5 Questions for Isaiah Rashad [Interview]

SeeBeyondGenre got the opportunity to find a little more about one of our favorite up and coming rappers for the first installment of the 5 Questions For… interview series.  Isaiah Rashad 21 year old emcee from Chattanooga, Tennessee who came strongly recommended  by a few friends of SBG and since he’s been in heavy rotation among our staff.  Rashad is currently in the middle of a very busy summer, he will be embarking on a portion of the Smoker’s Club tour which features the likes of Juicy J, Smoke DZA and Joey Badass, has a new EP releasing this August and is rumored to be heading to Chicago for a trip to collaborate with fellow members of The Village.

We were first put on to your music by Kembe X down at SXSW this year… can you explain that relationship for us?

We met over twitter and he dissed my music over an email. He’s the only artist to give me criticism over my flows. We met in February and ever since then we’ve been brothers. I’m closer to him musically than anyone. We go through the same things.

It’s usually a safe bet to assume UGK as an influence of anyone with that Southern Rap style, does that hold true with you? Who else would you list as an influence?

I grew up on UGK, but I was more of an 8ball & MJG, Outkast, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, and Master P fan. Master P is really the guy who made me want to rap. I was a stan for him as a kid. Erykah Badu is my life though. Her music is my favorite out of everything. Every album. World Wide Undergroud is my favorite

You have a track, and an upcoming EP, with the title “Fake Trill” …what can you tell us about the term. 

Fake Trill came from.. artists, if we can call them artists. Rappers. Rappers that don’t reflect what I percieved as being “Trill” growing up. They didn’t come up on UGK like they claim, they don’t value the term the way we do. Its not swag, dope, cray, or any of that dumb shit people latch on to. Its true and real. Mimicking what I grew up on doesn’t make you trill. It makes you Gusto. A bitch. Its my duty as an artist to reflect what’s going on.. so we decided to make Fake Trill and basically give them the finger.

One of SBG’s contributors, DJ Eternity, has been up on your music for longer than any other blogger we know and he’s based out of Pittsburgh. What’s it like having your music noticed all across the country?

I didn’t even know he was from Pixburgh. He posts all my stuff, from the lil singles to the soundcloud joints. Its a blessing honestly though. It lets me know that theres still room for people like us to thrive. I didn’t have to make jingles to get on The Smokers Club Tour. I love everybody for that.

I’ve noticed you’re very good about getting your lyrics up on RapGenius and taking the time to explain them – something we love from a fan standpoint. As an artist, what makes you put in this extra effort?

You deserve to know that I’m not putting a bunch of words together for the sake of putting words together. Rap Genius is great for that. You can’t say bullshit now! Its gonna end up looking stupid in front of thousands, not just sound stupid.