Isaiah Rashad pulls no punches w/ release “IT’S BEEN AWFUL”

Isaiah Rashad is one of those artists who has not only helped pioneer what the blog era meant for music, but also helped expand the grander scale of hip hop and alternative rap as a whole. He has created a lane that many artists have stepped into, studied, and been inspired by, but there is still something very singular about the way Rashad builds his own world..

He is not an artist who drops all the time, but when he does, the impact always feels intentional. We’d like to think that somehow this release means he will be dropping a lot more as well. It sounds like Rashad is locked in on how he wants to show up in the world. He’s not hiding or even complaining about his journey, he’s standing on everything that has created him. This new project is a grand example of him showing all of that. The song structure throughout the album is amazing, with small nuances that nod to Outkast, while still feeling completely rooted in Rashad’s own voice and perspective. Records like “SUPERPWRS” and “ACT NORMAL” carry a deep honesty, touching on faults, anxieties, worries, love lost, love gained, personal preferences, accountability, and the real emotions that make up a human being. The contributions from artists like SZA are amazing, but Isaiah Rashad still creates his own universe across this album. With a film attached to the project as well, the experience feels even more complete. More importantly, this is an album that deserves to be played more than once..

Take a listen and let us know what you think..