Isaiah Rashad - Cilvia Demo Anniversary Show, Pier 17 - Review
On Saturday, June 1st, Pier 17 was the chosen stage for a celebration of one of the most important and impressive bodies of work released during the 2010s. Cilvia Demo, the debut project from the Chattanooga, Tennessee native, is officially 10 years old, and Isaiah Rashad has been on a celebration tour. But unlike Paul Pierce, each stop and appearance has been met with elation and gratitude.
But first, let’s go back. The year is 2014, and TDE was riding high off recent-unmatched releases of good kid, m.a.a.d. City by Kendrick, Control System by Ab-Soul, and Habits & Contradictions from ScHoolboy Q. The year’s biggest project for TDE was slated to be the beloved Oxymoron from the aforementioned Q. However, the previous year ended with TDE signing 2 new and relatively unknown artists in both August and September. August saw the signing of arguably THE leader of modern R&B, SZA. September would introduce us to the artist who would go on to be one of my personal favorites, Isaiah Rashad. With no findable project under that given name, the man was relatively unknown outside of his home state of Tennessee. Though that would not last long. January 28th isn’t just J. Cole’s birthday, as Rashad would finally release his first project under the TDE umbrella, Cilvia Demo.
Fast forward 10 years, and the reverberations of that year and album are still being felt. One thing you notice at the shows for this special album is the genuine feelings of those you pass by. 10 years of relevance and remembrance is not something every artist and project gets when they release. If that were the case, then Diggy Simmons would have toured for Unexpected Arrival in 2022. Some artists transcend multiple levels in 10 years, resulting in new fans unfamiliar with older content. You can see this in some of the larger names like Cole and Drake. If there’s one thing about TDE, it’s that they understand their own formula regarding quality and quantity. This has led to genuine trust and appreciation from fans towards these artists, and it’s evident in these shows. So it is no real surprise that this 10-year-old project had so much pull, resulting in the selling out of these shows.
The air in the crowd was one of the most genuine that I’ve seen at a show. Some of these fans can be entitled; you can feel and hear the lack of patience as they wait for the headliner. In my experience, TDE fans have always displayed a different air around them. Even the openers, Yakiyn and Samara Cyn, whether known or unknown by that crowd, were still able to pull motion out of an early crowd. Samara’s sound is not one to discredit, and music fans should be on the lookout for her in the future. Yakiyn’s presence was also infectious and attention-grabbing. TDE’s newest signee, Ray Vaughn, also showcased why TDE has one of, if not the, best eyes and ears for finding talent. Each artist they represent can separate themselves from their contemporaries at other labels. Authenticity and talent seep out the pores of these artists, and sometimes you can’t fully see it until you’re in this type of environment.
Finally, the stage of Pier 17 felt the steps, and was home to the appearance of Rashad, coming out to the opening track Hereditary. The man had the focus of every individual in attendance. You would be hard-pressed to find someone who walked out of that show disappointed. Phones are only out to grab the first few moments of a song, then hurriedly put away. His control, both breath and crowd-wise, was impressive. Cilvia Demo has varying emotions, tones, switches, content, and delivery. To put it in the simplest terms, “this man is rapping his ass off” on this project. There is virtually something for every sound of hip-hop that this man injects with his personal sense of self and style. Tracks riddled with intricate rhyme schemes and flows that are not for the faint of heart. Listening to the tracks after seeing him live will make you question how he even recited half of what he was able to.
From front to back, he performed with no hesitation except to address the crowd. Webbie Flow, R.I.P Kevin Miller, Tranquility, you name it. He even revealed that he originally recorded two of the album’s best tracks in one night, Soliloquy and Tranquility. Some fans may not remember, but the fact that he even performed Tranquility is a gift in itself, as Rashad himself commented on the song’s Genius page that he would never perform the deep and heavy track live. But he didn’t just stop there. He went into other tracks in his discography: Wat’s Wrong, Park, Silkk Da Shocka, even Smile, and 4r Da Squaw. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t prayed for him to play even one of these before I arrived. This was a pure hip-hop show. No vocal tracks playing in the background, ala some expensive karaoke experience. This man poured his blood and sweat into his performance, and the crowd reciprocated tenfold. Before the gnarly and teeth-baring performance of Modest, Rashad pulled two fans onstage to see who knew the tracks better. You could hear the doubt in some members of the crowd in anticipation. But, to the surprise of many, both of these fans proceeded to hit, bar-for-bar, the entire track. They impressed many people in attendance, including the man who made the records himself, staying on to perform the following two tracks as well. The energy on that rooftop was electric and was one of the best live crowds I’ve been a part of.
Cilvia Demo is a project that deserves to be celebrated. 10 years later, it still leaves me in disbelief with the delivery, quality, and raw authenticity that seep through whatever speakers or headphones deliver the sound. It’s the reason the bar for Isaiah Rashad's projects has been set so high and why people’s ears perk up when they hear news of potential new music. This set the standard for one of the most prolific and unique artists to come out of the South, and I would be surprised to learn that no one is listening to this album another 10 years from now, whether it be revisiting the project they loved or hearing it for the first time in their life. This show encapsulated everything about this album and the type of artist Rashad is. If you ever get the chance to see this man live, whether this tour or the next, do not live your life with regret for missing it.