An older preview of a Dave East song went viral over the weekend and didn’t exactly receive a standing ovation. Subsequently, East became a trending Twitter topic on Monday morning (June 29) after Hip Hop fans quickly pounced on the production and criticized the Harlem-bred rapper for his beat-picking prowess — or perceived lack thereof.

Nas, who’s faced similar criticisms over the beats he chooses for years, addressed the accusations on the NASIR song “Simple Things.”

“Never sold a record for the beat, it’s my verses they purchase/Without production I’m worthless/But I’m more than the surface/Want me to sound like every song on the Top 40/I’m not for you, you not for me, you bore me,” he rapped.

One particular Twitter user cited Nas to illustrate East suffered from the “Nas Effect” — dope MC, wack beats — while another called for whoever made the beat to be fired immediately.

But East’s fans weren’t hearing any of it and promptly came to his aid, firing off numerous tweets defending his rap skills. East showed off his latest work earlier this month with the song “Menace” from his forthcoming Karma 3 project.

Produced by StreetHeat and East himself, the straightforward beat provides a smooth soundscape for East to spit lines such as, “Watch when we moving through, them niggas retarded don’t know what they’ll do to you/One think of stabbing you, one think of shooting you/I keep my circle as close as a hula hoop.”

Dave East Fans & Haters Go To War Over His Beat-Picking Skills

Dave East Gets Torched On Twitter For His ‘The Box (Remix)’

The beat currently making the rounds, however, apparently doesn’t cut it for a large majority of people. This isn’t the first time he’s been accused of being “trash.” In January, he caught flak for his remix of Roddy Ricch’s hit single “The Box” as part of the #BoxChallenge.

Nonetheless, East has an army of fans coming to his rescue. Check out some of the reactions below.

60