Max B, who spent more than 16 years in prison for his role in a fatal robbery, returns to the spotlight with a new mindset and a new nickname, unveiling his image as a “mature and gorgeous Biggavel”.
The Harlem rapper, born Charly Wingate, is about to start a new chapter after being released from a New Jersey detention facility on November 9, 2025.
“It’s the new grown, gorgeous Biggavel, it’s new and improved. It’s the new great Biggavel. It’s not the old Biggavel that it was before, so you’re going to love it,” Max B told Billboard. “I think that’s what draws people to, ‘Damn, we thought this nag was going to come out and do the same thing.'” He’s a prime example of what to do when you come out. He reenters the atmosphere in its purest form. The man is here: Max Biggavel. “
Max B’s release followed a long and complicated legal journey.
He was originally sentenced to 75 years in prison in 2009 on nine counts including murder, armed robbery and kidnapping.
The charges stem from a 2006 robbery attempt in Fort Lee, New Jersey, that resulted in the death of David Taylor. Prosecutors claimed Max B masterminded the crime, but he denied direct involvement.
His legal situation changed in 2016 when a judge vacated his original conviction due to ineffective legal representation and allowed a plea deal to be reached.
Max B later pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. With credit for time served and credit for good behavior, his sentence was eventually reduced to just over 16 years.
Now, the rapper is adjusting to life outside prison walls, focusing on reconnecting with his family, enjoying home-cooked meals and using modern technology.
“I wake up in bed for days on end, so I can’t complain, man, you know what I’m saying? Eat good food, take care of my wife, take care of my kids – I see my kids every day – I have my electronics… I start trying to connect my stuff and I can’t. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, but I’m gonna keep trying, you hear me? It’s mine, I think that’s mine.”
With his freedom restored and a new look, Max B began to focus on reinvention.
Not only was he reintroducing himself to the public, but he was redefining what it meant to return home after a high-profile conviction.
