HHG: In a recession, where everything is spiked up, where can you find pizza for a dollar a slice?
AR:(Laughs). There's a spot I know in Westchester. It's only plain slices though. That's the only drawback. You can't get any toppings, but it's in the middle of Westchester University.
HHG: Wait you were really serious about that?
AR: for sure. It's ridiculous man. We were in there the other day. It's good pizza too. That's the crazy thing.
HHG: “I Love College” you said you're the Allen Iverson of beer pong. You know Allen Iverson is on the fall off. Are you telling me your beer pong game is damn near on the decline too?
AR: (Laughs) Nah I mean shoot, Allen Iverson is going to be a Hall of Famer man. So I mean the Allen Iverson, Hakeem Olajuwon--I'm still balling, but I'm a veteran presence. I'm not one of those 18 year-old kids that are coming to play beer pong or 16 for that matter. I still have a couple of years on the table. I might not be as young and agile as I used to be, but I'm still going to hit cups if I need to.
HHG: Do you feel with hip-hop becoming more accepting of White rappers in contrast to the past, that this will make you entry to the game even smoother?
AR: Yeah I think so man. I think we're at a point where white rappers are common place. In the same sense, there's a few that have broken the mold, and have shown we can relate on human instincts, and music on an emotional level. I think now moving on with my project, and looking forward, hip-hop is going to be understood that it's not only in New York anymore. That it's a global thing. It's in global places like Morrisville, Pennsylvania, and it's going to be a more universal thing. That's what's going to bring Hip-Hop back to life.
HHG: Being that rapping is your full-time job, how did you feel when shows like The White Rapper Show portray white rappers in such a despicable light?
AR: Yeah man it definitely makes a mockery of it in a sense of the music side, when they turn it into a competition and shit like that. I don't really have any opinions on that, and it's just in a sense of like it's definitely not helpful by any chance. It's definitely regressive for something like being a white rapper, and coining that term.
HHG: A couple days ago, I was listening to the 20 minute freestyle you did on Tim Westwood. How did you honestly feel when he was playing the Eminem instrumentals for you to freestyle over?
AR: I mean dude, it was definitely like he was kind of pushing the topic, and pushing the subject. You know like with the Vanilla Ice, The Fresh Prince, and stuff like that. He was just being Tim Westwood. That's who he is. At first, it was what it was. Then it came to the point where it was just beats. So I'm just going to let it rock, and I understand what he's trying to do. I'm a freaking white kid in rap music, and there's only a few that have done it before. They're trying to play me, but in a sense, I need people to understand who I am. I'm a totally different. I'm Asher Roth man. I'm a totally different person. We're coming around when this album drops on 4/20. I think everyone will really start to understand that this is it. It's music now yo.
HHG: Since you are considered one of the freshman 10 from XXL, do you feel all these comparisons with Eminem is hip-hop's form of hazing in terms you trying to break through?
AR: I don't know man. I don't know. I mean, like I said, there's a lot of characteristics about human beings when it comes to watching other people succeed, and doing what--you know what I mean, especially when you're in the public eye. It sucks to be a celebrity in the mainstream thing. That's when it starts to become when money is being tossed into the equation. You know what I mean? It all gets a little weird. You know, people are going to say what they will, and make up whatever they wanna make up. I understand that there aren't room many white rappers. There are not really any reference points to talk to me about. What this all comes down to is that it's a new generation. It's new music. People are gonna have to understand that hip-hop is moving forward like everything does. It's going to be interesting on how everything plays out.
HHG: With Em being aggressive with a hint of violent lyrics, and you having a humorous but yet passionate flow, the difference is there.
AR: I mean that's what I mean. You said it. That's really what it is. You're not making anything up. I know that's your opinion, but that's like the truth. I'm who I am, and he's who he is. We just both happen to be white. That's just my makeup. Once people begin to understand that these are two different human beings, and you can't really rub them together, then that's when I think we'll really begin to move forward.
HHG: I recall you said your influences were Biggie, Outkast, Mos Def, and The Roots. With you guys apparently having different styles and upbringings, where does the correlation come in?
