The House Is Burning (album)

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The House Is Burning is the second studio album by American rapper Isaiah Rashad. It was released on July 30, 2021, through Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) and Warner Records. The album blends Southern hip hop with jazz rap and R&B, and runs for 48 minutes and 26 seconds. It features a wide range of producers, including Kenny Beats, Devin Malik, Hollywood Cole, J. Lbs, and others. Guest appearances include Jay Rock, SZA, Lil Uzi Vert, Duke Deuce, Smino, Amindi, and 6lack, among others.

A deluxe edition titled Homies Begged was released on November 19, 2021, adding appearances from Project Pat, Juicy J, Young Nudy, and Deante’ Hitchcock.

Background and concept
Rashad had begun planning a follow-up to his 2016 album The Sun’s Tirade as early as 2017 and announced the project’s title in 2019. He teased the album with snippets and posts before releasing the first single in four years, “Why Worry,” on April 22, 2020, as part of a Top Dawg promotional event. Rashad described the album’s meaning as about whether you hold on to material things or start over when everything burns down, emphasizing resilience and renewal. He also expressed a desire for listeners to see him exploring different styles while staying true to his life updates.

Release timeline and singles
Leading up to the album, the singles included “Lay wit Ya” featuring Duke Deuce (May 7, 2021), “Headshots (4r da Locals)” (June 18, 2021), and the tracks “Wat U Sed” (July 23, 2021) and “From the Garden” (July 29, 2021). The cover art and July 30 release date were publicly revealed in early July 2021.

Reception
The House Is Burning received strong critical acclaim upon release. Metacritic gives the album a score of 82 out of 100, based on seven reviews.