Isaiah Rashad is back among us. It's been nearly five years since the elusive Chattanooga rap great released The House Is Burning, his most recent album. It's been about four years since Rashad was the victim of a terrible invasion of privacy when a sex tape leaked. Earlier this week, Rashad announced a new album called It's Been Awful by sharing a quick minute-long teaser video. Today, he finally hits us with some new music.
The new Isaiah Rashad single is called "Same Sh!t," and it's a good one. The song doesn't sound like a grand return. Instead, it's pretty understated. Rashad raps in discrete shards of disconnected imagery in a gravelly mutter, doing a variation on DMX's "Damien" flow. The beat comes from producers Don Oskar, Mario Luciano, and Nate Hobden, and it's a Southern rap take on a mythic spaghetti western score.
The evocative Omar Jones-directed "Same Sh!t" video shows Rashad getting unstuck in time, flashing between moments of luxury in Los Angeles and struggle in Chattanooga. There's also a break for a jump-scare dream sequence and teaser of another new song at the end. In a press release, Rashad says:
Conceptually, the song reflects what matters most to me — my family, taking care of myself, and the everyday grind. At its core, it’s about hustling, showing up, and putting in the work every single day. With all the experimentation and sounds across the album, I wanted to ensure there was something that spoke directly to where I’m from, for my older brothers, for that core audience. It’s that trunk-rattling type of record.
Check it out below.
It's Been Awful is out 5/1 on TDE.
