That sophomore album keeps getting delayed or re-titled. Set to be the lead single from Is This Too Orange?, despite various other ‘lead singles’ being released, and hopefully we’re finally getting Asher’s second LP.
An energetic one with a dance-influenced beat, blended with a sampled hook of Eddie Murphy’s Party All The Time, and I’m not entirely sold on this one. The sample is annoying, and the thudding electro-style bass in the verses feels like an unnecessary addition, whilst the mainstream vibe of the track causes Asher to take his clever raps down a peg to match the production, and hence what brings are somewhat diluted raps by his standards. The Meek Mill feature doesn’t quite come off either, with his style not a great match for this style of production both from a flow and vocal perspective, which leads to an awkward-sounding verse. I’ve always supported Asher, but this isn’t a good release by his standards and strikes me as a label-enforced single.
Admittedly, I’m slightly confused. The talk from Asher going into this tape indicated this was going to be a purchasable release rather than a free mixtape, but I’m certainly grateful that it’s now emerged as a free mixtape.
The four or five tracks that had already been released from this tape are all of a very good standard, and I’ve got no doubt Asher will continue that consistency with the rest of the tape. Plenty of good guest spots throughout, and his recent excellency on Blended Babies instrumentals has resulted in that production outfit supplying 14 of the 16 beats on the tape. Should be a great listen, and you can grab it for free below.
Released by Asher moments ago on his Twitter account, Asher links up with the fast-rising Action Bronson for the latest track from his upcoming Pabst & Jazz project (dropping next week).
Blended Babies serve up a retro-inspired, funk guitar-driven production that has an irresistably smooth vibe that will certainly appeal to many. It’s an easygoing, organic production that matches Ash’s laidback raps perfectly, whilst Bronson’s more shrill raps contrasts favourably with both the production style and Asher’s raps. I’ve not managed to hear much of AB’s work but he comes through strongly here with a tidy flow that leaves a good first impression. Solid all-rounder.
Asher and Chuck hook up for visuals to their recent head-nodding collaboration, and true to the title, most of it takes place in a kitchen.
Well, various kitchens. Ash and Chuck hop around a few cookeries with an MPC and a multitude of crockery, adding a lighthearted vibe to the intense style created by booming, bassy production. There are (of course) scenes shot in a freezer, copious amounts of takeaway food, toast, a slightly annoyed Oriental family, and everything else you’d expect from a hip-hop video.
In seriousness, the track is certainly worth a few listens, as Asher applies his laidback flow to good effect over Chuck’s chunky yet relatively simple production, delivering some memorable lines and exhibiting plenty of comfort on a production that many rappers would struggle with.
Massive features here for one of the quicker rising (and a personal favourite) rappers out in the US, and he certainly deserves such lofty co-signs with a consistent, solid body of work behind him.
A great production really holds this together, opening with a vocal sample, evolving into a speaker-rattling, dub-influenced, electronically-driven beat with a series of addictive synths and pounding bass hits. What’s noticeable is that the production is slightly different for each rapper’s verse, adding a nice tailored quality, and a commendable attention to detail. Asher opens the verses with a solid set of bars, taking on the beat with a challenging flow and his typically laidback manner, whilst Gilbere follows with a little more urgency in a decent verse, and Bun closes things off with the strongest verse of the three, as he rotates between riding the beat step-for-step and slightly less strictly for a smooth and diverse listen. Decent effort that’ll sound great on loud.
Very slick video here from Asher for the probable lead single from his upcoming Is This Too Orange album.
A very eye-catching, visually engaging video, the track is taken into a new direction with this very unique visuals. Asher becomes part of a living comic and the production represents that with a nice blend of sharp colours and filters for an animated-style look on the whole video, whilst Asher plays the role extremely well throughout, with a variety of facial experessions and mannerisms enhancing his character. There are some good moments in the story itself too, a particular favourite being the ‘sharks in suits’ scene, clearly a thinly-veiled jab at the label problems Asher’s had in the years since his debut album.
Normally, I don’t go for these ‘personality hosted’ mixtapes as they just tend to be a mish-mash of readily-available tracks. However, the ever-entertaining Peter Rosenberg (one of the few prominent lovers of both hip-hop and wrestling!) has really pulled off something special here, with a 23-track project full of original material from the likes of Raekwon, Odd Future, Kendrick Lamar, Asher Roth, Childish Gambino and many more. There’s even a Macho Man Randy Savage interlude!
Needless to say, this looks like a must-have for all hip-hop fans, and alongside the glut of rap gargantuans, there are a couple of ‘middle-ground’ names on here I’ve been looking to get into, whilst I’m sure we’ll also be introduced to a few new and upcoming stars. To quote Peter, ‘With so much BS out there — sometimes it’s hard to find what’s really poppin. Well I did the work for you. Enjoy.’
