Isaiah Rashad Returns After Five Years With an Instant Classic: 'IT'S BEEN AWFUL' Is Here
After almost five years out of the spotlight, the rapper stepped back onto the scene with his most creatively dialed-in yet influentially diverse album to date – complete with assists from Dominic Fike, SZA, and striking production from TDE affiliate Julian Sintonia.
There are very few modern-era, “hip hop”-identifying musical artists with an audience as wide-ranging as Isaiah Rashad.
After stepping away from the scene for almost five years, when Zay made his at-first ominous return to the spotlight at the end of March with a mere minute-and-a-half video clip with little to no details on a presumed new album, everyone was in the comments. From Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates like ScHoolboy Q, SiR, Alemeda, and Ab-Soul, to other artists across all genres – Jordan Ward, Lola Young, Eem Triplin, BLK ODYSSY, IDK, and 6LACK , to athletes Zeb Powell and Taylor Townshend, and even Hidden.NY and Apple Music, everyone had something to say about the sole sign of sonic life to come from the musician.
A few hours later, Zay formally lifted the veil on the official album announcement, revealing that his third studio album, IT’S BEEN AWFUL, would be dropping in just a few weeks.
Ever since that sheet of TDE’s somewhat-leaked, somewhat-confirmed list of projects for 2024 began circulating on the internet back in January of 2024, fans have been fixated on the rapper’s next release. While Zay dropping in 2024 turned out to be inaccurate (ditto 2025), the project – which marks the musician’s most creatively singular yet sonically diverse – has finally transpired over two years later, and we can already say: it was worth every minute of the wait.
The rapper kept us fed in the interim, though, kicking the expedited album rollout – from start to finish, just about a month-long – into high gear right from the jump with an immersive narrative world. Spearheaded mostly by Omar Jones, IT’S BEEN AWFUL‘s visual identity has been aesthetically dialed in from Day 1, introducing listeners to the universe in which IT’S BEEN AWFUL exists, one cameo, song snippet, and captivating video foray at a time.
Across the project’s 16-song lineup, SZA and Dominic Fike show out on “BOY IN RED” and “CAMERAS,” respectively, with TDE affiliate producer Julian Sintonia contributing vocals to “DO I LOOK HIGH?,” as well as offering his production hand to a myriad of the tracklist.
“It’s been a beautiful mess getting here,” Zay wrote in a message shared to the press and later on to his personal socials, reflecting on what he feels to be his most introspective and true-to-self LP to date.
“Over the years, I’ve tried on a lot of hats and faces until I found the skin I was comfortable in. This album is a love letter to getting there; going beyond facades and falling in love with what kept me safe (da music) when I needed to pour myself into something for sanity. In doing so, I couldn’t escape my appreciation for you. The listener. The family. The vibers,” he continued.
“From the people who helped put this together to the folks who jam my shit so much, y’all basically a street team (might be showing my age with that one), I love y’all. I pray the songs connect on that day you need ’em, like my favorite artists’ music would keep me together. Love y’all infinitely. ’Til the next time.”
1. THE NEW SUBLIME
2. M.O.M
3. SAME SH!T
4. BOY IN RED (FEAT. SZA)
5. SUPAFICIAL
6. SCARED 2 LOOK DOWN
7. HAPPY HOUR
8. DO I LOOK HIGH? (FEAT. JULIAN SINTONIA)
9. AIN’T GIVIN’ UP
10. GTKY
11. CAMERAS (FEAT. DOMINIC FIKE)
12. ACT NORMAL
13. 10 STATES AWAY
14. NUTHIN 2 HIDE
15. SUPERPWRS
16. 719 FREESTYLE
And now. The moment we’ve all been waiting for. Give Isaiah Rashad’s IT’S BEEN AWFUL a spin on all streaming services now.
