Isaiah Rashad brought his full catalog to NPR’s Tiny Desk on August 25, 2026, delivering a 13-song performance that moves between early career standouts and material from his new album, It’s Been Awful. Backed by a live band, the TDE rapper reworked familiar songs through a blues-inflected arrangement that puts his voice, lyrics and vulnerability at the center.
The set opens with “Heavenly Father,” the beloved Cilvia Demo track from 2014. From there, Isaiah Rashad moves through different chapters of his catalog, including “West Savannah,” “Headshots (4r Da Locals)” and “Wat’s Wrong,” before shifting heavily toward his 2026 material.
Six songs from It’s Been Awful make the setlist: “SAME SH!T,” “BOY IN RED,” “M.O.M.,” “SUPAFICIAL,” “SCARED 2 LOOK DOWN” and “GTKY.” The album, released May 1 through Top Dawg Entertainment, marked Rashad’s first full-length project in five years following 2021’s The House Is Burning.
“BOY IN RED” carries an additional connection to the album’s collaborative history, featuring SZA on the studio version. Across It’s Been Awful, Rashad confronts personal turmoil with the kind of introspective writing that has become central to his music, touching on family, addiction, sexuality and the complications of trying to make sense of himself through his art.
For the Tiny Desk performance, Rashad is joined by a full live ensemble featuring guitar, keys, bass, drums, alto saxophone, trumpet and background vocals. The expanded instrumentation gives songs that were originally built around hip-hop production a warmer, more organic character, highlighting the blues influences that have long shaped his sound.
The performance also arrives during Rashad’s Lil Sunny’s Awful Road Trip Tour, which began August 13 in Atlanta. The North American trek, featuring TDE labelmate Alemeda, continues through late September with stops in cities including New York, Chicago and Las Vegas.
Scroll down to see the full Isaiah Rashad Tiny Desk Concert setlist and revisit every song performed.
Full Isaiah Rashad Tiny Desk Concert Setlist
Heavenly Father
Cilvia Demo (2014)
SAME SH!T
IT’S BEEN AWFUL (2026)
West Savannah
Cilvia Demo (2014)
Headshots (4r Da Locals)
The House Is Burning (2021)
Wat’s Wrong
The Sun’s Tirade (2016)
BOY IN RED
IT’S BEEN AWFUL (2026)
M.O.M.
IT’S BEEN AWFUL (2026)
SUPAFICIAL
IT’S BEEN AWFUL (2026)
RIP Young
The House Is Burning (2021)
SCARED 2 LOOK DOWN
IT’S BEEN AWFUL (2026)
GTKY
IT’S BEEN AWFUL (2026)
4r Da Squaw
The Sun’s Tirade (2016)
Prayers Up
Photo: NPR Music/YouTube
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