Brooklyn rapper Troy Ave used a December 17 Instagram post to address a rare, face-to-face moment with longtime rival Maino, turning a viral clip into a broader reflection on loyalty, pride, and survival in hip-hop. The post arrived alongside footage showing Troy Ave holding his infant son while running into Maino at the Lamont Roach vs. Pitbull Cruz boxing match in Las Vegas, a setting primed for tension but defined instead by restraint.
“I saw Chaino at the fight… We kept it cordial,” Troy Ave wrote, setting the tone for what he framed as personal growth.
Rather than reigniting old smoke, the rapper emphasized composure and priorities. “We didn’t crash out or mess up the money,” he added, noting that he had floor seats “for the whole family.”
According to Troy Ave, the exchange stayed respectful, even revealing a shift in dynamics. “He even called me ‘Mr. Ave,’” Troy wrote, presenting the moment as mutual acknowledgment rather than confrontation.
From there, Troy revisited the roots of the tension. He explained that the fallout began when Maino publicly called him a “bro” while simultaneously associating with someone Troy Ave says was openly “hating” on him.
Troy Ave & Maino Run Into Each Other In Las Vegas, Troy Ave Speaks
In Troy’s view, that move broke an unwritten code. “If we were really ‘cool & bros’… I felt like he shouldn’t of ever done that,” he wrote, stressing that he had previously contributed features and videos “for free.”
The most explosive part of the caption focused on a long-circulated chain controversy. Troy Ave accused Maino of pocketing a chain he dropped during a violent altercation, claiming that incident led to the nickname “Chaino.”
He also took issue with Maino publicly shouting “Free Troy Ave” during his incarceration, despite allegedly having the chain at the same time. While Troy Ave downplayed the chain’s value, he used the story to underline a deeper point.
“Loyalty in rap is a bigger myth than the streets,” he wrote.
As the post closed, Troy expanded his message beyond Maino, pointing to what he sees as widespread industry hypocrisy and admitting that pride once stopped him from offering condolences for Maino’s mother’s passing. His takeaway was blunt and cautionary.
“#StreetsIsAMyth,” he wrote, urging artists to avoid throwing their lives away over ego.
Citing reconciliations like Young Thug and YFN Lucci shaking hands after bloodshed, Troy Ave framed the Vegas encounter as proof that respect, family, and protecting the bag matter more than carrying rap beef forever.
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