Five years removed from his previous outing The House Is Burning, Isaiah Rashad has finally returned — but don't call it a comeback, because this feels more like a fresh start.It's clear throughout IT'S BEEN AWFUL that Rashad has been dealing with the weight of the world, juggling fatherhood, his social circle, family issues and the throes of romance whilst wrestling with the wretched grasp of addiction. He's been through the wringer, and as a result, his perspective has shifted, and his pen is sharper than ever: this LP contains some of his most poetic prose, forming eloquent meditations on life, love and the vices he uses to cope, whether he wants to or not.From the moment you press play, "THE NEW SUBLIME" opens with the lines, "I'm cut from a sinful nature and I feel afflicted, falling over/ Ask me who I'm fuckin'? / I've been fuckin' up," Rashad catching us up on what's been plaguing him since we last heard from him — from his sister going to prison, to the revolving door of sobriety and relapse. Rashad bears his heart from the opening seconds of this intro, setting the tone for the vulnerability present throughout most of the tracklist.Rashad's music has always been marked by reflection and introspection, which is a major reason why he's easy to connect with. He's never shied away from sharing his trauma, but the more personal cuts on IT'S BEEN AWFUL feel even more raw than his previous works. Even in the moments envisioning more positive lifestyle, he's fearful of his relationship to substances, knowing a lack of control paired with the wrong moment could be gravely impactful ("If I romanticize them percs I might relapse again")."Lead single "SAME SH!T" also touches on the cyclical nature of his habits, as Rashad flows like a more-lackadaisical Three 6 Mafia or DMX. It creates an interesting dichotomy: the content portraying a man living a little too fast, but set to a dark, airy instrumental backed by knocking drums, rattling hi-hats and snares that accentuate the poise he exhibits rapping in this pocket, as if his voice were an extra layer of percussion. This is a safe single on the surfaced, but in the greater context of the album, it serves a strong purpose."SCARED 2 LOOK DOWN" is a moment of reflection and self-confrontation that incorporates Southern hip-hop standards while still feeling fresh. Rashad is trying to be better, but knows that he has a tendency to get in his own way ("I pray for peace but always seem to chase the root of evil"), coveting the top not out of a desire to be No. 1, but because he's too scared to look down.Despite some of the content, IT'S BEEN AWFUL isn't actually incredibly dark. In fact, it's more of an exploration of past mistakes with a brighter tomorrow in view. Pairing that with some of the songs' sunnier sounds, such as the Dominic Fike-assisted "CAMERAS" or an always-welcome SZA collab on "BOY IN RED," the tone feels balanced, though the former is one of the project's weaker moments. However, the album also ends on a high note, the back-to-back of "SUPERPWRS (HOMIES BEGGED)" and "719 FREESTYLE" feeling like a triumphant sign-off and a hopeful horizon to cast your gaze upon.With this record, Isaiah Rashad assures us that, while it definitely has been awful, the Chattanooga, TN-born MC has no plans on giving into it or giving up. This is an incredibly introspective body of work, full of self-reflection and self-doubt, but ultimately hopeful. Rashad has delivered yet another excellent project, striking a delicate balance between exploring new sounds and remaining true to what has always made his music so appealing.
Wavelength
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