I didn’t have high expectations for Asher Roth’s set at SXSW, I’ll be honest. I know the kid can flow – “I Love College” is an anomaly in his rap career, his “Combination Pizza Hut And Taco Bell” if you will – but I didn’t really expect him to bring it to Emo’s, despite the presence of well-established producer Nottz (Biggie, 'Ye, Snoop, Dilla, Busta).
I was in for a pleasant surprise. While he didn’t best showcase-mates Freddie Gibbs, Cool Kids, and Pharoah Monche, he certainly held his own, rapping with a tenacity that was absent from his debut album Asleep In The Bread Isle. Nottz laid down a few nasty beats, spit a few verses of his own, and lent gravitas to Roth’s flow. Even “G.R.I.N.D. (Get Ready It’s A New Day)” sounded less like bubblegum hip pop and more like a mission statement.
Asher Roth seems to have followed the new paradigm path, ascending via a pop hit before taking it back to a more underground style. Roth is a true hip hop fan, and his decision to pair with Nottz is an indication of his inclination to make quality rap rather than Top 40 fraternity anthems. I hope he follows through on it, because he has the talent to bridge the gap. The Eminem comparisons are off-base – Roth’s verses lack Em’s interior rhymes and aren’t as biting – but Asher still has formidable abilities. Talib Kweli comes to mind as an analog; pretty sure Asher would be more than happy to find himself in ‘lib’s company.
