Max B is trending online after he was left out of a top New York rap ranking. The Harlem rapper’s exclusion from Complex’s “50 Greatest New York Rappers” list has people talking about representation in Max B‘s legacy within hip hop biography conversations.
Max B appeared with French Montana on Complex’s Re-Rank series when he noticed his name was missing from the lineup. “I don’t even see my name up there,” Max said after reviewing the list. “Now you know I’m putting my name on top. That’s crazy. You ain’t got The Don up there. You think all them n—as better than me?”
Complex’s Jordan Rose tried to keep things moving by reading names that did make the cut, including Mos Def, MF DOOM, Ghostface Killah and Prodigy. But Max B wasn’t interested in hearing explanations.
“I’m finished with this interview, we outta here, Montana,” he said before getting up from the set. As he walked off, Max added, “I’m getting sleepy in this motherf–ker anyway. See me back at the hotel. We run New York, don’t talk.”
French Montana initially laughed but also defended his collaborator. “Not having Max on there is crazy,” he said. The moment speaks to larger conversations about who gets recognized in hip hop biography and cultural recognition.
Max B was released in November 2025 after serving 16 years in prison. His case drew attention to issues surrounding mass incarceration and sentencing disparities. He had been sentenced to 75 years in 2009 over a robbery case that resulted in a man’s death. In 2016, his sentence was reduced to 20 years after a plea deal tied to aggravated manslaughter. His return to freedom and music has reignited conversations about his influence on New York rap.
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