Asher Roth Will Never Be A Rap Star (Part 2)
Yesterday I brought you 3 reasons why Asher Roth will never be a rap star/have a long-lasting career in the rap industry. Read all about it HERE.
My first 3 reasons sparked some controversy in the comments section. This is what one reader had to say,
I’m not saying you need to like the dude, or that he is the freshest, I just think your points on why he won’t succeed are pretty fuckin’ stupid. I think you should do your homework and get back on the internet and pay close attention to whats going on in the world of music.
Not everyone was anti-Cfro. John-Henry of Hiptics had this to say,
Asher Roth is similar to Mickey Avalon, they are niche rappers with limited marketability, and appeal. At best, he will be a novelty, a white humpty-hump of the 21st century. Rap music, for many white suburban kids, hip-hop is half escape, half action movie. Most people who purchased Ready to Die never sold crack, spent time in jail, but still could relate with the former King of New York because at some point in time they felt like their life was “played out like a jeri curl.” Rap for suburban kids is a fantasy land that rarely speaks of consequences, and they are able to relate with it on a somewhat microscopic level. Whether it’s feeling “ready to die” or hustling dime bags out of your dorm room your freshman year of college. Asher doesn’t have that same action/escape effect. He is right there with us. I take him about as seriously as the Smirnoff Iced Tea Preppy Rappers.
As promised, here’s my 4th and 5th reason why Asher Roth will never be a rap star.
4. His performance skills need serious work. Look at him perform in Atlanta. That’s what I would look like performing. Again, he’s too normal. He has no mystique. Stars do. Yet another great reason to give Mr. Roth two more years to grow. After all, concert skills pay the bills, especially in 2008 (when was the last time you bought a CD?)
5. His crew (or lack thereof). 50 Cent has Yayo and G-Unit. Eminem had Proof and D-12. Asher has the kid that helped you with your Chemistry homework. And the rest of the crew has as much personality as the Chemistry book.
No related posts.
You are a jackass..this kid has blown up out of nowhere off just his first mixtape. He has a huge buzz and is gettin props from hip hop elite. He is the real deal and his crew is the truth. They dont seem to give a fuck what some loser like you thinks. Do your research. The kid Scooter that found him is no slouch. And Steve Rifkind is the mogul of the game. idiot
Thanks for reading Hiptics, Ray.
Did you miss my point?
Asher Roth is a dope emcee but his marketing plan sucks.
One of the disadvantages of the internet is that it gives any jackass publishing abilities. You are one of these people. And I have to be honest, I’m embarrassed to even give the effort to comment on your website, which is lack-luster, along with the thousands of other untalented, uncreative, and hate-filled blogs out there. After reading your blog, it’s easy for one to assume that you have little to no experience about the music industry and “hip-hop” specifically.
1. If Asher did come at Lil Wayne, which he didn’t, it’s because he’s a fraud and says nothing over and over again on his songs. Wayne was a scrub for a bit until he switched up his flow. You can thank Gillie the Kid and a few others for that. People have been writing Wayne’s music for the last couple of years. That’s the only reason for his success. Yes, weed and surp made his voice sound good and his delivery is on point. But he’s a scam artist and has everyone fooled, including you.
2. You wrote, “Did you miss my point? Asher Roth is a dope emcee but his marketing plan sucks.” How would any logical person with the least bit of common sense market Asher Roth? You would dress him up like the kid that millions want and can relate to. And you’d probably travel to every college in the fucking country to do shows.
3. The mixtape he put out, which is the only music he’s put out, has created a huuuge buzz with tens of thousands tunning in and more catching on everyday. Keep in mind that his fan base which was created from this mixtape, has skyrocketed within only a few months. So far everything seems to be much more successful than unsuccessful.
4. The Em comparison. Man, have you not noticed that the majority of black rappers coming out today all sound the same? Or that people stole Jay-z, Big’s and Lil Wayne’s (I mean Gillie the Kid’s) flow and are successful with it? To be honest, he does sound like Em… rarely. But 99% of the time, he sounds like Asher Roth and shares little in common with him as far as content goes.
5. I’ve already wasted too much of my time for nothing. Next time you want to predict the future make sure you have some knowledge of what you’re talking about. Or at least some credibility behind your name.
