Rapper Isaiah Rashad’s latest long play proves some things are worth waiting for
Isaiah Rashad has remained on the minds of hip-hop aficionados despite his long absence, which stands as a testament to his talent and artistic position. His last album, The House Is Burning, was released more than five years ago, and in 2026, the noise he makes is justified. Today, he drops It’s Been Awful, and frankly, the title reflects the sentiment we have all been contemplating.
The Southern-based 34-year-old rapper has long defied attempts to confine him to the cuboid nature of conformity. In the past, the Tennessee-born spitter has said he feels “more at home” in contemporary rap, and that he feels “more comfortable in it,” adding, “I think it fits me right now than the other eras.” On his latest addition to an ever-growing portfolio, it will be interesting to see whether he feels the same way. Featuring limited appearances, Rashad’s new album promises the best of his energy.
Review: It’s Been Awful Is an Expansion of Hip-Hop
From the moment we step into Isaiah Rashad’s new album, we’re greeted by a mindful noise that reflects the project’s thematic intent. Paired with spatial awareness, it tempers expectations on its opening track, “The New Sublime“, and serves as a pretext for shifting tempos when “M.O.M.” begins. Its smooth production, where the rapper glides with ease over a melodic man-on-a-mission statement.
Its succeeding track, “Same Sh!t“, details the repetitiveness of life despite his relative success and the ongoing hustle of chasing these same ideals. This transitions into “Boy In Red“, which is built around light sonic motifs featuring SZA, and gently releases a tuneful, carefree tonic.
The two reminisce over a playful composition that jolts the listener away from the opening three-track soundscape, as Rashad continues to edge further into a planned, curated, and fluctuating tonality that continues on “Supaficial.” This revisits the familiar topic of imposter syndrome, where the lyricist tackles what it feels like to present a version of himself that masks an inner emotional toll.
“Scared 2 Look Down” continues that theme, with Rashad reflecting on his difficulty acknowledging his shortcomings and how far he has come. This is contrasted — and perhaps suitably mirrored — in “Happy Hour“, a canvas that details the inconvenient reliance on substance use to numb experiences both private and disclosed.
It’s Been Awful is representative of its title, where the rapper exhibits the full extremes of the hip-hop soundscape, blending the personal highs and lows of his own life and those around him. He shadows his environment through both the music and a carefully curated tandem (like on “Boy In Red” with SZA) that is instrumental in both a philosophically leaning narrative and a diaristic pen.
“Camera” featuring Dominic Fike, perfectly represents these sentiments, where the tremors of memory intersect with the motion of experience versus living the moment. Rashad once again switches the tempo and the emotional register on “Act Normal“, where, contrastingly, its compositional delivery offsets its thematical ideas with a polar musical tone, one that depicts the normalisation of trauma and dysfunctional understanding.
The Verdict
It’s Been Awful presents the consequences of fame, fortune, and the mental turmoil it can generate as life goes on. Songs like “10 States Away“, “Superpwrs“, and others further demonstrate the emotional depth Isaiah Rashad is effortlessly capable of — something much needed in hip-hop, and arguably more relevant than ever. This is especially true in a time of pervasive identity doubt that many are vulnerable to. The culture and genre have never been a one-dimensional plane of music, and that point was never lost; however, it has been overshadowed by public relations noise and its reduction to an ephemeral product.
The Top Dawg Entertainment rapper is far from that, and in fact, these six years without a long-form project typify that the idea of quality outweighs quantity. The adage of ‘the hardest working artist’ and consistency will likely prove profligate in attempts to be remembered in a world where instant gratification works against you. Social media may or may not be here forever, but working within the fluid confines of your taste and art will long outlive the effervescent nature of an ever-changing world.
Stream, Buy Vinyl, CDs, and Cassette
It’s Been Awful is available on all major platforms, including Tidal, Spotify, Apple Music, and through Deezer. The artist has also released physical copies of the album on vinyl and CD, with special editions available directly from his official web store. However, cassette versions of the project are not available.
Full Tracklist (with features)
- THE NEW SUBLIME
- M.O.M.
- SAME SH!T
- BOY IN RED (feat. SZA)
- SUPAFICIAL
- SCARED 2 LOOK DOWN
- HAPPY HOUR
- DO I LOOK HIGH? (feat. Julian Sintonia)
- AIN’T GIVIN’ UP
- GTKY
- CAMERAS (feat. Dominic Fike)
- ACT NORMAL
- 10 STATES AWAY
- NUTHIN 2 HIDE
- SUPERPWRS
- 719 FREESTYLE
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