It's Been Awful

It's Been Awful
Studio album by
Isaiah Rashad
ReleasedMay 1, 2026 (2026-05-01)
Recorded2022–2026
Length54:17
Label
Producer
  • Rory Behr
  • Fantom Power
  • Dominic Fike
  • Free P
  • Will Gell
  • Mihji Grey
  • Nate Hobden
  • Hollywood Cole
  • Jansport J
  • Julian Sintonia
  • Kal Banx
  • Koii
  • KTC
  • Mario Luciano
  • Lucho
  • Don Oskar
  • Pete Nebula
  • Rascal
  • Rowan
  • Sader
  • D. Sanders
  • Saxon
  • Blake Straus
  • SyedSounds
  • Henry Was
  • Wizzle
  • Devin Workman
  • Wu10
Isaiah Rashad chronology
The House Is Burning
(2021) 		It's Been Awful
(2026)
Singles from It's Been Awful
  1. "Same Shit"
    Released: April 10, 2026
  2. "Boy in Red"
    Released: April 30, 2026

It's Been Awful (stylized in all caps) is the third studio album by American rapper Isaiah Rashad. It was released through Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) and Warner Records on May 1, 2026. Production on the album was handled by numerous record producers, including Julian Sintonia, Kal Banx, Hollywood Cole, and Jansport J, among others. Guest appearances include frequent collaborator and labelmate SZA, as well as Dominic Fike and Julian Sintonia.

Background and promotion

In February 2024, rumors of Isaiah Rashad's upcoming third album first arose through a leaked photo of Top Dawg Entertainment's release schedule for the year, in which Rashad was included.[1] Rashad would then confirm a new album was on the horizon and hinted that it was almost finished in October 2024.[2] During his performance at the Lollapalooza festival in August 2025, Rashad teased a new song from the upcoming album and once again affirmed to fans his album was almost complete.[3]

In March 2026, another Reddit user posted a notecard that was received alongside their order from Top Dawg's website. The notecard read "It's Been Awful" on the front and "Everybody wants to see you crash out, fall off, and burn out for their entertainment. I just want to see you smile" on the backside. Rashad would repost these notecards on his Instagram account.[4] The album was officially announced with a trailer posted to Rashad's YouTube and social media accounts on April 7.[5]

Rashad is scheduled to embark on the Lil Sunny's Awful Road Trip Tour with support from Alemeda in 2026 in support of the album.[6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic81/100[14]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
Clash8/10[8]
Exclaim!8/10[9]
Pitchfork7.8/10[10]
Rolling Stone[11]
Slant Magazine[12]
NME[13]

It’s Been Awful was met with widespread critical acclaim. According to the review aggregator Metacritic, It's Been Awful received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 81 out of 100 from 8 critic scores.[14]

