Asher Roth Is 21st-century hip-hop culture
Wednesday, March 25, 2009 
Asher Roth is a translucent MC from the suburbs of Pennsylvania who grew up listening to the Dave Matthews Band, enrolled in West Chester University with the idea of pursuing a career in elementary education and dresses like it's eternally laundry day. He raps about weed and MILFs and beer pong. He is sort of like the hip-hop equivalent of CollegeHumor.com
None of those things are the thing about Asher Roth, though I suspect all of them have something to do with what happens whenever I ask real hip-hop fans and critics about him — they sort of get quiet, kind of look at the ground and mutter something like, "Yeah ... he's ... yeah." Roth is basically everything these people are supposed to despise about hip-hop today. By his own admission, he has very little street credibility, and he has paid very few dues, yet he already has a crossover hit and has been the subject of several dozen "Next Big Things" pieces (including our MCs to Watch series). He raps about goofy things like Teddy Ruxpin and pizza, he doesn't have a thuggish bone in his body, and his lyrics have the depth of a kiddie pool.
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