back, and Maxo raps the song with conversational ease. It’s Maxo talking about a dangerous past with the confidence of someone who’s made it to the other side. The cover art says that the song comes from an upcoming album with a redacted title, so stay tuned on that. Listen to “Local Joker” below.