And, Plies? Bro, you serious?
For the ignorant kid calling out someone who is way more intelligent and on point in the hip hop world than you could ever dream of ( dried figs), suck a dick. since this post isnt about plies i wont even go there but you must not be educated enough to understand hip-hop on a deeper more intelectual level. Us 239 boys listen to more than just the overplayed bust it baby pt. 2 and lame trina remix’s…
but now back to Asher Roth. In defense of my boy CFro i found this rediculous video on youtube that explains one of the points he is trying to get across. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tATZN58oZ3Q&feature=related
First off, how does a kid expect to make it big when a majority of his songs come from completly unoriginal samples, several of which have been over used. I mean come on now another Cannon remix? That shit is wack. Now dont get me wrong i dig the flow and delivery but the kids’ content is terrible. The college crowd fiends for that gangsta shit along with a lyrical prowess, not some kid rapping about ihop and how he likes his pancakes. (I eat my breakfast at ihop/scotch on the rocks/ they look at me with their eyes cocked). Really??? heres another one D Bag: You aint even gotta bring your boyfriend out/ Its the party of the year we dancin on the couch.
If this is what you wanna listen to Mr. Dried Figs go right ahead but kids arnt going to start bangin Asher Roths weak ass jamz while jumping on the couch with their red solo cups. Get real. WIth the way the music industry is today there is no way this kid will come up and outsell any other mainstream hip-hop artist, and if you disagree you are in a dream world so lay of the acid. The so called Asher Roth Buzz that your creaming your pants over will be short and unsubstantial, mostly because of the record industry trying to make a fast buck. They see a short investment that will temporarily cash them in. Nothing more nothing less. So stop talkin shit about people you kno nothing about. Mainly my boy Cfro, who actually has his own hip-hop radio show which is one of the tops among college campuses.
p.s.
Mr. Dried Figs, try listening to some underground Plies and mabye your eyes will be opened to someone who tells a story that people can actually relate to.
To Dried Fig, the guy who provided a fake e-mail address cause he’s gangsta like that:
1. No experience with the music industry or hip-hop? I’m not Russell Simmons, but I bet my hip-hop resume looks a lot better than yours. Just like Rick Ross told me in the ATL Airport, “BELIEVE THAT!”
2. When did I ever bring Lil Wayne into this post? You were the first person to bring Wayne’s name up. I agree with what you say about Gillie, by the way.
3. Marketing Asher Roth is something that should be handled two years from now. If you read my two posts — I said he should chill on the sidelines for a couple years, figure out who he is, then come back to smash the game.
4. Do you know how many times Asher Roth’s name was Googled in July? 8,100 times. The word ‘poop pants’ (I’m not even kidding) was also Googled 8,100 times in July. How big is his buzz again?
5. Your point about Eminem and “black rappers” does not deserve a response.
Thanks for calling me a jackass on my own site. One of the disadvantages of the internet is that it allows any punk to talk shit and hide behind a screen-name.
1. Rick Ross? Plies? Tell me one thing Rick Ross or Plies has done for the progression of hip-hop or music? besides talking about money, material items, drugs and violence. Because no one has done that before……… Having Rick Ross tell you anything means nothing and it definitely doesn’t give you any credibility in the music industry.
2. Lil Wayne was brought up on your first post about Asher Roth.
3. Marketing Asher Roth… Putting him out 2 years from now may have been a good idea. Won’t deny that but, so far so good. And the team he’s got behind him is one of the best.
4. I could care less how many times his name is googled in july. The fact that some of the biggest producers, VP’s, CEO’s and other artists in hip hop and in music have reached out to him, not him reaching out to them… says a lot. Lots of big people giving him the cosign.
5. I got money Em gives him the cosign.
1. First of all, I don’t listen to Rick Ross because he’s a blatant liar. I cited his quote because I wanted to say “Believe that” and i remembered him saying this to me in the airport. Sorry you didn’t catch on. I never claim to have credibility in the music industry but as a DJ for one of the nations most popular college radio stations and a hip-hop fanatic since I was 10, I feel confident in my claims.
2. Plies is a political rapper. He does talk about ignorant things, but again, he’s more political than your favorite conscious rapper. Do your homework.
