About Max B, Wave God of Harlem

Harlem, New York. Born 1978.

Max B

Wave God. Silver Surfer. Originator.

Max B, born Charley Wingate on May 21, 1978, in the Abraham Lincoln Housing Projects, Harlem, is a rapper, songwriter, and cultural icon. He is the originator of the Wave movement in hip-hop: the melodic, emotionally-driven style that shaped a generation and gave the culture the word "wavy" as it is used today. His charisma, melodic delivery, and street authenticity earned him the titles Wave God and Silver Surfer, and a fanbase that stayed loyal through everything.

He built his legacy in Harlem through the Byrd Gang era before launching one of the most influential collaborative runs in New York rap history. The Coke Wave series with French Montana became more than a mixtape franchise. It defined a lane. The original introduced the chemistry, Coke Wave 2 deepened it, Coke Wave 3 extended it into myth, and Coke Wave 3.5: Narcos brought it back with cinematic weight.

Wave Gods 2: Cosmos Brothers, released May 22, 2026 via Coke Boys, Defiant, and EMG Music, is the triumphant return featuring Rick Ross and Ye across 26 tracks, the most ambitious Max B and French Montana project to date.

In 2025, after sixteen years incarcerated on federal charges, Max B walked free on November 9. He did not miss a beat. His first release back, Ever Since U Left Me ft. French Montana, hit #1 on Billboard Rhythmic Airplay with over 36 million streams and 220 million TikTok views.

The Wave God is home. The wave never stopped.