Track listing

It's Been Awful track listing[15]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."The New Sublime"
  • KTC
  • Julian Sintonia
  • Henry Was
  • Woods[a]
2:43
2."M.O.M"
  • McClain
  • Asuaje
  • Kameron Cole
  • Hollywood Cole
  • KTC[a]
  • Sintonia[a]
2:45
3."Same Shit"
  • McClain
  • Mario Dragoi
  • Nathaniel Hobden
  • Luc Randmaa
  • Nate Hobden
  • Don Oskar
  • Mario Luciano
  • Sintonia[a]
3:13
4."Boy in Red" (with SZA)
  • KTC
  • Fantom Power
3:09
5."Supaficial"
4:44
6."Scared 2 Look Down"
  • McClain
  • Asuaje
  • Luis Flor
  • Elijah Lemos
  • Taylor Sader
  • Julian Sintonia
  • Koii
  • Lucho
  • Sader
3:36
7."Happy Hour"
  • McClain
  • Asuaje
  • Desmond Sanders
  • Julian Sintonia
  • D. Sanders
4:07
8."Do I Look High?" (with Julian Sintonia)
  • McClain
  • Asuaje
  • Vance
3:02
9."Ain't Givin' Up"
  • McClain
  • Asuaje
  • Gregory Behr
  • Kalon Berry
  • Henry Fagenson
  • Freddie Jefferson III
  • Vance
  • KTC
  • Julian Sintonia
  • Was
  • Free P
  • Rory Behr
  • Kal Banx
  • Ayush[a]
  • Young[a]
3:56
10."GTKY"
  • McClain
  • Tobias Breuer
  • Viljams Gella
  • Kelvin Wooten
  • Rascal
  • Will Gell
  • Wu10
2:32
11."Cameras" (featuring Dominic Fike)
  • McClain
  • Asuaje
  • Dominic Fike
  • Vance
  • Devin Workman
  • KTC
  • Workman
  • Fike
  • Oma
  • Julian Sintonia[a]
  • Johnson[a]
  • Henry Kwapis[a]
3:48
12."Act Normal"
  • McClain
  • Asuaje
  • Behr
  • Vance
4:12
13."10 States Away"
  • McClain
  • Blake Straus
  • Justin Williams
  • Straus
  • Jansport J
2:35
14."Nuthin 2 Hide"
  • McClain
  • Asauje
  • Carlos Martin
  • Marshall Mulherin
  • Park Mulherin
  • Straus
  • Vance
  • Luis Witkiewitz
  • Julian Sintonia
  • Straus
  • Rowan
  • Wizzle
  • KTC[a]
3:50
15."Superpwrs"
  • McClain
  • Saxon Warman
  • Saxon
  • Julian Sintonia[a]
3:32
16."719 Freestyle"
SyedSounds2:23
Total length:54:17

Track notes

  • ^[a] signifies an additional producer
  • "Same Shit" is stylized "Same Sh!t"

Sample and interpolation credits

  • "Ain't Givin' Up" contains a sample of "White Gloves" as performed by Khruangbin.[8]

Personnel

Credits are adapted from Tidal.[15]

Musicians

  • Isaiah Rashad – lead vocals
  • Julian Sintonia – additional vocals (tracks 1, 4, 5), programming (1, 5–7, 9, 14), additional programming (2, 3, 11, 12, 15), lead vocals (8)
  • KTC – programming (1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12), additional programming (2, 14)
  • Henry Was – programming (1, 5, 9)
  • Nina Woods – additional vocals (1, 14)
  • Yari McClain – additional vocals (2)
  • Hollywood Cole – programming (2)
  • Cheyenne Chaves – additional vocals (3, 4)
  • Lauren Santi – additional vocals (3)
  • Pamela Rentz – additional vocals (3)
  • Don Oskar – programming (3)
  • Mario Luciano – programming (3)
  • Nate Hobden – programming (3)
  • SZA – lead vocals (4)
  • Carlos Acosta Concha – additional vocals (4)
  • Claudia Regalado – additional vocals (4)
  • Henry Anguiano – additional vocals (4)
  • Langston Griffith-Siebens – additional vocals (4)
  • Rhea Chadha – additional vocals (4)
  • Fantom Power – programming (4)
  • Ayush – additional programming (5, 8, 9)
  • David Young – additional programming (5, 8, 9)
  • Devyn Sawyer – additional vocals (5, 9)
  • Blake Straus – programming (5, 13, 14)
  • Mihji Grey – programming (5)
  • Pete Nebula – programming (5)
  • Koii – programming (6)
  • Lucho – programming (6)
  • Sader – programming (6)
  • Kembe X – additional vocals (7)
  • D. Sanders – programming (7)
  • Amaire Johnson – additional programming (8, 11, 12)
  • Oma – additional programming (8, 11, 12)
  • Rory Behr – programming (9), additional programming (12)
  • Free P – programming (9)
  • Kal Banx – programming (9)
  • Rascal – programming (10)
  • Will Gell – programming (10)
  • Wu10 – programming (10)
  • Dominic Fike – lead vocals, programming (11)
  • Henry Kwapis – additional programming (11)
  • Devin Workman – programming (11)
  • Jansport J – programming (13)
  • Alé Araya – additional vocals (14)
  • Avara – additional vocals (14)
  • Cole Hardwick – additional vocals (14)
  • Rehma – additional vocals (14)
  • Rowan – programming (14)
  • Wizzle – programming (14)
  • Saxon – programming (15)
  • SyedSounds – programming (16)