3. Lil Wayne was brought up in the first post. By me? I don’t think so. Wait, were you commenting on the first post? No. You can see why I was confused.
4. Lots of people in the music industry are stupid. My guess is they see a quick buck in Asher, not a long term career. Here’s an example. Akon cosigned him. Do you know how many artists Akon has hopped on a track with? You can write the list on a roll of toilet paper — it’s that long.
5. I got money he doesn’t. I would actually place a bet with you but you’re hiding behind a goofy name and fake e-mail address.
Asher Roth…he is good, he the white kid who smokes weed with black college students and try to fit in by rhyming. That will market, for long, only time will tell. Taking the mixtape route, well Commercial rap is based on mixtapes. Get a buzz and then get on charts. As for the Eminem comparison, yes it is clear, on some songs he has his own verbal style and then on other songs on that mixtape is just like Em. We knew it was going to happen soon, Rappers are always compared to Tupac and Big. They made rap interesting to black listeners and poor white kids who had problems in life. When Em first came out he was the druggie white trash rapper who was fucking crazy who hated his wife mother and loved his daughter. Now he is a gangster rapper and has a cliche and now on songs where he sounds like 50. However, he opened rap to the burbs. And Asher Roth is from the burbs he dresses like he is. Caragens(spelling)? He looks like he shops at metro sexual stores. Have you been to the burbs? Most kids dress like preps and metro’s. OR EMO ewww. hate those kids. Anyways back to my main point. Asher Roth will blow up, the em comparison will help him. People are dying for Em to come back and go back to Marshall Mathers LP style. And right now Asher is giving them that satisfaction. Any disagreements? let me know. I say Asher will sell a platinum album but never do a feature with Em, maybe Akon….look up the youtube video with Luda and Asher, Luda is putting on front for Commercial support. So big rappers doing shit with him in the next years NOPE. His image will sell. Goodbye all.
What I find fascinating about my son’s foray into this world is how much time people who don’t think much of his work spend talking about him. Imagine two whole posts dedicated to why he won’t be a star. If his buzz is so weak, why were you compelled to write two posts about him? Just curious.
Dr. Roth — first, thanks for reading Hiptics.
If you read my original post about Asher, I am very complimentary of him. My thesis is that his current marketing plan is setting him up to be a short term success.
I never implied his buzz was weak. I never implied he wasn’t talented. I never implied he was a bad person.
However, I was compelled to write two posts (5 reasons) about him because it’s very apparent to me that he’s being exploited by record execs who are thinking short term profit. He should hold off on releasing a commercial album for a couple years and/or not be marketed as a beer-pong playing conscious emcee. It’s cheesy, and your son is skilled enough that he doesn’t need a cheesy marketing plan.
I appreciate your feedback, and understand your desire to defend your son. Hollaback
Wait…are you really his parent?
What did your parents do for work ?
My mom was an aerobics instructor for almost 20 years of her life, and my father was a consultant. He’s still doing the consulting. Now my mom is a full-fledge astrologer. She’s one of the dopest, dopest tarot card readers ever. I’m telling you. She’s real legit. It’s not that Miss Cleo fake shit.
from XXL. No mention of a Dr.
Dude honestly.. you are a retarded individual… I am sorry but Asher already IS a rap star. And by the way his crew? I know the one kid tom.. asher and my sister are good friends. they all have personality.. Asher is big now.. you are not… get over it.
Thank you for your unbiased response, Joey.
Yo did u say em has proof, u idiot proof is dead.
yo my bad misread
but i think asher roth got talent. he can flow real well, and even tho his flow can sometimes sound like em, he doesnt rap bout the same shit that em does and did.
Asher Roth is ill, but I agree with that dude cfro cause they makin him look cheezy, yo
Asher Roth is not close to being a star. I had never heard of him before Cfro gave him a public presence on this website. He’s not even at the one-hit wonder level because he does not have a single hit. He’ll need to be original and get some swagger to become a star, and so far he’s not shown those qualities. His music makes me feel like I’m selling out on real rap because his ryhmes are corny.
Joey D what you said is typical of someone who is knows someone personally, of course you gave Roth props. Your ties to him make you an unreliable source. I don’t need to make a good judgment until he releases an album, cuz right now all his done is covers.
