Season 3 of The Rap Dads Show has arrived, and it opens with one of hip-hop’s most prolific — and most honest — voices. Host Esteban Serrano sits down with 38 Spesh for a conversation that goes far beyond bars and beats, digging into fatherhood, incarceration, and the personal stories behind some of his most powerful music.
If you’re new to the series, The Rap Dads Show is a YouTube series built around the intersection of hip-hop and fatherhood. Every episode pairs an artist’s creative journey with the real, often messy experience of raising kids while building a career in music. The 38 Spesh episode kicking off Season 3 might be the rawest one yet.
Becoming a Father at 19, Fresh Out of Juvie
38 Spesh didn’t ease into fatherhood. He became a dad at 19, right after being released from juvenile incarceration, and has since raised four kids — two boys and two girls — largely on his own. He also grew up without knowing his biological father, which adds another layer to how he talks about raising his own children.
In the episode, 38 Spesh explains why he sees fatherhood as the thing that shaped him for hip-hop, not the other way around. That’s a reframe worth sitting with: for him, the discipline, urgency, and perspective required to raise kids alone came before the discipline required to build a rap career, not after.
The Story Behind “Aborted Child” Feat. Kool G Rap
One of the episode’s most striking moments comes when 38 Spesh walks through the origin of “Aborted Child,” his record featuring Kool G Rap. He drove his girlfriend to get an abortion, then walked into a recording studio next door. There, he heard a beat that sounded like a heartbeat crying. He made the record the same day.
It’s the kind of story that explains why 38 Spesh’s music resonates the way it does. The song wasn’t written after processing the moment — it was written inside it.
From Mother and Gun to Fatherhood Lessons
The conversation also touches on 38 Spesh’s Mother and Gun project and what his mother means to his art. She shows up throughout the episode as his first teacher, someone whose influence runs through both his music and his approach to raising his own kids.
Listeners also get his take on the difference between being a “rap dad” and being a regular rapper, along with how juvenile incarceration helped build his character rather than break it. The episode closes with a “First & Last” segment focused on fatherhood, giving a lighter, reflective note to a heavy conversation.
Watch the Episode and Support the Show
Season 3 of The Rap Dads Show is just getting started, and this 38 Spesh conversation sets the tone: honest, unfiltered, and rooted in real family experience. Subscribe and hit the bell so you don’t miss what’s coming next.
Want to support the show? Send a tip via $RapDads on Cash App. You can also catch The Rap Dads Show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify — just search “The Rap Dads Show.”
