10 Things You Didn’t Know about Isaiah Rashad
In 2013 when Isaiah Rashad signed to Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), he was poised to be one of the next great rappers in the game. His creativity and versatility were undeniable and there were countless people looking forward to what he had to say. His debut album, The Sun’s Tirade, only sold 19,000 copies in the United States during its release, but it received lots of critical acclaim. On top of that, fans were really digging into Isaiah’s sound and what he had to say. Unfortunately, however, some personal issues would derail Isaiah Rashad from living up to what many people believed was his full potential. After a bit of a hiatus, he’s back and he’s ready to get back to sharing with the world through his upcoming album, The House is On Fire. Keep reading to learn 10 things you didn’t know about Isaiah Rashad.
1. He’s From Tennessee
When most people think of TDE, the West Coast is what comes to mind. That’s largely thanks to the label’s biggest artist, Kendrick Lamar, who hails from Compton. However, Isaiah Rashad was born and raised in Chattanooga and his southern roots have had a major influence on his sound.
2. He Started Rapping In High School
Isaiah Rashad has loved music for as long as he can remember. He was just a little kid when he decided that he wanted to become a rapper, however, he didn’t start seriously rapping until he was in high school. He credits Outkast, UGK, and Three 6 Mafia as some of his early influences.
3. He’s Struggled With Addiction
The music industry is often depicted as this glamorous place full of luxury and flashing lights, but Isaiah Rashad’s experience hasn’t always been that way. Not long after releasing Cilvia Demo,
his first EP with TDE, Isaiah turned to Xanax and alcohol. His addiction quickly got out of control and it threatened to ruin his music career. In fact, he almost ended up getting dropped from the label.
4. He Loves Listening To Other Artists
For some artists, not listening to anyone else’s music is a part of their creative process. However, that isn’t the case for Isaiah Rashad. He told Billboard, “I listen to everybody. I been banging that Slime Language 2. I listened to Slime Language 2, to Norma Tanega “Treat Me Right” today. I listen to folk music and everything so I’m always tapped in.”
5. He Almost Took His Life
Although conversations about mental health have become more mainstream in recent years, it’s still a taboo topic to a lot of people. Despite the stigma, Isaiah Rashad has been open about his mental health struggles in a lot of his music. He struggled with depression for many years and even attempted suicide.
6. He Was Nervous About Turning 30
In American society, aging is often seen as a bad thing. This is especially true for entertainers because the industry is always looking for someone younger. Needless to say, Isaiah Rashad wasn’t looking forward to turning 30 in May of 2021. While talking to Billboard he said, “I was scared until I got here. I was like, “Damn, I hope it ain’t over.” Now, however, he’s embracing his age.
7. He Dropped Out Of College
Even though Isaiah Rashad knew he wanted to be a rapper, there was still a point in his life where he was following a more traditional path. After high school, he enrolled at Middle Tennessee State University. He ultimately decided to drop out so that he could pursue his music career.
8. He Doesn’t Feel Pressure To Prove Himself
Many artists feel constant pressure to live up to their last hit and all of the expectations that people have set for them. This kind of pressure has ruined lots of people’s careers. Isaiah Rashad is thankful to be at a point in his life where he doesn’t feel like he has to prove himself. Instead, he’s just focused on telling the stories he wants to tell.
9. He Likes To Stay Low-Key
There are plenty of rappers who can’t get enough of being in the spotlight and like to be seen at every event. That has never been Isaiah Rashad’s style, though. He seems to really enjoy his privacy and he has never been one to reveal too much about his personal life.
10. He’s A Father
While we do know that Isaiah Rashad is a dad, he has never revealed any information about his children or their mother(s). There is also some confusion about the number of children he has. His Wikipedia page reports that he has three, but all other sources say that he has one son and one daughter.