Isaiah Rashad to return with third album, It’s Been Awful

It’s Been Awful comes five years after Rashad's most recent album, The House Is Burning, and is noted to be the album that sees him reclaim rap on his own terms. "SAME SHIT" is the first preview of his "fearless, fully-realised" body of work, and it arrives with a visual of Rashad battling his way through a surreal nightmare.

Speaking about the single, Rashad explains: "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."

On It’s Been Awful, which was teased with an album trailer just a week ago (7 April), Rashad pushes beyond hip-hop and into cosmic jazz, psychedelic guitar rock, and neo-soul to reflect on addiction, growth, self-confrontation, and redemption as he continues to define his sound.