Isaiah is a 21-year-old newcomer from Berlin-Charlottenburg and raps about topics such as adolescence, his area, chasing success and finding the right path. His third single “STRUGGLE” will be released on September 23rd and his debut EP will follow in November.
The Berliner is a “CH BABY”, knows his way around very well, comes from a family of musicians and grew up with R’n’B and soul music in his blood. But you can also hear his affinity for rap immediately, resulting in an exciting mix of melodic laid-back trap, Berlin street sound and soul.
Part of his upcoming single “STRUGGLE” is already in double release with the song “OMW” on YouTube. Although both songs deal with the search for the right path, they are different. “OMW” describes a lack of perspective and a future that you sometimes block yourself, as well as everyday life on the streets of the capital.
Fuck the slice I want the pie
I want 6 and no longer 3 figures
Sweep the ashes off the black trackies
Plastic cup and bottle Jacky
He himself says: “I hung out in the parking garage until four in the morning, but then I went back to our old building with high ceilings. The one does not exclude the other.This is evident in STRUGGLE, in which he addresses relationship issues and the difficulty of finding the right words.
I’d like to tell you what I think
But baby I’ve got my Struggle with it
If you ask me, I’ll take care of you
It’s always a hustle if you’re asked
Already with his first single “CHBABY” Isaiah drew the attention of some people. The song leads through stations in Charlottenburg with relaxed drums and saxophone. Starting with the voice memo “Would you like to go out to eat…in Kantstraße?” you know immediately where you have landed and through “Do you have money? – No, but you sort it out somehow,” you know what’s going on.
I am a CHBABY
I’m not Crip but reppe the C Habibi head fucked
No, there is no 10a baby here
And dash with your jits in front of my C Habibis
Sonically pleasant and through lines like:
Gang is chilling in the Knesebeck P-Haus when you’re not here
understand bro
Aren’t you CHB No
“I want to do something about which I can say in the end: no one else has done it like that. It has to fit lyrically and musically and in my opinion that is rare in Germany. I started to raise that quota‘ says Isaiah.
On Instagram there are only a few snippets of his music to be found – as well as a part in the song “Siebtei” by Max Herre. There still under the name Isaiah19 and also only contained on YouTube, many questions about him remained unanswered. One reason is that he didn’t want to use his parents, Joy Denalane and Max Herre, as a stepping stone, but wanted to become known through his own skill.
At the same time, he also owes this path to his grandfather. His label OFF THE GRD not only stands for his goal of building up independent structures and defining something independent, i.e. “off the grid”. It stands much more importantly for George Russell Denalane, his grandfather. Because it was his record collection, his knowledge of jazz, soul and funk and the conversations with him about origin, identity and family that had a lasting impact on Isaiah.