There’s not been a great deal to dislike about Asher’s output in the last 12 months. He’s picked considerably more ‘hip-hop’ productions and has really proven his versatility as a rapper, moving away from the mainstream stylings of his debut album into that murky middle-ground of fairly traditional beats and stronger rhymes.
The production here has a more soulful vibe than almost anything he’s previously worked on, with a wistful vocal sample (Al Green’s Simply Beautiful, for those interested) wrapped around mellow percussion for a relaxed beat of great quality from Blended Babies. Asher takes the track on with some slick mic work, foregoing the easy option of a slower flow and adopting a quicker, slightly offbeat delivery with some nice flashes of introspection in the lyricism. Nothing to complain about here: this is an easy, enjoyable listen that most hip-hop fans should thoroughly enjoy.
Easygoing video from Asher for his smoothed-out summer jam from a couple of weeks ago. Nothing complicated here, as Ash works his way through some of summer’s best bits, with beach scenes, hot tub parties, and a lot more.
Definitely a track to get in your car on a bright, summer day, and an uncomplicated, laidback video that mirriors the chilled audio in its simplicity. Audio can be pulled out of here. I’m quite sure I read that Asher’s also got a video coming soon for his Akon collaboration, so keep your eyes peeled for that one.
In celebration of the #firstdayofsummer here is “Summertime”, produced by Nottz.
Always nice to get some new material from Asher, and he drops off a laidback effort that’s most definitely made for a lazy summer’s day. Nottz serves up a solid production with light melodies and an easygoing, slow paced percussion line, making for a very gentle and relaxing listen. Nothing spectacular, but certainly fit for its purpose of playing foil to Asher’s naturally mellow flow, which he packs with some nice summer references and much like the beat, doesn’t get overcomplicated and instead synergises smoothly with the production to enhance the overall vibe. The simple, catchy hook rounds things off nicely, adding the finishing touch to a quick, easy listen that will likely rack up a few plays on your playlists. Also, where has Quan popped up from?!
Superb artwork. A very solid music from this collaboration, and one that’s expected to be a single from Asher’s upcoming second album.
Asher and Akon have a good chemistry that meets somewhere in the middle of their respective styles: it’s not too poppy, but also doesn’t come on the slightly gritter hip-hop tip Asher’s been on at times recently. The result is an uplifting track that infuses a motivational vibe into every aspect, with a rousing hook from Akon accompanied by a lively production, and surrounded by some enjoyable flows from Asher. Accessible for the mainstream fans, but should also go down well with Asher’s backers.
The track itself is/was one of the more enjoyable head-nodders to emerge late last year, and its fair to say that the vibe of the track didn’t create any expectations for a mini-movie style video. Looks like you’re in for the same pleasant surprise I recieved, as this is a very well produced video that throws an interesting plot in over the superb audio.
Lots of interesting highlights to pick out, as the video veers between light humour (the Top 40 Mix CD for example) to grittier, more ‘underground’ style scenes with guns and drugs making various appearances. I won’t ruin the actual plot of the video for you as it’s really worth a watch, and will certainly get you replaying that audio once again.
If you’ve not grabbed it already, grab this track and a few others on the free Rawth EP.
Asher’s recently started up a podcast (see here), and used the debut episode to premiere this short track. His Soundcloud claims this is over J Dilla’s Geek Down, though I beg to differ as I’m quite sure Dilla’s track is significantly different to this instrumental. Decent raps from Asher once again, coming on a more relaxed and mellow rapping style than his recent More Cowbell, highlighting his versatility. Not sure about that style on this instrumental though, as the ‘spiky’ beat overpowers his voice at various points throughout.
Can’t complain about this, especially as it’s rare and always enjoyable getting new Asher visuals. Taken from the impressive Rawth EP with Nottz, this track is a summery, jaunty effort that’s very easy to listen to.
Biggest appeal here is definitely the cinematography style, which seems to brush the real-life scenes with a comic, colour-heavy style that gives this a fun yet artistic feel. Really unique style and it makes this video feel very well-made, as well as adding a little diversity to this relatively literal video.
Lots of humour as you’d expect too, with Asher’s creepy, mesmerising bowling alley dance being especially funny. One of those videos you’ll undoubtedly watch a few times and find some more hilarious little additions, and it fits the jovial, upbeat nature of the audio very well. The EP can be grabbed for free from here, or the individual track here.
Bit late on this which I apologise for, it’s been a hectic 24 hours!
Asher once again proves his worth on a gritty hip-hop beat, with this pounding production being very reminiscent of the selections on the Rawth EP. This more intense, driven direction has certainly increased the appreciation for Asher’s genuine skills as an MC, and he proves himself once again here with some slickly delivered bars that rotate through a couple of flows. It’s typically packed with some witty wordplay too, and this is another winner for Roth.
