Benny & 38 Spesh: How Upstate NY Resurrected NY Hip Hop

​Is Upstate NY the only reason New York hip-hop is still alive? In this video, we break down how Benny the Butcher, 38 Spesh, and the Griselda movement single-handedly resurrected the gritty, lyrical NY rap sound while New York City fell asleep at the wheel. ​For decades, there has been a quiet internal beef between the Five Boroughs and Upstate NY. NYC rap purists have historically refused to view cities like Buffalo and Rochester as "real New York." But the tables have turned. Today, the majority of the popular, active New York lyricists holding down the culture come from Upstate—while a massive wave of classic NYC artists have hung up their mics to become full-time podcasters. ​The underlying tension just boiled over into the mainstream with the sudden back-and-forth between LOX legend Jadakiss and Trust Gang mogul 38 Spesh. After 38 Spesh claimed on the BagFuel podcast that Jadakiss had been "ducking" him ever since Spesh had the best verse on Benny the Butcher’s legendary track "Sunday School," Jadakiss finally fired back. Launching a lyrical response on Fat Joe's track "Aroma" (featuring Stove God Cooks), Jadakiss threw heavy shots, rapping: "Is this about a verse or is this about a career? / Ask around, they tell you I'm the career repo." ​ ​#BennyTheButcher #38Spesh #Jadakiss #Griselda #NewYorkRap #UpstateNY #HipHopReaction #RapBeef #StoveGodCooks #FatJoe #BoomBap #RealRap