Dave East Removes 38 Spesh’s Verse From New Album

 

Dave East and Harry Fraud released their collaborative album Price of Pain on July 29, 2026. The 14-track project features Benny the Butcher, AZ, Snoop Dogg, Styles P, and others. One name that appeared in early tracklists and previews is missing from the final version: 38 Spesh.

Spesh was originally credited on “Follow My Lead” alongside Snoop Dogg. When the album dropped, his verse and credit were gone. Screenshots comparing the pre-release and official tracklists circulated quickly on social media, confirming the change.

The timing lines up with Spesh’s recent moves. At Hot 97’s Summer Jam on July 24, the Rochester rapper performed “Fool’s Mate,” a track that targeted Jadakiss, Fat Joe, and Jim Jones. The song and its video continued the exchange that started with Spesh’s comments about a past collaboration with Jadakiss on Benny the Butcher’s “Sunday School,” followed by responses on “Aroma” and social media warnings about “militia” and “landmines.” Spesh went ahead and recorded the record and later clarified his issues, particularly with Jim Jones.

Dave East has not publicly explained the removal. Fans immediately connected it to the ongoing tension, noting East’s longstanding relationships in New York hip-hop circles. Some pointed out that East has done this before, most notably pulling a Kodak Black verse from Survival years earlier over comments involving Lauren London and Nipsey Hussle.

East and Spesh had collaborated recently. Spesh featured East on “Heavy Burden” from his May 2026 project 8 Shots, and the two had worked together on other records in the past. The decision on Price of Pain still stands as a clear-cut one now that the album has gone live.

Price of Pain itself continues East and Fraud’s run of polished, street-oriented projects. The final tracklist keeps the high-profile guests intact minus Spesh. Whether the verse ever surfaces elsewhere or the two address the situation remains to be seen. For now, the official album version of “Follow My Lead” no longer includes him.