‘Cilvia Demo’ by Isaiah Rashad: Retrospective Review

Isaiah Rashad’s newest LP, ‘The House is Burning,’ is dropping this month and we cannot wait! Since we don’t have a choice in that matter, it’s a perfect time to revisit his past works to bask in the hype. While 2016’s ‘The Sun’s Tirade‘ is jam packed with all sorts of diverse deep cuts and endlessly bumpable bangers, 2015’s ‘Cilvia Demo’ is a perfect place to start with Zay.

Zay stands out in Top Dawg Entertainment for his southern style, contrasting the label’s notoriety for Cali music. However, ‘Cilvia Demo’ serves as a perfect debut for him as a TDE member, establishing a new voice while not straying far from the label’s style. The sounds of the album are deep and psychedelic from beginning to end, with even more upbeat songs maintaining a certain haze to them. Rashad is the perfect guide through this atmosphere with his trademark soft voice, which cushions the laidback tracks, while aggressively sharpening the harder ones. He tackles themes of drug dependency, fatherhood, mental health and his aspirations as an MC.

The opening track ‘Hereditary’ is a perfect introduction into the world of Zay’s design. Like the title suggests, the song is all about his (lack of a) relationship with his father. In one brief verse, he shares what his father taught him, which is unfortunately limited to abusing substances and abandoning those who depend on you. This intro is a perfect window into his artistic portrayal of his life.

The next couple of tracks reveal the tighter grip he has on himself than that of his father. He uses this space on the album to flex some bars and do more typical, but still very interesting rapping. He reflects on his teenage years, multiple relationships and a lot of weed smoking.

The fourth cut on the album, ‘R.I.P. Kevin Miller,’ is where the themes of the album become more centralized. Not only does Zay return to the initial themes of drug abuse and feeling lost, but he loudly voices the concept of proving himself as a rapper. With countless references to southern MCs, (including the song’s namesake, a tribute to Master P’s son) Rashad speaks of his thirst to be the new Southern frontrunner. With the three former tracks setting it up perfectly, this is the moment where he really shows his passion for rapping.

‘Ronnie Drake‘ featuring SZA is an important moment on the LP in which Zay raps about racial issues. The bar “ain’t no getting money on that conscious shit/I’ma just load my gat on some survival shit” is one of the strongest on the album. Not only is he examining the lifestyle around him, but it also speaks to how Hip-Hop works; all the money comes in the most violent music instead of the productive conscious music.

The next handful of tracks are essentially the heart of this album, thematically and atmospherically. ‘West Savannah’ and ‘Tranquility’ are deeply immersive pillars that support the overall murky and psychedelic aesthetic of the whole project. ‘Menthol’ is one of the strongest songs of Zay’s career, due almost entirely to its atmosphere and his hard delivery. Chicago talent Jean Deaux comes in with arguably the best feature of the album, providing a gorgeous hook and verse.

The following track ‘Modest’ is a bar fest. Zay raps about where he’s at in life right now, detailing the balance of fatherhood while also “[chilling] with Kendrick” and “[smoking] with Q and Dr. Dre.”  This leads to ‘Heavenly Father,’ likely the most famous cut from the whole record. Addressed to both God and his biological father, Rashad’s performance is heartbreakingly honest. Additionally, he tackles the beat switch with ease and navigates through the song with confidence.

The album rounds out with some harder and more bar heavy tracks. ‘Banana’ is a great hard rap song while ‘Brad Jordan’ further establishes his presence as a leading Southern MC. The final track ‘Shot You Down (Remix)’ represents Rashad’s talent for structuring an album. Having been released both as a single, and as the last track generally makes for an underwhelming closer. However, Zay brings in TDE allies ScHoolboy Q and Jay Rock for some great guest verses. This is Zay’s final proof that he is TDE material, going bar for bar with two of Cali’s hardest.

This whole record is an experience. Isaiah Rashad artfully constructs a meaningful depiction of his life, himself and his hopes for his future.  This set the stage for a great follow-up album, building TDE’s empire and creating a fan base of his own. Listen to ‘Cilvia Demo’ and join us in the long but concluding wait for ‘The House is Burning.’

Cilvia Demo ring grade: Gold

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Jason Heilbronner | Twitter: @JasonHeilbronn1