For those unfamiliar, Max B (aka Charles Wingate) is an emcee from Harlem, New York City signed to Amalgam Digital, who rose to prominence through his affiliation with The Diplomats, particularly Cam'ron and Jim Jones. He was integral in the forming of Jones' ByrdGang collective, which was established in 2006. Unfortunately, Max is currently serving a 75-year prison sentence for kidnapping, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, aggravated assault and murder, stemming from a botched robbery that left a man dead that same year.
Although collaborators French Montana, Roc Marciano and Next have spoken on Max's behalf in the past, he's now opened up in an interview with Complex, conducted from the New Jersey State prison where he's imprisoned. He claims his current situation is a direct result of Jones' improper money management and the Byrdgang's general seniority system. He also maintains his innocence.
"Jim [Jones], all of them. They was just fuckin' it up. They was under this impression - I think they all adopted this from Cam'ron - they were all into this impression that the new guys must pay the dues," says Max. "Number one: I [write] all the fucking records... Number two: all the records we producing in the studio - these are fucking singles you puttin' out, radio spins! Where's my shit? Why when I go perform at a show, and you makin' excess amount of dollars, you makin' [$10-15,000] how the fuck is you givin' me $300? I'm doin' eight, nine fucking records! I'm out here sweatin' too! When you got drama and beef in different cities, and motherfuckers is throwing chairs on the stage - they throwin’ them shits at me too! I want money.' This is what all the beef started stemmin' from."
The Byrdgang recording schedule was another issue. "There was arguments, there was disrespect every night in the studio. To where, I didn't want to go in. Some nights he had to call me: 'Yo, come and work.' 'I don’t wanna go. I don’t like this shit no more.'"
Max spent the early part of 2007 in Bergen County Jail awaiting trial for the crimes he was eventually convicted of. "I got out on bail in 2007, summertime. My bail was like $1.5 million... no way I think I'm gettin' out. I'm thinking, 'Who’s gonna come get me?' But we found a way. My tangible songs, I was able to sell some publishing to those, for some money. When I got out of prison, my buzz got bigger, I became more recognized... And when I came home this time, it was the same thing with these guys in the studio. No recognition, like, 'Come on, give me my proper due. Where’s the etiquette here?'"
Finally, while out on bail, Max capitalized on his frustrations by publicly announcing a beef with Jim Jones. "This time I was so flared up and angry. I had got some songs on the radio, and then waited till them songs got in rotation with [Funkmaster] Flex, and let everybody get a little glimpse of me this time, I put out another mixtape. And then once I knew I had the buzz, I went in the studio, stole a few more records, my records, and I started something I knew the city, the rap game, was gonna eat up. I started a beef. I had to. It was me against the world."
That's all, folks. You can read the full interview here, and listen to a 2009 cut from Max and Montana below.
It's worthy of note that Max co-wrote Jones' "We Fly High (Ballin')", which remains his biggest hit to date.
