The Sun's Tirade

by Isaiah Rashad

Released September 2, 2016 via Top Dawg Entertainment

Reviewed August 31, 2021

Top tracks (based on community voting)

Wat’s Wrong (64%), 4r Da Squaw (50%), Free Lunch (35%)

It’s exciting to take a look at The Sun’s Tirade on its five year anniversary, just a month after Isaiah Rashad’s comeback, with the release of The House Is Burning. Born from a world of hurt, Tirade precipitates to the listener like a six-day heatwave in August, concluding in a stormy overcast. These songs tend to balance an effective midway point between day and night, summer and fall, going outside and staying in. What remains consistent, however, are the melancholic overtones that hover above Isaiah’s every word like an ominous cloud. These overtones serve a vital purpose, as no producer for this album is credited more than twice in the tracklist. Rashad’s rapping feels fresh and dynamic, and is being tasked to maintain a consistent atmosphere over a solid variety of instrumentals, and thrives in doing so. The Sun’s Tirade is a balancing act, as was Rashad’s life since becoming a star, and this album gives fans an excellent look at the rapper in his learned environment. – DeVán (8.5/10)

With The Sun’s Tirade, Isaiah Rashad established a cult following among hip-hop fans that began with his previous project Cilvia Demo. Self-described as “making music for the vibers,” Rashad is known for delivering woozy, laidback music to sit back and enjoy. Whereas Cilvia Demo is rawer and more unfiltered, The Sun’s Tirade sees Rashad polishing his sound with production that is as smooth as his delivery. Most notably, songs like “4r Da Squaw” and “Free Lunch” have hypnotic hooks that slip into your unconscious like mantras. While he acknowledges the desire among some critics that he “find a topic” to rap about, Rashad is content to make music that reflects his own reality—noting that making money is his favorite topic. However, that isn’t to say that Rashad doesn’t have his own demons to face. On “Wat’s Wrong,” Rashad confronts his substance abuse and how it almost cost him everything, including his place on TDE. Despite some filler tracks scattered throughout the record, The Sun’s Tirade earns its place as one of the best chill hip-hop albums of the last decade. – Daniel (8/10)