Technical

  • Julian Asuaje – engineering (1–15), mixing assistance (all tracks)
  • Rory Behr – engineering (1, 9, 14, 16)
  • Rob Bisel – engineering (4)
  • Devin Ragsdale – engineering (9, 14)
  • Devin Workman – engineering (11)
  • Josh Kay – engineering assistance (4)
  • Madeline Donahue – engineering assistance (4)
  • James Hunt – mixing
  • Nicolas De Porcel – mastering
  • Demetrius Lewis II – mastering assistance

Charts

Chart performance for It's Been Awful
Chart (2026) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[16] 87
Australian Hip Hop/R&B Albums (ARIA)[17] 15
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[18] 135
US Billboard 200[19] 18
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[20] 7

References

  1. ^ Small, TeeJay. "Top Dawg Entertainment 2024 Releases: TDE Artists Dropping Albums This Year". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved April 25, 2026.
  2. ^ Schube, Will. "Isaiah Rashad Suggests New Album Is Almost Finished, Says He's 'Really Proud' Of It". HipHopDX. Retrieved April 25, 2026.
  3. ^ "Isaiah Rashad said the album is almost done during his Lollapalooza set". YouTube. Retrieved April 25, 2026.
  4. ^ "Complex Music on Instagram: "'It's Been Awful' Loading ⏳ Isaiah Rashad's upcoming single "Same Sh!t" is on the way. His first album in five years, 'It's Been Awful,' is coming soon—with a slew of TDE affiliates teasing the record on X today."". Instagram. Retrieved April 25, 2026.
  5. ^ Green, Walden (April 7, 2026). "Isaiah Rashad Teases Return With It's Been Awful". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 10, 2026.
  6. ^ Lindert, Hattie (June 16, 2026). "Isaiah Rashad to Hit the Road on U.S. Tour". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
  7. ^ "It's Been Awful - Isaiah Rashad". AllMusic. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  8. ^ a b Khan, Joshua (May 1, 2026). "Isaiah Rashad – It's Been Awful". Clash. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  9. ^ McLean, Wesley (April 30, 2026). "Isaiah Rashad's 'It's Been Awful' Tells It Like It Is". Exclaim!.
  10. ^ Brickner-Wood, Brady (May 6, 2026). "Isaiah Rashad: It's Been Awful". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  11. ^ Reeves, Mosi (May 5, 2026). "Isaiah Rashad Dodges Stereotypes and Stays Honest on 'It's Been Awful'". Rolling Stone.
  12. ^ Lyons-Burt, Charles (May 5, 2026). "Isaiah Rashad 'It's Been Awful' Review: Translating Troubles into Formless Malaise". Slant Magazine.
  13. ^ Morgan Britton, Luke (May 7, 2026). "Isaiah Rashad – 'It's Been Awful' review: woozy, wounded and bruisingly honest". NME.
  14. ^ a b "It's Been Awful by Isaiah Rashad". Metacritic. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
  15. ^ a b "It's Been Awful / Isaiah Rashad / Credits". Tidal. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  16. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 18 May 2026". The ARIA Report. No. 1889. Australian Recording Industry Association. May 18, 2026. p. 6.
  17. ^ "ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. May 18, 2026. Retrieved May 15, 2026.
  18. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Isaiah Rashad – It's Been Awful". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
  19. ^ "Isaiah Rashad Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
  20. ^ "Isaiah Rashad Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
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