This dude aint got no buzz he owns the record labels and connected to various other forms of media to get his garbage out there. HEADCRACKIN TIME..real hip hop niggas worldwide crushin on you lames..wack rappers get your security up cuz shit going down.. only tha real will shine.
Go check out Asher’s 4th live show ever in Boulder, Co and tell me he isnt going to blow up. There was a record 9000 people at the show, 4000 more than the previous biggest show of 5000 at University of Colorado. And that is without 90% of the crowd knowing who he was. His live band is one of the best in the industry, so all you jackasses judging a career off of a mixtape are about to find out how wrong you are. 9000 people with their hands in the air, and they didnt even know dude before the show? get the fuck outta here! No one on this site or this fuckin planet can claim they’ve seen a show like that (let alone the 4th show ever)! Go to his myspace and check out the kyte player above his top friends. What a bunch of internet gangsters who dont know shit about shit!
send a link to the 4th live show– id like to see it
how are we acting like internet gangsters? bitch im gangsta forreal
I don’t even know why I read this fucking article, but what’s funny to me is that I know asher’s closest friends personally from highschool…And they have more personality in their pinky toes then anyone in G-Unit, including 50 cent. His hypeman used to come in to our highschool with a megaphone on top of a truck dancing to the percolator. You probably had no friends in highschool. Good job on making the most popular post you will ever make in your life.
with that being said…
Tackle your day with positivity!
HAHA FUCKING PLIES has T-Pain, Akon, Ne-yo, then Dream and Jamie fox on his first four singles….haha…is that what you call hip-hop?? As soon as you said plies i realized how much of a bum you are! Motherfucker if only Pookie from the corner bodega could get those R&B stars on a song he would blow up!
^^^Plies has the South on lock and the streets on lock. fuck asher roth and his boring life
Nice come back “100%Street”. I’m glad to know that you are 100% street and not 80% or 90%Street.
the only reason why im lookin up this asher roth fool iz cuz im wonderin if this iz for real? haha
if this kid iz really tryin ta be serious…?
rap and hip-hop has roots rangeing from public enemy, Run dmc N a lot of ppl bein the minority having to raise against bein colored or poor …
this kid iz jus going along with wat iz “cool” n the only kids that are gonna buy this kids stuff iz college kids,white kids and his myspace friends sticking up 4 him on blogs…haha
i aint talkin shit bout whites or jus sayin cuz he iz white, cuz i have respect for eminem, cuz he has cred, he’s been through struggles n hard shit in his life…..
some things real hip-hop n rap waz based on….
so i feel wah this guy iz sayin on his blog…
n 2 all you pussys that are sayin that his shits dope n deep n all that…you guys r fuckin lost!
Asher Roth does not come in any casual conversations of those people that rap thrives off of, that is, the mainstream listeners. To make a good living off of rap he will need to become bigger and better than his capabilities. For those that are waiting for his breakout, it took Eminem a few months to get signed by a major record and sell millions of records after Dre found him. The major players in rap have definitely heard Asher, and he’s still a small fish in a big pond.
By the way, hahahahaha, the Asher Roth article has not been the most popular of Hiptics long list of articles, its not even close.
I got the greenhouse effect over the summer cause I saw cannon & drama sponsored it. Hes got skill but I can only listen to him talk about college and drinking games for so long, along with his wanna wanna be em raps, if I wanna listen to that I’ll jus throw in the slim shady lp or MM lp real talk! Roths a flash in the pan and gets old reaal fast. Get of his dick, like andrew said ihop & scotch???!! U gotta be kidding me
but not gonna lie if he does have an album I’ll download it
Thank you cfro. I’m sick of hearing people say this kid is going to be such a big mc. His rhymes sound like a lyrical Weird Al, way too corny. He won’t last, other rappers are going to tear him apart.
You guys are all pathetic. Ranting and raving about these stupid bands/singers. Go outside and go for a run and leave the computer in sleep, faggots.
^^ thanks for coming online to let us know how wack we all are
& thanks for reading Hiptics, buckaroo!
This author is incredibly dumb. You can still have “Dr.” attached to your title without meeting a medical doctor, you fucking moron.
