Cilvia Demo

Hailing from Chattanooga, Tenn., emcee Isaiah Rashad is the odd man out among the mostly West Coast Top Dawg label roster, which includes Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock and Ab-Soul. But other than his hometown, he fits right in: his prodigious understanding of hip-hop history is evident on tracks like “R.I.P. Kevin Miller” and “Brad Jordan”, the former a tribute to Master P’s murdered brother, the latter an ode to seminal Houston rapper Scarface. The album boasts a motley crew of producers, most of them newcomers as well; they have Black Hippy’s soul-funk aesthetic down pat, and Rashad’s rhymes explore the tension between hip-hop’s grown-man stoicism and the anxieties that accompany life’s many crossroads. Best of all, the guy can rap, with his dexterous flow flitting its way between somnolent jazz samples and skittering rhythms. From the melancholy soul-searching of “Tranquility” to the confident g-funk of the title track, *Cilvia Demo* is an ambitious, honest and unforgettable debut.

Cilvia Demo, the debut release from Top Dawg Entertainment's Isaiah Rashad, introduces an MC who isn't afraid to lay every anxiety and frustration bare and winds up looking stronger for it. His first full-length could go down as one of the best debuts of the year.

Coming out of Chattanooga, Tennessee with a style much wiser than his 22 years would suggest, rapper Isaiah Rashad makes his official debut with Cilvia: Demo, a strange and wonderful EP with some minor reservations.

Chattanooga, Tennessee MC Isaiah Rashad is the latest recruit to Top Dawg Entertainment, and on a team that includes the likes of Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q and Jay Rock, he's clearly the raw and talented rookie.