Isaiah Rashad is The Modern-Day Patron Saint of Southern Hip-Hop
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - September 10: Isaiah Rashad performs at Marathon Music Works during his “Lil Sunny’s Awful Road Trip” tour. (Photo by Dylan Basden for Pretty Nifty)
Twenty years removed from the heights of Southern Hip-Hop in the mid-2000’s, Isaiah Rashad is keeping the sound alive for the modern age. While Atlanta and Houston became ground zero for the 2010’s SoundCloud boom, with elements of trap heavily influencing the style, the bass heavy Dirty South sound seemed to slip beneath the surface. Icons of the sound such as OutKast, Three 6 Mafia, and Lil Wayne were on the precipise of the movement, all of which became heavy influences on Rashad.
While not a monolith, Rashad was one of the few MCs with their feet still firmly planted in the Dirty South movement as the 2010’s wore on. While other artists such as Doechii and Smino would gain notoriety in his wake, Isaiah Rashad continued to be a beacon for the sound. With cosigns across the musical landscape ranging from Lil Uzi Vert to Kendrick Lamar, making Rashad one of the few acts to bridge the East Coast/West Coast divide, Rashad has made his presence known, especially upon the release of his third studio album, 2026’s IT'S BEEN AWFUL, which he is on the road supporting.
When people think of artistic, eccentric rappers, especially those with thematic show elements, their minds often run towards Tyler, The Creator or Childish Gambino, two arena-level acts with massive productions behind them. I believe Isaiah Rashad should be put into that consideration as well, especially with his opening number “THE NEW SUBLIME.” It is the album opener from IT’S BEEN AWFUL, and it certainly carries that same weight live, particularly due to the cinematic opening visualizer that sees Rashad bloodied and bruised from a car accident, an element that is carried over as the Chatt MC hits the stage in blood-stained and tattered attire. Leaning into his more lyrical nature, Rashad rests along the upstage, letting his charismatic flow and thought-provoking wordsmithing do the heavy lifting. It’s an unexpected introduction, shying away from the typical bombast and flash many artists utilize to get the crowd moving early in the set. This deflection speaks to the level of artistry Rashad is trying to cultivate.
Not eager to sit back his entire set, Isaiah Rashad quickly follows up “THE NEW SUBLIME” with “M.O.M.,” another track from the new album. “M.O.M.” wastes no time picking things up, drawing on a lo-fi bastardization of drill music to create a rather unique and energizing production. Rashad is simply electric here, taking full control of the stage and commanding the audience with ease. Rashad is effortlessly charismatic, even when he’s not performing. Notably, he took a moment to talk with the audience after “M.O.M.” and his Southern charm cut through like a knife. His thick accent came through with a mouth full of marbles, though I’d wager he felt right at home in Nashville, TN, just about two hours up I-24 from his hometown of Chattanooga.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - September 10: Isaiah Rashad performs at Marathon Music Works during his “Lil Sunny’s Awful Road Trip” tour. (Photo by Dylan Basden for Pretty Nifty)
Rounding out his opening foray with another cut from IT’S BEEN AWFUL, Rashad lands on “SCARED 2 LOOK DOWN,” easily the most high-energy track of his introductory bout. Backed by his video wall projecting ‘Awful House,’ a play on the iconic signage of Waffle House, Rashad remains in full control as he has now fully electrified the audience, a task even NES would struggle with. Nashville is not known as a hip-hop town, the genre historically does not do well at local venues and the city is often overshadowed by its neighbor Memphis (Rashad’s next tour date no less). This was not the case here, as the audience was fully bought in to Rashad’s brand of Southern hospitality.
Setlist
THE NEW SUBLIME
M.O.M.