Many consultants have “Dr.” in their title, it’s called getting a Ph.D
I can’t believe this retarded writer didn’t know that.
**being (not meeting) in my previous post
^^^ nice typo, jackass
All I’m saying is Killah Matriks ‘09. :)
First off i think its cool that hip hop and the industry is letting a regular white guy from the suburbs in and is giving him a shot.
my prob with Asher is that he seems like he almost has NO struggle whats so ever. He was a lazy student apparently who could afford to just goof off in life and school. HE has no real brush with urban culture or hip hop in general before trying to pull this campaign off. AND THE WORST OF ALL – he sounds just like Em. u just cant come out with the same flow as the other most notable white rapper of your time. Its not original. if a black emcee sounded like another big name he’d be called a biter up front. I think sadly enough, the industry is trying to market to college kids but isnt really interested in pushing something different. The kid has a flow n delivery that has worked in the past thats why they brought him on so easily. And neone that doesnt have the luxury of sitting in a college frat or dorm all day goofing off i dont think will really like his single. Just my opinion
p.s. there is a guy i actually work with who has a decent parody of Ashers College song on his myspace page. Getting some buzz…just something to check out
myspace . com / iLLusciato
what u say about him not getting to the rap community because he raps about beerpong is a false statement. I no personally im tired of hearing about guns and money all the time. its nice to relate to a rapper hes blowing up huge and personally i think he has a shot almost all college kids like listening to his music
^ I go to college and I haven’t heard his song played once.
Well so far in the 6 months that you wrote this he has done an awards show and i just saw his video on mtv … hes got killer mike, andre 3000, akon, rifkind, jay-z, don cannon, dj drama, wu-tang, david banner, big pun, and ludacris all saying he’s the shit… who knows what would happend if he waited 2 years… but one thing i do know is hes doing just fine right now… im sure he’ll be around for awhile…
maurice, I can’t take you serious because Big Pun is no longer living
maurice your a fuckin faggot, I shit and piss (R-Kelly style) on bitches like you. You know nothing about hip-hop at all saying Big Pun is saying Asher Roth is “the shit”. HA! Pun died in 2000, so what the fuck are you talking about?? Another person you said that thinks Asher is “the shit” was Jay-Z , but Jay could not have thought he was good enough because if he did he would have been on Def Jam right now. “Jay passed on me for Pittsburgh Slim, but in the end I’m kicking it with Steve Rifkind.” So try and know a little somthing about the topic you write about so you don’t look like a fuckin jackass next time. FUCKIN CUNT
I cant believe so many people doubt he will make it. Ems first got popular because of corny shit like My name is. This kinda feels like that a bit. Many white people relate more to what Em first started rappin about and what Asher raps about that a lot of the crap played on the radio. I just heard Ems new song on the radio and it sounds like crap to me. i think a lot of people are looking for something chill, about things they can relate to, maybe laugh a little bit, remember times in college, or times they are having in college. In my opinion, he is a little corny and he def needs to work on performing. I cringed seeing him rap to Akon in the video but who they hell cares you know they can make anyone, really anyone better at that. He looks, dresses, and talks like the average white guy or how the average white guy wishes he could be. That is why he will prob make it. Then again it could be one hit and gone. I think its funny how this thread kinda mixes people from all dif backrounds. People with the name dried figs and 100% street arguing about rap… kinda funny
I can’t even believe I’m doing this, but it’s 3am and I am bored.
I don’t know anything about this kid, Asher Roth. Don’t know where he came from, never heard this mixtape I’m reading about, and don’t know who is supporting him. All I do know is that he has this song, a single, called “I Love College,” and I heard it on the radio. I went home and tried to find some stuff out about him because of that song…however, not in a good way. I was trying to figure out who was behind this shameless, embarrassing attempt at cashing in on stupid young college kids. The beat was boring, the sample (Weezer) classically overused, and the lyrics painfully asinine. I hated it, and honestly found it troubling.
