Isaiah Rashad sounds hungry again.

The Isaiah Rashad drought is finally over. After nearly five years, the gifted Chattanooga rapper is preparing to release his next album, IT’S BEEN AWFUL. Based on everything surrounding the project, from the title to the artwork to the early rollout, it looks like Rashad is ready to dive deep into introspection again. That is usually when he is at his best.

Before the album arrives, Isaiah decided to feed fans with “DIRTY WORDS FREESTYLE.” Even though the track is not listed on the official project, it feels like it belongs in the same emotional neighborhood.

The production is droopy, soulful, and moody, built around a sample that sounds made for gray skies and windshield wipers. It has that rainy-day ache to it, but Rashad does not melt into the beat. Instead, he attacks it with aggression, grit, and the energy of someone tired of carrying weight in silence (I’m sure KD can relate).

Lyrically, he speaks on enemies hoping for his downfall, personal struggles, needing help, and pushing through dark thoughts. It is vulnerable music wrapped in frustration, a trick he has always used well.

Since it is technically a freestyle, the song carries a raw, unpolished feel that works in its favor. Rashad even sounds like he has tobacco in his mouth while he’s rapping, which I guess the kids like.

We’re about to get sixteen tracks of Isaiah Rashad complaining, aren’t we?

Quincy

Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.