The contemporary landscape of hip-hop has long anticipated the next creative chapter from Tennessee-born wordsmith Isaiah Rashad. Operating under the prestigious banners of Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) and Warner Records, the critically acclaimed rapper has officially unveiled both the artwork and the 16-song tracklist for his highly anticipated forthcoming studio album, It’s Been Awful. Slated for a commercial release on May 1, the project arrives nearly five years after his celebrated 2021 release, The House is Burning, a record that cemented his status as one of the most introspective and lyrically dexterous artists of his generation.
The announcement has sent ripples through the music industry, particularly given the extended rollout and the deliberate, meticulous craft that characterizes Rashad’s discography. Fans have already received a taste of the album’s sonic direction through the release of the lead single, "Same Sh!t," which set a contemplative yet gritty tone for what lies ahead. As the release date approaches, music critics and dedicated listeners alike are dissecting the newly revealed features, production credits, and the broader thematic undercurrents that promise to define It’s Been Awful as a milestone in modern alternative rap.
A Carefully Curated Collaborative Landscape
While many modern hip-hop projects rely on bloated tracklists featuring dozens of guest appearances, Isaiah Rashad has opted for a curated, highly intentional approach. It’s Been Awful boasts a small but star-studded supporting cast, pairing Rashad’s distinct Southern cadence with a select group of visionary vocalists.
Chief among the collaborations is "Boy in Red," a track that extends the prolific, career-spanning partnership between Rashad and fellow TDE powerhouse SZA. The two artists share a storied history of musical chemistry, with "Boy in Red" marking their sixth official collaboration. Their previous joint efforts—including fan-favorite cuts such as "West Savannah," "Ronnie Drake," "Stuck in the Mud," "Pretty Little Birds," and "Score"—have become defining moments in both of their respective discographies, characterized by a seamless blend of neo-soul textures and vulnerable lyricism.
Beyond his reunion with SZA, Rashad has tapped alt-pop trailblazer Dominic Fike for the track "Cameras," bridging the gap between alternative rock sensibilities and hip-hop storytelling. Additionally, the project introduces rising talent Julian Sintonia on the song "Do I Look High?", signaling Rashad’s ongoing commitment to platforming fresh and distinctive voices.
The complete official tracklist for It’s Been Awful is as follows:
- 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
Chronology and Context: The Road to It’s Been Awful
To understand the weight of It’s Been Awful, one must examine the timeline of Isaiah Rashad’s career and the deliberate pacing that defines his output. Emerging from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Rashad caught the attention of the industry with his 2014 critically acclaimed debut EP, Cilvia Demo, which established him as a cornerstone of the modern West Coast-adjacent, yet deeply Southern-rooted, TDE roster. He followed this with his 2016 debut studio album, The Sun’s Tirade, a deeply personal project that tackled themes of addiction, depression, and the pressures of sudden fame.
Following The Sun’s Tirade, Rashad entered a lengthy hiatus, navigating personal struggles, creative blocks, and the unprecedented disruptions of the global pandemic. When he finally returned in July 2021 with The House is Burning, the album debuted in the top ten of the Billboard 200 and received widespread critical acclaim for its balance of high-energy bangers and soul-searching introspection.
Rather than immediately capitalizing on that momentum with a rapid succession of releases, Rashad took his time conceptualizing his next major artistic statement. In interviews leading up to the announcement of It’s Been Awful, the rapper opened up about shifting his creative paradigms, seeking inspiration outside of traditional hip-hop confines, and pushing the boundaries of what a Top Dawg Entertainment release could sound like.
Sonic Influences and Artistic Direction
In a revealing interview with VICE last year, Isaiah Rashad pulled back the curtain on the diverse array of influences that shaped the soundscape of It’s Been Awful. Rather than looking strictly to contemporary rap peers, Rashad immersed himself in eclectic musical traditions, citing genre-defying icons as his primary muses.
"The biggest inspiration for me was Fousheé," Rashad shared during the interview. "Prince, I’ve been having ‘If I Was Your Girlfriend’ on repeat for 2-3 months. Then, for this tail-end part of my project, this girl PLUTO from Atlanta. She’s been inspiring me and this other girl BunnaB."
Furthermore, Rashad noted that he drew heavily from the adventurous sonic architecture of OutKast, specifically pointing to their experimental double album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below and the boundary-pushing production of Stankonia. "I’m touching more OutKast’s Stankonia and The Love Below more than anything else," he explained. He also expressed gratitude toward his label home, adding, "I would say Top [Dawg] made compromises for the creativity on this one, so I appreciate it."
Music publication descriptions of the album’s aesthetic have characterized it as a "sultry southern mix mixed with a deep sense of intimacy." Listeners can anticipate a dynamic sonic journey spanning twangy rock instrumentation, lush psychedelia, raw emotional vulnerability, and the chest-thumping bass frequencies characteristic of classic Southern hip-hop production.
Industry Implications and Cultural Impact
The release of It’s Been Awful arrives at a pivotal juncture for both Isaiah Rashad and Top Dawg Entertainment. As one of the marquee imprints in modern music history, TDE has continually evolved, adapting to shifting industry landscapes while maintaining a steadfast commitment to artistic integrity. Rashad’s upcoming project serves as a testament to the label’s willingness to give its artists the necessary time and space to develop fully realized, uncompromised bodies of work.
From a commercial and critical standpoint, It’s Been Awful is positioned to make a significant splash on the charts upon its May 1 release. The combination of established collaborative draws like SZA, cross-genre appeal via Dominic Fike, and Rashad’s fiercely loyal fanbase creates an ideal environment for sustained cultural resonance. Moreover, by explicitly moving away from formulaic trap structures and leaning into a hybrid of southern psychedelia, alt-rock, and neo-soul, Rashad is charting a course that could influence a younger generation of artists looking to break free from rigid genre constraints.
As the music industry counts down the days to May 1, anticipation continues to build. Whether It’s Been Awful will match or exceed the critical heights of his previous catalog remains to be seen, but the meticulous craftsmanship, clear artistic vision, and profound personal stakes guarantee that Isaiah Rashad’s latest offering will be one of the most closely analyzed and discussed hip-hop releases of the year.
