Isaiah Rashad has finally released his third studio album, It’s Been Awful — you can check it out below.
Marking the TDE rapper’s first full-length project in five years, following 2021’s The House Is Burning, the 16-track effort features collaborations with SZA, Dominic Fike, and Julian Sintonia.
First announced back in early April, Rashad has been slowly teasing the album with the release of a couple tracks ("SAME SHIT" and "Dirty Words Freestyle") and a handful of "sunny roshi tv" clips.
Rashad previously offered insight into the album's creative direction in a recent interview with Vice, where he pointed to a mix of influences that have shaped the project.
Pulling inspiration from the likes of Prince and OutKast’s Stankonia/The Love Below, he also highlighted newer voices, such as Pluto and Bunna B, suggesting the album reflects a broader and more eclectic creative space.
"The biggest inspiration for me was Fousheé… Prince, I’ve been having 'If I Was Your Girlfriend' on repeat for 2-3 months," he said. "For this tail end part of my project, this girl PLUTO from Atlanta. She’s been inspiring me, and this other girl BunnaB."
He continued: "I’m touching [Outkast’s] Stankonia and The Love Below more than anything else. I would say Top made compromises for the creativity on this one, so I appreciate it."
To celebrate the album's arrival, Isaiah Rashad has teamed up with Complex for a New York pop-up shop experience.
Starting on Saturday (May 2), the pop-up shop will be open at Complex NY (620 Broadway) from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., offering fans the chance to pick up vinyl, merchandise, and more.
The pop-up will also run the following day and feature limited edition variants of the album with cover art designed by visual artist Steven Harrington, who designed the colorful It’s Been Awful vinyl variant.
Fans can RSVP for the New York pop-up here.