SCARED 2 LOOK DOWN
Free Lunch
Wat U Sed
Park
Boy in Red
SUPAFICIAL
West Savannah
Heavenly Father
Cameras
GTKY
AIN’T GIVIN’ UP
Wat’s Wrong
Lay Wit Ya
SAME SH!T
Headshots (4r Da Locals)
4r Da Squaw
-
Do I Look High
RIP Young
Prayer (Jon Batiste cover)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - September 10: Isaiah Rashad performs at Marathon Music Works during his “Lil Sunny’s Awful Road Trip” tour. (Photo by Dylan Basden for Pretty Nifty)
Rashad fans rejoice, as Isaiah has just announced leg two of his “Lil Sunny’s Awful Road Trip” with dates across North America, Europe, Oceania, and South Africa. He’ll be hitting the West Coast heavy, including a stop at Tyler, The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival, before landing back in his hometown of Chattanooga, TN to close out his 2026.
You can find all of Isaiah Rashad’s upcoming tour dates here.
2026
Sep 11 – Memphis, TN – Satellite Music Hall*
Sep 13 – Tampa, FL – Jannus Live*
Sep 14 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues*
Sep 17 – Dallas, TX – South Side Ballroom*
Sep 18 – Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center*
Sep 19 – Austin, TX – Emo’s*
Sep 22 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium*
Sep 23 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex*
Sep 26 – Las Vegas, NV – Brooklyn Bowl*
Sep 27 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren*
Sep 28 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre*
Sep 29 – Los Angeles, CA – YouTube Theater
Oct 3 – Cape Town, ZA – Cape Town Ostrich Ranch
Oct 4 – Johannesburg, ZA – Teatro at Montecasino
Nov 4 – Portland, OR – McMenamin’s Crystal Ballroom
Nov 5 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory
Nov 6 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory
Nov 8 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
Nov 10 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre
Nov 12 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
Nov 13 – Sacramento, CA – Channel 24
Nov 14 – Santa Cruz, CA – The Catalyst
Nov 15 – Los Angeles, CA – Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival 2026
Nov 17 – San Diego, CA – SOMA
Nov 20 – Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theare
Nov 22 – San Antonio, TX – The Aztec Theatre
Nov 24 – Birmingham, AL – Iron City
Nov 25 – Chattanooga, TN – The Signal
2027
Jan 10 – Dublin, IR – The Academy
Jan 12 – Bristol, UK – O2 Academy
Jan 13 – Manchester, UK – O2 Ritz
Jan 14 – London, UK – O2 Forum
Jan 18 – Amsterdam, NL – Melkweg
Jan 19 – Brussels, BE – Ancienne Belgique
Jan 22 – Milan, IT – Fabrique
Jan 23 – Paris, FR – Élysée Montmartre
Jan 26 – Zurich, CH – Kaufleuten
Jan 28 – Berlin, DE – Huxleys Neue Welt
Jan 29 – Cologne, DE – Live Music Hall
Jan 31 – Warsaw, PL – Klub Stodola
Feb 23 – Honolulu, HI – The Republik
Feb 26 – Wellington, NZ – meowNUI
Feb 28 – Sydney, AU – Enmore Theatre
Mar 3 – Melbourne, AU – Forum Melbourne
Mar 5 – Brisbane, AU – Fortitude Music Hall
Mar 7 – Perth, AU – Metro City
* with Alemeda
On-sale September 11th, 2026 @ 10:00 a.m. local time.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - September 10: Isaiah Rashad performs at Marathon Music Works during his “Lil Sunny’s Awful Road Trip” tour. (Photo by Dylan Basden for Pretty Nifty)
Isaiah Rashad is the modern-day Patron Saint of Southern Hip-Hop, without a doubt cementing himself at the forefront of the genre as it resurges in the 2020’s. Deeply tied to his Tennessee roots, this show felt like a true homecoming for the rapper who cut his teeth just down the road. The storytelling, the performance, and the pure showmanship displayed by Isaiah Rashad is indicative of an artist who not only knows who he is, but also where he is headed. Don’t miss out on this tour, Isaiah Rashad is the MC to see.