AR: That's interesting dude. Do I relate to the lifestyle of Biggie or anything like that? No, that's like--why is it that white kids, get drawn into this behavior that they don't know nothing about. Remember that Office Space movie, when that dude is rapping in the beginning. Then, the black guy walks by, and he turns it down. Why is that we get drawn into this stuff that we know nothing about, but we rap it like we're proud? It's very interesting. To me it was really the music man. Why I got drawn into Biggie is because when he said it, he meant it. He has emotion. He has the passion. He wasn't confusing anybody with his freaking lyrics; he was just straight to the point Brooklyn. So that was just a beautiful thing to watch and see. I mean just to watch somebody be so passionate, and raw. Then you know people like Quest, and Black Thought were rappers that were really spreading some type of a message. They had content, and substance, but were still killing it lyrically. So that's maybe why I was really drawn into them, and kind of the edginess. I was more of a rhythm person. I wasn't more into melodies, and all that. I was really attracted to the drums. So that was what brought me into hip-hop. So that, I could only speak for myself. It's crazy though man. Why is it that so many ethnic white kids from the burbs, that live, breathe, die hip-hop, and are knowledgeable about their shit? I don't know everything. I know a couple people that know their shit. It's kind of ridiculous. Hip-Hop is so young. There's 45 year-olds that can tell you where it begun. It's really interesting to me now, kids my age, are kind of the middle ground with these blogs, and their perspectives. To just see all those perspectives blend in with people who are 45, and still in touch; to the kids who are 18, to even me, understand this culture, and this way of life. You know I'm just saying, this is a culture, and a way of life. This is music. You have to respect it. You have to treat it appropriately. Then, you have all the politics. It's crazy man. It's a mind game. It really is a mind game. That's why with me, when I hear the comparisons to Em, things about race, and politics, all these things for me, is just who I am. There's no facade. This is what's really going on. We still gotta have fun man. It's all about having fun. Who wants to be all bummed out, and depressed? Who wants to hate life, and kill people? No one wants that man. If we're going to do this through music-- If we're going to do this through hip-hop, then we all have to come together. Like me, I'm here to have a good time, and make sure the people after me live a good life.
HHG: You just answered my next question in regards to whether you feel people try to test your limits because of your race, and birthplace.
AR: I just hope people get it, and don't think for me that this is some fucking get rich quick scheme. I didn't come here to get paid. This shit is hard man. Put yourself on a chopping block, and sacrifice sleep, meals, your life. You put your life out there. You put your life into the public eye. You're on the chopping block where everyone says everything about you. I just came here to chill, have a blunt or two, maybe have a couple girlfriends, and make some dope music for people to listen to. Now all of a sudden, people want you dead. It's just really interesting man. It's really interesting to see people's behavior. For me man, I think that we're really going to be able to do it. There's a bunch of dope emcees coming out. Hip-Hop is so influential and so important. I think we can lead them with this new school shit. I think that it's gonna be dope.
HHG: That’s like with Cudi when he was thinking about retiring. Does the negativity ever become too much to handle?
AR: That's when family, and the support of the friends that you can count on in one hand becomes very important. When you get into the point where you're mentioned in the same sentences with influential rappers, and are in the same breath as them, that's when everybody has an opinion about you. That's when you have to realize what's real, and what's not. It's get really really really silly when everyone wants to know what's going on. You gotta really know who you are. That's why with the whole college thing, we can all relate to going to school. We can all relate to going through the struggles of just living life. My motherfucking shoulder, and back are killing me. You wanna know why, because I'm a fucking side sleeper, and I sleep on my fucking side habitually. These are just the pains of living life. So I think it's going to be fun man. We have some videos. We have music. We've got good people. We got good food. We're having fun at these live shows. It's going to be a positive, positive thing that we're doing. Anybody that wants to be negative can just go over there, you know? I mean there's nothing negative about this project or this movement. It's really about everybody.
HHG: At what point in time did you decide that it was ok to rap about being from the suburbs, and not rap about drugs, and guns?
AR: Oh it's crazy dude. Don't even get it twisted. When I was 16 years-old, I thought that was how you rapped. Then, at some point when I got here, I realized that people pay attention to what you're saying. This was like when I was 20 years old. I realized I wasn't a kid anymore. I was turning into this young adult. When you're 13, 14, 15, 16 years old, you think you know everything. But me, remember those kids that were in college, and you were like "yeah he's in college. He's sooo old." Remember that? You were like "that motherfucker is sooo old. He's in college. I can't believe it." Now, I just left college, and I'm still a kid. I don't know anything like those undergrads. I'm as ignorant as they come. At 16, I'm thinking I have the world figured out. So when I reached 21, 22, I was like I have to be who I am.
