Shays Parkside Studios was a hub for upstate rappers where Benny recorded most of his early work.
One day, he met who would become one of his closest collaborators.
Spesh had came up there for a session.
Robert Adam Mayer*
My mentor Shay was like come here, lets meet this kid,' Benny recalls.
They were locked in from that moment.
Benny calls that project Stabbed and ShotbeforeStabbed and Shot.
The two have collaborated heavily since then (including on the standout Sunday School with Jadakiss).
All these years later, they arrive as stalwarts of the upstate New York scene they helped cultivate.
Benny and 38 Spesh talked toRolling StoneaboutStabbed & Shot II, and keeping lyricism in hip-hop.
I think it was [38s] idea.
It was the perfect time to cook up and warm up before my album came out.
For the most of the album, we was together in the booth.
How, how rare is that for both of yall individually?
I dont want it to be a drop-off [during my verses].
You want to confirm you match the energy.
[Laughs]You got two crazy bars before I get to finish my blunt.
What is the collaborative process like in terms of picking beats?Benny: Im not good at that.
I just let this nigga pick beats.
I do that with a lot of people I work with.
You got to ask him.
Spesh: I know its a certain feel that we looking for, that we sound best over.
We have a go at go through beats and when that one comes on, we both know it.
Spesh: Yeah, tempo plays a major part, you know.
We rap over slower beats.
We dont like to go too long without doing it.
The process of it is real simple.
We just feed off each other.
Its like, just start a line and Ill finish it.
Then I start a line and you finish it.
Theres a conversation going on throughout the album.
We put a documentary together that shows us creating in-studio and having conversations about how we met each other.
We cut up the conversation and use it as skits in between the album.
And I said, Shit I need a verse.
[Room laughs]
Busta is really motivational.
Theres several viral videos of him talking to somebody, shaking their hand, biggin them up.
Did you have that kind of experience with him the first time you met him?Benny: Yeah.
I think thats important to do.
When we lay our path for guys who following our path, we should embrace them.
He knows what that means to guys because he could be the opposite way.
Cause shit like that do happen, but he said fuck all that.
We started rapping, going back and forth, and we left the hook open.
I feel that made people want to get back in the game and that made people get hungrier.
Like he said, he would come to Buffalo a lot recording.
We still just at it, you know what I mean?
Do you feel like its as simple as like one or two movements that are doing their numbers?
Benny: Just like you said, one or two movements because it cant be just one person.
Cause thats just that person, thats not that area.
And have your sound, something that youre known for.
Something that youre known for, something thats [like], Okay thats what these boys do.
Because its our job.
Every year, the biggest artist, they never go to that shit, for their reasons.
Sometimes they dont get the true representation of hip hop.
They get the trendy shit, you know what Im saying?
Im about to burn Sway down tomorrow.
You could make or break your career of them freestyles.
The people who say that are the niggas who cant freestyle, who cant rap.
Thats the shit that they say.
Spesh: I agree.
Do you think every rapper should be able to freestyle?
Do you hold it against rappers who cant freestyle?
Benny: Ill go with his answer right there.
Spesh: But if you make good music, you make good music.
Benny: Right, right, right.
Spesh: We dont judge.
However a person get the song done.
Its talented people that cant do what we do that still make great music.
How do you feel about wordplay and punchlines these days?
They could have niggas like us at the BET Awards for five years straight.
People be like yo, Bars is the shit, but thats not what they choose to do.
They choose to go to whats trendy.
And they ignore this level of hip-hop for some reason.
Thats why what we do is so special because its rare.
I come up with the punch first.
Im like a, Im like a puncher.
So the first thing I do is I think of the punch.
Benny: The best punches start with the punch.
Spesh: You could be sitting here and anything you say, it could just turn into a punch.
But you have to actually be in that mode or you wont see it.
When Im in that mode and I can see it, its like everything that comes is a punch.
You aint getting money from with niggas you dont fuck with.
Like when you step in these offices and deal with these people they wear a face.
Theres money to be made with you.
Spesh: The rap game is like the motherfuckin crack game.
Got to stay hustling and shit.
If you dont hustle, you dont eat in this shit.
I see a lot more of that.
A whole new way of delivering music.
Right now, Im premiering music inside a theater.
I put visuals with the music Im releasing.
Its like Thriller, likeStreets Is Watching.
Im taking the album and putting the actual storyline behind it.
I just did that and premiered it in Angelika Theater and it was a great time.
It was like a concert outside the theater.
People was drinking, smoking, rapping.
It was a fire experience.
So I see a lot more of that in the future.
Im thinking thats going to be my routine [for every album.
You know what I mean?
Do you have plans to do a full length?Spesh: Definitely.
I have full lengths already wrote, you know.
Its like my internship.
When I was young, they had me studying with acting coaches and sitting down and learning.
If I would have picked any other role, I possibly would have made it.
The movie wasFreedom Riderswith Hilary Swank.
