Max B & French Montana Link Up For “Hold On” Single

To help celebrate his 41st birthday, rapper Max B released his first song in eight years. The Harlem artist linked up with friend and collaborator French Montana to deliver “Hold On” early Tuesday morning, a track that pays homage to Sade’s “Nothing Can Come Between Us.” Fans haven’t received any new music from Max since his 2011 effort Vigilant Season, but it looks as if there will be more to come as the year rolls on.

The rapper has been incarcerated at the East Jersey State Prison since 2009 after being found guilty of nine counts including murder conspiracy and robbery. He was sentenced to 75 years in prison. Authorities alleged that Max ordered his ex-girlfriend and his stepbrother to rob two men at a New Jersey hotel. One man was ambushed in the room and restrained with duct tape while the thieves awaited the man’s partner to return. When he did, he was reportedly shot execution-style in the head. Max, his ex-girlfriend, and his stepbrother were all arrested and charged a week later.

Back in April, French Montana suggested that Kim Kardashian wanted to help get Max out of prison. “Me and Kim was talking about getting Max B home from jail,” he explained. “‘Cause she’s doing the whole thing with…So, like for her to even reach out and do that I felt like that was powerful.”