Asher Roth: The Eminem Effect

by Kevin on October 20, 2008 · 29 comments

So let’s talk about Eminem’s comeback for a minute.  Personally, I think hip hop needs Em and has been waiting for him to spit a verse for a while.  We saw that earlier this year, when another white rapper by the name of Asher Roth came on the scene.  Cats were literally calling him the next Eminem.  And it wasn’t a race issue either, although some claim it was.  Listen to The Greenhouse Effect and tell me Asher’s not in the same league.  Maybe not quite yet, but he’s got the potential…. until now anyway.

What does Eminem’s comeback mean for Asher Roth?  Is the gig up?  Will his gimick still work?  Is hip hop big enough for both emcees?  Will the real Slim Shady please stand up? LOL… all these questions need answers… tell us what you think.

While you’re thinking about it, check out the new Asher Roth freestyle after the jump…

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{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Sean Deez October 20, 2008 at 8:07 am

I think Asher Rote has loads of skill. What bothers me (and this has become so much more evident since I’ve been up on Wax) is that every white rapper gets the eminem comparison.

Extremely frustrated. Fuck colour, seriously. I live in Canada where those colour barrier hardly exist, so I really haven’t paid it no mind. Damn, even the 2 most soulful cats in RnB right now are white..JT and Thicke.. don’t mean shit

2 Cenzo October 20, 2008 at 8:11 am

he’s not bad.

(btw, isn’t he signed to akon’s label? heard something like that)

but he’ll never get on em’s level. i don’t think so! and i think when em’s back nobody will notice an asher roth anymore. sorry dude, game’s over

3 Tokyo Cigar October 20, 2008 at 9:26 am

Em is a beast but there is no reason Asher cant do his thing. He’s nice too. I dont see him doing numbers like Em did but from Aesop and Slug to ILL Bill theres been mad white boys that did damage to the mic and they all got they own lanes that they run well.

4 Polkaface October 20, 2008 at 10:19 am

I agree with you all that Eminem can be one of the greatest rappers. He proofed that on The Marshall Matthers LP. But to claim that he can ruin anybody’s career with his rap nowadays is in my eyes pretty stupid. Since MM LP, his music has only become worse, and with singles like Smack That I don’t really have a lot of respect for him. He was great, but he ruined it himself by becoming nothing but another greedy mainstream rapper.

5 con October 20, 2008 at 10:28 am

i personally dont like asher and would never compare him to em

6 mark m October 20, 2008 at 10:34 am

Asher is dope but I dont think he has the killer instinct to handle EM. Alot of people agree with me. He can rap but EM is a killer, and I dont know if the kid could go where EM goes

7 Polkaface October 20, 2008 at 10:37 am

Well … after listening to the first half of that mixtape you linked to, I gotta admit that I was wrong. Em CAN kill this guy anyday. That doesn’t mean that Eminem’s still good, Asher Roth just sounds terrible and write lyrics that doesn’t make much sense. Why do people like him?

8 QueRico October 20, 2008 at 11:48 am

i think Asher needs more time before you can compare or put him in the same sentence as Em. but i really like the kid’s music. he’s really dope. i support the dude. he’s got talent.

i can’t wait to hear more from this cat. however, Em is a superstar & he’s just beyond a majority of rappers. i’m not sure if Asher could accomplish what Em has in his career. but you never know…..

9 Tokyo Cigar October 20, 2008 at 12:32 pm

I like Asher cause he just does him and talks about stuff just about anyone can really relate to. Plus dude straight killed the a milli beat on some socially concious funny shit.

10 trapperjohnmd October 20, 2008 at 1:11 pm

Deez JT and Robin Thicke might as well be the same artist. Both are karoake cut outs of Usher & Ne-YO

11 Sean Deez October 20, 2008 at 2:00 pm

lol

Man, JT is the king of pretty much RnB music right now. I would love to say that Usher or Ne-Yo have the talent of JT, but they don’t.

Robin Thicke, I still think he has a lot of potential in him.. he has a motown sound that Ne Yo and Usher certainly don’t have. But JT, dude is on another level… his production game is tight.. his acting game is tight..

geez..

12 trapperjohnmd October 20, 2008 at 2:38 pm

WHAT????????? Justin Timberlake has more talent than Usher and Ne-Yo, c’mon Deez! Ne-Yo is the most talented by far, he writes. He’s probably written for Justin Timberlake. Robin Thicke and Justin Timberlake are karoake singers. Imitating Michael Jackson

13 J.Brookinz October 20, 2008 at 2:40 pm

I don’t think it’s a race thing…I just think they have similar voices. If you were to hear Asher Roth for the first time,didn’t know who he was, you MIGHT be fooled. I know there is a difference but it’s subtle. Plus Em hasn’t put anything out that has impressed me in a LONG WHILE.Asher FTW

as far as the Em and race debate, here is a interesting video clip

Rakim speaks on Eminem

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTfaQpBZWZk

14 nofrillz October 20, 2008 at 3:28 pm

here i stand is one lazy album. ne yo did a much better job with his. jt and tim got the production on lock but robin thicke’s production kills usher & ne yo hands down.

ne-yo & usher dont imitate jacko, come on now you should know better.

robin writes & co produces his own things. ne yo is one talented brother who potenially is the best of al four of em.

but right now justin’s last album is more accomplished (thanks to tim) & robins latest offering is a more soulful affair. but if ne yo does up his game he could out strip them both.

as for em & asher. there is absolutely no doubt that em is one of the greatest & is probably the most technically gifted emcee ive heard. stan proved just how gifted a song writer he is. but you cannot get away from the fact that the colour of em’s skin gave both him & hip hop a lot more exposure. im a black man who couldnt give damn what colour he is. as long as he does what he says on the tin. bare in mind his lyrics havent really dipped but the beats for the most part on his last 2 albums were pants. after 4 years away he should be a well travelled man. if he puts his all in to his lyrics & he gets the right beats behind it. asher roth (as good as he is) won’t get much of a look in. but you can’t deny the guy is talented.

