38 Spesh
38 Spesh | |
|---|---|
| Born | Justin Harrell December 29, 1984 Rochester, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper, music producer |
| Years active | Early 2000s–present |
| Known for | Rap career, collaborations with Benny the Butcher, Kool G Rap, Styles P, Jadakiss, DJ Premier, Pete Rock, The Alchemist |
Justin Harrell (born December 29, 1984), who performs under the name 38 Spesh, is a rapper and music producer from the United States.
Early life and career beginnings
Hailing from Rochester, New York, 38 Spesh started his rap career in the early 2000s. His moniker is inspired by the .38 Special firearm. He first gained recognition in 2008 through appearances on DJ Green Lantern’s Invasion Radio on Sirius XM, followed by a feature in XXL magazine the next year.
Following a two-year prison sentence, he was released on parole to Atlanta, Georgia, where he dedicated himself to music professionally. After his release, Spesh put out multiple mixtapes and albums alongside artists affiliated with his Trust Comes First Music collective. His work is characterized by a distinctive vocal tone and impactful punchlines. He has collaborated with notable figures such as Styles P, Jadakiss, Fred the Godson, AZ, Noreaga, DJ Green Lantern, Benny the Butcher, Conway the Machine, and Kool G Rap. Additionally, he has teamed up with leading producers like DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and The Alchemist.
Discography
Solo projects
- 2007: Out on Bail
- 2009: In Custody
- 2012: Time Served
- 2014: The Art of Production
- 2015: The Trust Tape and The Trust Tape 2
- 2016: The 38 Laws of Powder
- 2019: 5 Shots, The 38 Strategies of Raw, The Trust Tape 3, A Bullet For Every Heathen, and 1994
- 2020: Speshal Blends, 6 Shots, 1995, and Interstate 38
- 2023: Gunsmoke
- 2024: Mother & Gun
Collaboration projects
- 2015: Cocaine Cowboys (with Benny the Butcher)
- 2018: Stabbed & Shot (with Benny the Butcher), In the Mob We Trust (with Joe Blow), and Son of G Rap (with Kool G Rap)
- 2019: Loyalty and Trust (with Flee Lord) and Army of Trust (with Trust Army)
- 2020: A series of releases including Juno (with Che Noir), Martyr's Prayer (with Elcamino), Trust the Chain (with Planet Asia), 1000 Words (with 1000 Words), Army of Trust II (with Trust Army), Ways and Means (with Rasheed Chappell), and Loyalty and Trust 2 (with Flee Lord)
- 2021: Trust the Sopranos (with Benny the Butcher)
- 2023: Speshal Machinery (with Conway the Machine)
- 2024: Stabbed & Shot 2 (with Benny the Butcher) and God's Timing (with Grafh)