Years after his sexuality was outed to the world without his consent, Isaiah Rashad is more vocal about his personal life. Sexually explicit videos allegedly involving the rapper were leaked online in early 2022. It sparked widespread speculation about his sexuality, and the leak triggered intense discussion across Hip Hop. This is a genre that has historically struggled with homophobia and rigid expectations around masculinity. Many fans and fellow artists rallied around Rashad, condemning the invasion of his privacy rather than focusing on the content of the videos themselves.
In the months that followed, Rashad addressed the situation during performances and interviews, expressing gratitude for the support he received while acknowledging the emotional toll of having intimate moments exposed without his permission. While Rashad has spoken candidly about the experience, he has largely resisted allowing the leak to define either his identity or his music career. In a recent interview, he spoke candidly about not receiving the same treatment as Frank Ocean after coming out as sexually fluid.
Isaiah Rashad Recalls Darker Days
The rapper-singer caught up with Dominic Fike for Pigeons and Planes, where they had an honest discussion about Rashad's acceptance in the industry. "On the last rollout, sh*t, I was acting like I was past all my demons, and sh*t," he said of his time in 2021. "I was f*cked up the week before. I'm not proud of that sh*t." Rashad added that he felt as if he was the "poster child for recovery" after having to go through his journey publicly.
Later, Rashad also referred to himself as the "Black bi rapper," adding that "it doesn't come with any of the perks I thought it would come with. There are no Frank Ocean perks." Back in 2012, Ocean penned an open letter he published to Tumblr, revealing that his first love had been a man. The post arrived just before the release of his critically acclaimed debut album, Channel Orange, and was widely viewed as a significant moment in Hip Hop.
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