Isaiah Rashad McClain hails from Chattanooga. He had thoughts of becoming a preacher until his stepbrother's copy of OutKast's ATLiens turned his head around. He was soon writing and recording with such dedication that he eventually put aside his studies at Middle Tennessee State. Rashad's big break came in 2012 when he joined Juicy J on the Smoker's Club Tour, then in 2013 he signed with Top Dawg Entertainment, joining a roster that boasted Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock, and Ab-Soul. In January 2014, the label released his debut effort, Cilvia Demo, which entered the Billboard 200 at number 40 and assured Rashad's inclusion in XXL magazine's annual Freshman Class feature.