15 Snd October 20, 2008 at 7:33 pm

Em can go up against any emcee not just white this is like saying that if a black artist was to come out that he might not do good if another black artist were to come out! The only reason these 2 are being compared is because asher has obviously been heavily influenced by em!

16 smallpro October 21, 2008 at 8:11 am

asher roth is in no way shape, form, manner, whatever, resembling eminem’s skill level at any point in the latter’s career, despite being obviously inspired by him…their being compared was/is strictly a race issue; same reason dirk nowtiski was being compared to larry bird when his game was nothing like larry legend’s

17 Drizz November 6, 2008 at 2:00 pm

This cat is the next big thing? For reals??? I mean nothin to do with race, this guy sounds like the 2nd coming of Em str8 up! WTF is goin on in hip-hop man???

18 High Cap December 8, 2008 at 4:07 pm

That freestyle was wack, Asher Roth is fucking wack
the fact that I’m talking about it and giving him notoriety is wack. Come check out how a real white boy spits at http://www.myspace.com/highcapacity and thats real talk too no bitchassness

19 Big Ups January 30, 2009 at 5:26 pm

yooo!!

real talk – since every one wanna speak of style and bring the color issue ( not necessary) They are two different animals wit the same skin color- stay wit me one this one

Em – dumb props, beast on my multi talented and all that

Asher Roth- jus got in the game, more easy goin in all his music, mad potential though

Common denominator– White

Yuh Digg me!!!

20 serena February 18, 2009 at 3:16 pm

Kayslay cosigned Unsigned Hype’s E-SHY….Em was unsigned Hype as well, Asher is fake

paper bag is my joint

21 rage March 31, 2009 at 5:08 am
22 krswon March 31, 2009 at 5:35 am

DJKAYSLAY PRESENTS E-SHY THE WHITE KNIGHT MIXTAPE (WHY SO SERIOUS)

http://www.zshare.net/download/579693901dd0128a/

23 Matthew March 31, 2009 at 6:14 pm

Of course, ignorant Hip Hop listeners will instantly compare Asher Roth to Eminem. Race doesn’t matter here, yeah, they are both white, but why does that matter? Why does their skin color automatically make them similar Hip Hop wise? The majority of emcees in Hip Hop are African American or of some similar ethnicity, but I haven’t seen anyone instantly compare Lupe Fiasco to Rakim or DOOM just because they have the same skin color. From what I’ve heard, Asher Roth is nothing to take seriously. His single is innocent and his rhymes in that song lack any type of distinction or importantance. However, Asher Roth as an emcee is something that I can not deduct, because I have not listened to his work. I would say that Eminem is light years ahead of where Asher Roth is. Eminem has a small library but it has quality. I am by no means undermining Asher Roth. I’m disagreeing with the general avid Hip Hop populous that compares a novice to a veteran just because they have similar skin color. I don’t compare Aesop Rock to Asher Roth, or Eminem, based on skin color. They are all above average emcees trying to give people a message about things that occur on earth. So, this is pretty unnecessary, the whole comparison thing.

24 Drizz April 1, 2009 at 10:10 am

Sorry bruh (Matthew), but really if you’ve listened to a lotta his mixtape material he has a tendancy to pattern himself after Em. Even if he was Indian or El Salvadorian he would still get the same treatment. It’s his voice… i’ve already commented on this b4, but it needs to be reitterated. Asher will most likely be out the game sooner than most think to put it bluntly. I think if you have skills it really doesn’t matter what skin tone you posess.

25 matt April 11, 2009 at 10:29 am

i dont know about everyone else, but if eminem’s cd sounds like that crappy we made you song, he’s done, stick a fork in him. i’ve been one of the biggest eminem fans/supporters for a long time, defending him as his music has gotten shittier and shittier. but like i said, if his album dont step it up, asher could be hear to stay.

26 Thomas April 11, 2009 at 11:45 am

If you look at Em’s discography he has always had this type of single for his albums. For the most part the album is better than the single. He HAS TO cater to non hard core hip hop fans….this single is that. He’ll give the hard core hip hop fans other treats on the album cuts.

27 Keeves May 13, 2009 at 8:19 pm

That’s one of the weakest frees i have honestly ever heard – i hate to be a hater… But Asher Roth is cringefully bad, dunno how he’s garnered so much hype whilst still spitting such basic bars. It’s not like i was even expecting much of him in the first place, but i’ve got no time for any eminem comparisons, they’ve got completely different styles for one thing, nevermind the chasm between them in terms of ability!!

28 kancer July 26, 2009 at 4:20 pm

To anyone saying Asher has skills: please just watching that cringe worth ‘freestyle’ of his. It sounds like some shit you hear at a party where people are drunk enough to think they can freestyle. Good lord, how can anyone say he’s dope after hearing that garbage. I’d love to see Jadakiss, Immortal Technique or anybody with freestyle skills battle him face to face (especially copywrite).

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