Now, people will say, “At least he’s singing about having a good time, and not killing people.” And this is true. We can get into an entirely different conversation about the state of mainstream hip-hop and rap, which I don’t want to. I just feel that something like this is pretty much just as bad…its unoriginal, inane, and gives the impression of an exceptional lack of real talent. My point is, maybe this kid IS good. Maybe he DOES have alot of talent. But by coming out with that song as his first single, from the perspective of someone who is always looking for a truly unique and interesting new artist, he has completely turned me off and I would have to make a conscious effort to even think about him positively (as an artist) or give him a second chance. Not that what I think really matters at all…but I could have bought his album. I won’t.
Obviously you’re not from the suburbs…Asher Roth appeals to crowds other than hip hop..I have friends that strictly listen to Rock that lover Asher Roth….He IS what’s hot right now in the burbs…And I don’t know what you’re talking about relating to album sales…If ANYBODY is buying CDs these days,its suburban kids..
I wouldn’t say Asher Roth isn’t going to do well. I just think his music is idiotic. Come on, a song about college and drinking? An animal house frat party song, basically. “Chug, chug”? “Keg stand, keg stand”? Completely brainless stoner/drunk music for college kids from the burbs? And we’re supposed to be impressed by this? Yeah he might do really well, he might sell ten trillion albums, but that doesn’t change the fact that his music is the equivalent in quality to a bag of Doritos or a Twinkie. It’s not just the lyrics that are brainless–the sounds just kind of drag along like time drags along at a bad frat party. One of the lamest songs that has ever gotten radio play.
Here lies Asher Roth’s career
He had heart and tried to push some beats about weed
Now his heart don’t beat and he’s pushin up weeds
Not gonna happen, this isn’t 1994.
With regard to Asher Roth’s first single being “I Love College”…
If Eminem hadn’t come out with a kitchy anthem like “my name is” and still proved successful, Roth’s epitaph would have already been written. Eminem somehow overcame the white rapper stigma that Vanilla Ice’s ridiculous career set up. Maybe he was that talented, maybe everyone was ready to move on. Either way, he did Asher Roth a big favor (and don’t tell me that doesn’t matter because they DO sound alike and the comparison is warranted)
This isn’t the same industry it was even when Eminem started. If black hip-hop artists were still only finding success with rhymes about selling crack and gang affiliation then Asher Roth wouldn’t stand a chance. But 90% of top hip-hop singles over the past few years, regardless of ethnicity, have been pretty tame.
I am actually surprised that Mickey Avalon didn’t find more success with his anthems, but he, (likely through his own missteps), didn’t have the backing he needed. It’s still 50/50 whether his career is done.
You have people like Slug (Atmosphere) and mos-def that haven’t found huge success because they don’t pander to the lowest common denominator. Asher Roth does along with almost all other mainstream artists today; black or white.
(Please don’t rattle off a list of indie/underground artists better than these two… it’s an example)
In my personal opinion our self proclaimed phenom needs some serious management to keep from making a fool of himself but there is plenty of demand out there for his brand and he will be big.
Now i’m not gonna say i’m some rap mogul i’m just a black high school kid from the burbs too but i mean did any1 stop to just give the kid props on what he’s accomplishing. Yeah his lyrics on the song that people are commenting on are farily mindless i agree and that’s probably why he’s getting ripped on. But songs like that one and Lark on my ho kart etc. are just his attempt at
1. trying something different (who’s really heard a good college rap these days)
2 showcasiing his styl, flow and introducing who he is (ppl are saying they’re marketing him wrong but did anyone stop to think that he’s not just a media puppet that was told to act like a drunk college bum)
he sounds like Em sometimes that’s a given all white rappers get compared to him. He’s adressed the statements accordingly saying that yeah his voice is a little white and nasally and there flow is similar but their content is different. Em rapped and raps about what he knows so does Asher can we fault him for having a voice that is white and nasal.
asher has been proven to have lyrics with no content but upon listening to more of his tracksi’ve found hat he is more than capable of combining a hard hitting flow with meaningful lyrics. i saw a live performance and i can understand why so many ppl went. He has a quick wit which can sometimes be a little much but it’s refreshing better than hearing friggin “BOSS” on every track. listening to Jim Jones talk to himself or listening to 50 talk about killing your mom. He’s got college boy swagger and big league flow
sounds like a deadly combo to me
then again what do i know i’m just the consumer
Some of these responses are really insightful, particularly the last 5. I appreciate everybody who took time to write something meaningful!