HHG: Switching gears, as for the album cover, were you really lying on bread?
AR: Absolutely man. That's me. I'm skinny so I was able to fit in one of those aisles. I was just laying right in that bread aisle in Atlanta Georgia.
HHG: I know you left smelling like bread.
AR: (laughs) exactly. We'll see man. I also wanted to leave that open for interpretation, and see how people interpret that.
HHG: What was the concept behind the album?
AR: Well with me, it was really just about how like I was saying, there's all this craziness, and all this bullshit. For me, It's just about being who I am. That's exactly what I was just talking about with concept behind this album. With all the craziness, and how people talk about how money comes into the picture, I'm just going to be who I am. You know head all over the place. Like if I don't wanna shave, or shower today. It's just about being who you are.
HHG: Normally people like taking huge chances on their debut with star-studded producers, what made you decide to give the bulk to Oren Yoel, a newcomer?
AR: Oren and I are just pals man. He's just my guy. I mean he's my friend. To me, that's making music. I didn't want to buy an album. I wanted to make an album. I wanted to create an album. I wanted to make music with somebody I could make music with, not with somebody of the right price. So that's what happened with Oren, and even like Cannon. Those are my guys. I was like lets make some music you know?
HHG: As for features who can we expect from the album?
AR: You know we got Cee-lo. We got Keri Hilson. You know with this album, it's going to be really dope. I got something for everybody man. Everyone is going to have a different favorite song. I don't want people to be stuck in the mind frame of that they want one type of album. That's not how people listen to music anymore. We are kids with this I-Pod shuffle shit. Nobody has an IPod with just hip-hop. We got all types of stuff. That's why with this album, I'm trying to get a real cohesive sound. On this album, there's always purpose for every record. Even though “Aisle On My Go Kart” was just a stream of consciousness, and a bunch of different ideas, it served a purpose to let you guys know who I am. I'm light-hearted. I'm chilling. I'm funny. I enjoy my time on this earth. I like to have a good time, mess around with some women, and still showcase that wordplay. I don't waste my listeners’ time.
HHG: How are you able to remain so positive man?
AR: Hate is so fake dog. I just don't pay attention to it. I ignore it. Like my baseball coach, when I was 13 years old, he always used to pick on me. My pops was like, "Yo. Why you always picking on Asher, and yelling at him?" He was like, "Cuz things just roll of his back." I come back the next day the same way how I approach this man.
Those people man. They don't know anything about me fam. Those people that are talking about me are speaking out of complete ignorance. It's out of envy, jealousy, and every bad emotion. I surround myself with good people. I think if your thoughts are so important to how you approach life, and your thoughts become your actions, then this is nothing dude. I think people just need to think differently. I don't pay attention to people. I don't have nothing to prove. If somebody tells me "Oh you're a punk p****, f****** wanna be Eminem," I don't have nothing to prove to him, because I know who I am. I know what I'm doing. I just gotta roll with that. I have good beautiful people that I could count on. I come from two supporting parents, and two loving sisters. That's all I need man. At the end of the day, I don't need all this other stuff. I'm just making music for me.
I'm going to talk about shit that people don't wanna talk about. I'm gonna talk about shit that I'm feeling right, like these are my thoughts at the moment. You know it's going to be fun. It's going to be popping. I might get bummed out at some point, but you guys are going to be able to roll with it and be like "Yeah I relate to that shit."
HHG: I noticed with the freshmen that you guys are more concerned with the good of Hip-Hop rather than album sales. Does that apply to you too?
AR: I could care less about album sales man. Honestly I don't give a shit. I'm going out to have a live show. I'm going to do a show, and hope people come out. Album sales man what does that prove? What do album sales prove?
It really has no meaning. If you're inside the circuit, and people respect what you're doing, and you could put on a dope live show, kill it, have people talk about it, then you're doing it. That's what it's all about. It's not about record sales. It never will be. It's all a fucking facade dude. It's all a facade. It's made up. It's like the fucking economy dude. Those plastic cards. Those credits cards. It's nothing. It's just an idea. It's time to talk about what's really important.
I'm telling you man it's coming back. You have artists like myself, Charles, Wale, B.o.B, Kid Cudi, and Blu. We're not afraid to talk about this stuff. We're coming from a generation where like history is cyclical. Watch man. Just watch.
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