Cilvia Demo isn't being labeled as an album, nor an EP, but rather a demo, as indicated by the title. I don't know what they're trying to accomplish by doing this, but its bothering me. First of all, this would be the longest fucking demo tape I've ever heard by a mile. These things are meant to be like four songs tops! Second, are we supposed to believe that this is the demo he send to TDE? If so, it's really hard to believe that the Chattanooga native just conveniently had Jay Rock and ScHoolboy Q at his hand to be featured on the seven minute closer "Shot You Down." Frivolous gripes out of the way, it really is a pretty damn good song. Isaiah doesn't seem the slightest bit out of place next to his two label mates, rapping with much more aggression and delivering the catchy as hell hook with the delivery of a ten year vet.
The obvious thing most listeners are going to take away from Cilvia Demo is distinctive production. The beats come from a myriad of different producers, but all of them fall under the same laid back, melancholy category that make this project so cohesive. The only couple times the project considers getting uptempo is on the two minute wonder "Soliloquy" (the best track on here) and the penultimate track, "Brad Jordan." (The mere fact that he made a song dedicated to Scarface puts him on the "good" section of this site) The former is sequenced right in the middle, making it sort of a centerpiece. That's a great move. Like I said, "Cilvia Demo" is incredibly relaxed, and its needed a few louts to change up the mood. Still, the the periodic changes of tone can't keep the project from becoming repetitive at times. Some of the tracks on the second half just come off as unnecessary. For example, "Modest" isn't really bad per say, but its hard for me to keep interest when the instrumental is a damn near replica of the previous song. For the most part, though, the production is the strongest element of Isaiah Rashad's debut.
The biggest flaw on Cilvia Demo, though, is Isaiah's lack of charisma or distinct style. He's a perfectly capable rapper, and most of his bars are enjoyable, but none of his performances on here give off the feeling that he is the next big thing. It sounds harsh, but his back story just isn't all that interesting and his flow sounds painfully similar to Kendrick's at times. Oddly enough, I don't feel like this going to be a long term problem. Isaiah Rashad is going to develop his own lane in the coming years; his confidence on the mic alone is enough for me to tell you that. In many ways, I feel like this mirrors Kendrick's 2010 breakthrough mixtape Overly Dedicated. Kendrick was drawing influences from all over the place, but he had potential foaming out of each bar. The same goes for Isaiah Rashad. Once he gets a flow and style to separate him from the rest of TDE, he's going to be a problem.
Thankfully for us, there's songs on here where everything already clicks. "Webbie Flow", "Heavenly Father", and "Banana" are all great song. These are the moments where Isaiah's bars are really up to par with the superb production. Most of his technical abilities come from all over the map, but are mainly derived from a mixture of mid nineties west coast, and the Outkast dominated Atlanta hip hop scene of the early 2000s. Just don't go in expecting the prototypical bars of a Tennessee MC and you'll be fine. I can't really imagine a TDE fan being disappointed with this release, so Isaiah has done his job. For me, though, the potential is what makes this so exciting; I'm not going to be playing this all year and it definitely won't make my end of year list.
I don't want to sell this album short, though. Cilvia Demo contains come of the most reliable production of the early year, thus far. Like I said, Isaiah is capable on the microphone, and his story could go over just fine with you. If you're one of those people that believe an album is only as good as its production, buy it. Sorry if Isaiah Rashad put his blood, sweat, and tears into this particular project, and I don't know if its the potential or the confidence he hold on the mic, but mark my words: Isaiah could very well release one of the best albums to ever come from TDE.
Rating: 3.5/5