Max B Is New York Rap's Best Hope | Defector

"The rapper, known on his tax form as Charles Wingate and known by his old Harlem associates as Charley Rambo, made his name in the rap game during an all-too-brief run in the 2000s, as one of the most colorful members of Jim Jones' Byrdgang, his solo offshoot from the Diplomats (although due to his growing up with rappers Cam and Mase, Max is like honorary Dipset)."

"But Max, who'd only just gotten out of prison when his career first took off in 2005, couldn't get out of the streets, particularly after he started beefing with Jones over money. In 2009, he was sentenced to 75 years in prison on conspiracy charges tied to robbery, kidnapping, assault, and murder. A plea bargain in 2016 eventually trimmed his sentence considerably, and he was released at the end of 2025."

Max B returned home from prison at the end of 2025 after a sentence reduction and has been active in New York since release. He built his reputation in the 2000s as a colorful Byrdgang member with sing-song vocals, street-oriented lyrics, unique lingo, and style that influenced many later artists. He faced a 2009 75-year sentence on conspiracy charges; a 2016 plea cut that sentence. Since release, he has issued Public Domain 7 and Coke Wave 3.5 with French Montana; the latter features "Ever Since U Left Me (I Went Deaf)," which samples KC & The Sunshine Band and became a minor national hit.

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