Today we’d like to introduce you to Maximo Reyes
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My journey’s been a bit of a rollercoaster, but every twist and turn has led me to where I am now. I grew up in Washington Heights and Puerto Rico, where music, culture, and storytelling were just part of everyday life. But it was in Washington Heights where I first fell in love with Hip Hop, writing raps, making music, and dreaming up stories with my cousins.
For over 15 years, I worked on the corporate side of entertainment—at places like Viacom, Nickelodeon, SiriusXM, Amazon, and MGM. It gave me a solid understanding of the business—contracts, production, all the behind-the-scenes stuff—but my creative side never took a back seat.
In 2016, I felt like I needed a change. I took a chance and purchased Kazza Wine Bar in the Heights—a space where my love for music, community, and good vibes could all coexist. It was a hectic but rewarding two years, and when it was time to move on, I knew I had to refocus on my true passions: music and film.
By 2021, I packed up and moved to Los Angeles to dive headfirst into the entertainment world. That same year, my daughter Khali Rose was born, inspiring me to launch CaliRose Creative Co.—a home for music, film, and TV projects—all with a focus on highlighting Afro-Latino stories.
Our first project was deeply personal. My sister, Eliana Reyes, and I decided to tell our family’s story through a documentary. Our father had been released from prison after serving 26 years and deported to the Dominican Republic. We knew we had to capture that moment—the pain, the hope, the healing. That became Vida Nueva. It premiered at the New York Latino Film Festival and later screened in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in 2023. The Vida Nueva Soundtrack which I also produced featuring my siblings, is out now on all streaming platforms.
Our second project was just as powerful—Lambo Music Vol. 13, a tribute EP by my late cousin and lifelong music partner, Johnny J. McFly Medina, co-produced by his brother, Kennedy Medina. Releasing that project in September was part of my healing process and also fueled the fire for my own upcoming 5-song EP, Así es La Vida. Blending afro beats, hip-hop, and reggaeton—dropping later this year. I’m also stepping into a new chapter with my acting debut in my short film CASA, which I wrote and will produce, directed by the amazing Ricky Rosario.
At the end of the day, I just want to create art that’s real—something that speaks to people, especially those from my community. I want to inspire others to share their stories, their music, their truths. It’s been a long road, but honestly, I feel like I’m just getting started.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road—far from it. Growing up moving around from Washington Heights to Puerto Rico and sometimes the Dominican Republic, there were challenges. From family struggles to financial hardships, and the added weight of my father’s incarceration shaped a lot of my early years. Balancing a 15-year corporate career in entertainment while holding onto my creative dreams wasn’t easy either. There were moments of doubt, times when I had to choose stability over passion. Even after moving to LA and starting a family, stepping into music and film full-time came with its own set of hurdles—building a network from scratch, funding my projects, and navigating an industry that doesn’t always highlight Afro-Latino voices. But every setback pushed me to work harder. It’s those struggles that shaped my story and fueled my drive to create art that’s real and meaningful
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a creative artist and producer. My focus is on highlighting Afro-Latino voices and crafting stories that are raw, real, and rooted in culture. Through my company, CaliRose Creative Co., I develop music, films, and TV projects that reflect the experiences of my community—whether it’s through a song, a documentary, or a short film. I specialize in blending genres—fusing hip-hop, afro beats, reggaeton, and R&B into my music—while using those same rhythms and emotions to inspire the visual stories I tell.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
What I love most about LA is the food scene—it’s so diverse, you can find anything from authentic street tacos to high-end vegan spots. The weather is another plus—can’t beat the sunshine and those cool, breezy nights. What I like least? Definitely the traffic. It’s wild out here—you have to plan your whole day around it. But honestly, it’s a small price to pay for everything the city has to offer.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yosoymaximoreyes?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@maxreyes?si=HpJuH75vZW_tXX0h
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5sOJ9Em01qyh60lNhtxfBU?si=DKDjyZ_zRcyj_rksoP-55g
Image Credits
For main picture only: Jackson Davis Photography
