Asher Roth's "Asleep In The Bread Aisle" - Stratetized

Let's get one thing straight, Asher Paul Roth is NOT Eminem. And he'd be thrilled that a distinguished member of the press is making that vital distinction. On Asher's debut album, "Asleep In The Bread Aisle" - a phrase that originated from an inside joke between him and his buddies - Ash is not shy about his interests. On "Lark On My Go-Kart" Asher raps about smoking a blunt, drinking Captain Morgan, and "chilling with an Ashley heading to the mall/sitting in the backseat getting jerked off." With the help of Cee-Lo on "Be By Myself", Asher proclaims to "an Ashley" that he appreciates the hand-job but can't be tied down right now.

And who can blame him? The 23 year old, Pennsylvania native, is shining right now. With a hit single, "I Love College," co-signs from some of the most respected hip hop artists in the game, and a touring schedule that would make The Roots proud, the last thing Asher needs is a wifey.

Plain and simple, "Asleep In The Bread Aisle" is a breath of fresh air. The super talented, multi-instrumentalist newcomer, Oren Yoel, laces most of Asher's album with catchy guitar riffs, R&B style synths, and hard-knocking bass drums. The guest appearances - courtesy of SRC's budget - are minimal but effective. Chester French (the other great white hype), are stellar on Asher's reggae influenced, head nodding, rebuttal to all the questions about that other white guy, "As I Em." On "Lion's Roar," an ode to sex, Busta Rhymes ironically "Renegade's" Asher (a reference to an Eminem verse on Jay-Z's "Renegade") - but to be fair, this is the type of tempo Busta excels on.

Don Cannon steps in to produce Roth's "I can't take it no more" song entitled, "La Di Da." On this jam in particular, you can't help but get the feeling that Roth's problems are extremely trivial - which may hurt him in the future as a developing artist. This lack of depth is also present in "Sour Patch Kids," as Asher speaks very abstractly about the world's ailments without really touching on anything substantive. Whether Ash really "can't tell you what he learned from school," or this whether this is a conscious attempt to make his music more accessible is up for debate. Either way, Asher proves he is more than a reckless, beer drinking, womanizing, hooligan; reaffirmed on the very personal, "His Dream."

After listening to "Asleep In The Bread Aisle" you learn several things about young Asher Roth: He loves weed, women, weekends, and other fun 23 year old things, and hates poverty and comparisons to that a certain melanin-lacking Midwest pioneer. Now, if one person can hate on those facts alone, then you, my friend, need to find a hobby. This is what makes Asher Roth a talented artist, and this is why you should like him, or at least respect him. In this faux "hip hop is dead" hate on anything and everything behind your Twitter page obsessed world we live in, it's nice to finally have something real.

Remember when hip hop was all about originality? You were dope because you sounded different and brought something new and original to the table - especially in the five boroughs of New York. There was no formula for success because being successful was about authenticity and raw talent. ODB really did smoke crack. Kweli really did cop blunts for fifty cents. Big L got shot on 139th street. And don't even get me started on the 80's/early 90's. My point is, Asher Roth works for the same reason that John Brown aka "King of Da' Burbs" (not anymore, kiddo!) did not. White rappers are not a new phenomenon. The difference is, we are finally seeing someone who is completely himself, has the skills to back it, and has mainstream appeal. He's the voice of a specific demographic, but beyond that, he makes good music that can be appreciated by all. Hip hop has come a long way from the parks of the South Bronx, and it's about time we realize that.

Asher Roth and Chester French are playing at Blender Theater in New York City tonight