Just to get it out of the way, Asher Roth is not Slim Shady, although comparisons to Eminem are understandable. He’s not Paul Wall and he’s definitely not Vanilla Ice. And before you ask, he’s not Marky Mark or Bubba Sparx. There’s a tendency to compare white rappers to other white rappers (just as much as we compare black rappers to other black rappers) but there has been no Asher Roth and on a show like “Ego Trip’s The (White) Rapper Show,” he would not have fit in. But if you must make a comparison, you may consider him the one man suburban answer to the Beastie Boys–but not really. Point of the introduction? Don’t try to put him in a box.

Asher Roth hails from a suburban town in Pennsylvania and his image is constructed around that background, as he has become an extremely familiar name within the last year. His music has a sense of humor that deals with the live of middle America such as seen on his headlining track ” I Love College.” On this track, Roth brings the listener on a trip through the joys of the college lifestyle including frat parties and pizza. In live performance this song provides a hype to crowds young and old, offering an undeniable buzz. Other songs on the album strike different tones, but overall the fun vibe is kept up. His verbal dexterity is notable with the ability to switch between a laid back approach and an almost hyper flow that manages to keep pace with Busta Rhymes (although not quite there yet). There are notable guest performances on the album from both established artists and new comers such as Keri Hilson, Cee-Lo, Busta Rhymes, and Beanie Siegel. On “As I Em” which discusses the comparisons to Eminem, he also features not new act Chester French.

Roth has earned a whole lot of hype for his debut, Asleep in the Bread Isle and was even featured in The album offers a solid introduction to Asher Roth’s style. As he grows in his craft RBMVibes hopes to hear more of the social and political commentary that he touches on in a few of his songs.

So what do you think of Asher Roth? Is it fair that he has to be compared to Eminem consistently? Have you ever fallen asleep in the bread isle?