BELIEVE THE HYPE
Asher Roth Takes his buzzed-about Rap Act on the Road. Suburbia, Lock Your Doors!

by DeMarco Williams

For us to even hint at the three guys –Philly’s Asher Roth, Cleveland’s Kid Cudi and A-town’s B.o.B.- heading The Great Hangover Tour this July as the future of hip hop is more than a bit of an exaggeration; it’s actually a slap in the face of fellow upstarts like Drake, Wale and Nipsey Hustle. Still, there is some significance to what Ash and Co. are doing, spreading their respective brands of fitted pants-wearing, non-drug-dealing rap.

Already a revelation to MTV nation and those who frequent Asher’s site, www.dailykush.com, this tour marks the first time the 21-year-old Roth, who’s sold about 140,000 copies of his debut Asleep in the Bread Aisle since its April release, has taken his suburban act coast to coast. While we’re on milestones, this also marks for the first time Asher has been featured in this magazine. But based on the depth and clarity of the level-headed MC’s answers below, we’re pretty certain it won’t be the last.

Ash, give me a few words that describe yourself.

You know, there are words like “quirky” and “fun.” But at the same time, I’m very introverted. I’m also cheating a little bit because I know more about me than a lot of journalists do. A lot of people are just basing their opinions of who I am as a human just off songs like “I Love College” and a little bit off The Greenhouse [Effect mix] album. There are some real attributes out of “I Love College” that are true attributes about me. But for the most part, there’s still a lot more. “I Love College” is sort of its own entity on the album. There aren’t many songs that piggyback off that whole theme or anything like that. There’s numerous directions that you can go. That’s kind of a good problem to have.

What kinds of things did you do at ground level to generate the buzz you’ve received over the past 12 months?

I’m letting people into my world. I’m introducing a personality and a lifestyle, not just music and a couple of punchlines here and there. I’m really opening up my world in the sense of when there’s not new music out, there’s a video of me eating apple sauce and being stoned. People can search on a lifestyle and personal basic; rather than being forced to relate purely through music. With the internet, you can do that. You can open up your world visually. It’s a very visual world that we live in. People don’t read interviews anymore. They want people to sit down in a video and watch it. They’re lazy. We live in this world where people want things handed to them on a silver platter. Rather than make it hard on people, I just allow them to step into my life.

So, would you have made it five or six years before this current digital boom?

The era that I came up in is pretty much 100% digital. It’s just a different time. It’s a different era. There’s a lot more going on. The times have changed. You can’t compare Moses Malone to LeBron James. It’s two totally different ballgames now. It’s just the same thing with music. We’re entering a new generation of hip hop musicians. We’re entering a new generation of how to sell these records and all that. Would the same project work 10 or 15 years ago? Who knows?

A lot of folks have heard you and made the quick Eminem comparison. But I actually hear a lot of Kanye in your approach to the mic.

Kanye, even when he experimented with 808s and Heartbreak, has been a mainstay in hip hop for the past decade or so. He’s obviously influential and inspirational on that level, but that’s pretty much all that stands for. But it’s true. Artists like Em and artists like Kanye have very much opened the door for a project like myself, where regular, everyday topics and a white kid could be successful.

Not to stay on Em too long, but how did you manage to stay sane with all the incessant comparisons?

It’s funny. A lot of people are answering their questions before they even ask me. Just like you did –blah, blah, blah… I don’t even want to go there. A lot of people are starting to go that direction. They hear the album. They’re starting to understand who I am. They’re starting to get past the pre-conceived notions and easy reference points. They’re starting me at 0 instead of -10. All right, this kid isn’t Marshall Mathers. It’s not that bad. It’s whatever. It is what it is. It’s pretty simple and clear-cut. I just know that when the album drops, it’s going to be an entirely different ballgame.

There are many pop culture and sports references in your bars. Did the TV babysit you as a child?

Yeah, there was a little TV in my life. Some video games, playing Tony Hawk and getting into my Playstation [too]. I played a lot of baseball growing up. Sports and a good TV show are a part of my life. I love waking up, making a good breakfast, hanging with a honey, watching some Sportscenter and going out and playing some wiffleball. Nothing too wild. I’m a very simple kid. It was the same way when I was 14. I’d hang with the boys, flirt with some local debutants and get some good food. I pretty much haven’t changed. That’s why you hear that youthful exuberance in my music. I still carry some of the same attributes I did when I was 13.

Any regrets about not finishing West Chester University?

I understood the importance of an education, but when you start to go to class and realize you’re not really learning anything and learn some loopholes in the class –a lot of the answers in my Sociology class where in the back of the book- you cut some corners. It changed to where girls started being ahead of studying for sociology. At the same time, education is super important. [It’s important] to be knowledgeable and have questions and understand the world that you live in. People don’t understand how important social skills are. You can’t be socially inept in this world. You have to understand and communicate with people and really fraternize and really socialize. For me, college was 60% socializing and 40% going to class.

What’s been the hardest part about becoming pretty famous so quickly?

It’s really not easy. It’s hard work. You’re constantly being inconvenienced. It’s not like I took the easy road out and now Asher’s living the life. There’s work every day. If you get a day off where you don’t have to do anything, it’s an absolute rarity. People are starting to invade your privacy. And being a white kid in hip hop, I’m grilled about politics and race and very serious issues. It’s important for me to have a good head on my shoulders. It’s not an easy transition, going from a “normal” lifestyle into very much entering a role of responsibility and being a role model of kids 12 or 13 watching what you do and watching what you wear. At some point, all of that is going to have to be toned down because of who’s paying attention and who really does matter. It’s really about these children. When I was 12, 13 and I was being heavily influenced by hip hop, they were telling me how to behave. I understand I’m entering that world as well. There’s nothing really easy about that. My whole mentality is going to have to change.

Tell me a few things you’ve learned about the business in your short time being in it.

I feel like a lot of people, especially in hip hop, are very, very serious. I understand. But at the same time, you have to relax and realize the world doesn’t revolve around you. You aren’t entitled to nothing. If it wasn’t for the fans that came out to the shows and bought the albums, we really don’t exist. So, the whole entitlement thing or I deserve all of this, it’s a strange position to take as an artist. All of this can end tomorrow. Let’s have some fun and enjoy myself and also talk about some things people don’t want to talk about. Those are things that have helped me gain success. I’m genuine and sincere in my actions. I’m not really here to bullshit and fool anybody and put on any façade and put on any song ‘n dance. There are no songs that are the same. They’re all about something. There’s substance. There’s content. There’s something going on here.

Respected cats like Beanie Sigel and Busta Rhymes appear on special versions of Asleep. What did they see in you?

Being sincere, being genuine and seeing that you’re trying to do something progressive for the people [is why they attracted to me]. They’re 100% backing that. As long as it’s not some bullshit. That stuff gets weeded out so fast.

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