Nothing like resurrecting a perfectly good, but forgotten, song. Asher goes quite far out of his comfort zone here to grab what is arguably Mr. Hudson’s finest track to date, and applies his lyrical touch to the emotional track. It’s certainly not Roth’s usual lane, but he comes through with a fairly decent verse here, bringing relatively easy and clear lyrics to painting a nice picture of his scenario and thought process.
In keeping with the feel and vibe of the track, it would have been nice to hear him step away from his laidback flow and into something more passionate, but it’s a commendable effort nonetheless.
Immediately after releasing Purp and Patron, Game announced The Hangover which would contain 10/11 tracks that didn’t make the final cut of P&P. The first of those efforts has already landed, as he links up with a few of hip-hop’s rising stars for an interestingly-titled track.
I’ve not listened to the whole of P&P yet, but the feedback seems to be mixed: some love it, some hate it. I suspect this track could go the same way, as the production has an 80s pop feel that’ll definitely divide opinion. Personally, I quite like the track and think the upbeat, retro vibe makes a nice addition to Game’s catalogue, and certainly fits Asher and Tyga superbly. Asher’s verse in particular is a highlight, with a tongue-twisting flow highlighting Roth’s versatility as a rapper. One that’ll be even more enjoyable when the weather gets a little brighter.
As promised, Asher and Nottz deliver the Rawth EP right on time. I’ve been looking forward to this from the day they first released a collaborative track and as Murray said recently, their chemistry is undeniable.
Every track they’ve put out has been very listenable, and crucially has established Asher as a more rounded and versatile rapper than many gave him credit for: there’s no question that he’s taken to Nottz’s diverse, eclectic beats with consumate ease and I hope for more of the same. Same goes for Nottz, who has proven just why he’s regarded as one of the better producers in the hip-hop game, and I fully expect him to deliver with the tracks we haven’t heard yet. It’s got the ingredients to be on the of the year’s better projects.
I really wanted to hate this. But the way it’s constructed I found it really hard to. Nottz and Roth have undeniable chemistry and it shows through here as Nottz lays a jovial, head-nodding instrumental whilst Roth spits his backpack lyrics which we are so used to.
From the duo’s RAWTH EP out 27th December and should make interesting listening for all involved in the genre.
From what I’m told, there is finally a date for the hugely-anticipated EP from this duo: 27th December is the due date currently doing the rounds. Can’t wait for that EP as the drops/leaks so far have been really enjoyable, a theme that continues with this one.
There’s a youthful feel to the production, with a child choir sample and a playful chime comprising the primary melodies, combining with low-tempo drumwork to make for a mellow and relaxing beat. As with all of the tracks they’ve put together, the lyrical message of is easy to appreciate as they go through the drawbacks of fame and success, and true to form Nottz delivers the more aggressive style to contrast with Asher’s laidback flow. Another enjoyable slice of hip-hop.
Nottz and Asher Roth-Break Bread
3rd drop from their upcoming Rawth EP, and another one that the hip-hop heads will love. Very similar to Enforce the Law, this boasts a raw, pounding production that further displays Nottz’s qualities as one of the top producers in the game.
In doing so, it also enhances Asher’s burgeoning reputation as a very skilled rapper. His delivery feels as though it’s getting a lot more driven and intense, which is surely a result of taking on these underground-style beats. No question about Ash’s wordplay either, with his witty, intelligent style adapting comfortably to his ‘rougher’ flows, and increasing his versatility. 3 out of 3 on the EP for me, looking forward to the whole project!
The happy, positive vibes that coarsed through the veins of the audio are on full display here in the video for this great track.
No sign of Colin Munroe, but Asher and Nottz look to be having lots of fun throughout, adding some simple imagery to their personal yet upbeat raps. One of those videos that’ll brighten your day for sure: Asher’s robot at the end is pretty funny.
Ever since the All City Chess Club was announced, there’s been a lot of hype as to what their first project/track would be. Many expected it to be the official I’m Beamin’ remix, and they would be right as Lupe gets some of the today’s better rappers together to improve an already superb track.
There is just too much to go through here, but from a quick listen I enjoyed Asher and Blu’s verses a lot. That’ll inevitably change with more listens, but you can’t go wrong with this collection of rappers.
Nice! Loved the first track from this upcoming EP, and before I’d even listened to this one I loved it. Why? The following mathematically-proven, ancient equation: Asher’s raps + Nottz beat + Colin’s vocals = Winner.
Once again, another superb production is thrown up, this time being a really happy, positively tinged one as opposed to the (equally good) heavy hip-hop stylings of their previous track. As ever, this upbeat style works in Asher’s favour as it helps project his personality much more, whilst Nottz once again surprises with his proficiency on the mic. Great hook from Colin Munroe makes this a fully enjoyable track from top-to-bottom.
Oddly, I’m not sure who to credit this to as I’m sure its from their upcoming collabo album but was sent to me as an individual track from Nottz’s upcoming solo album. Either way, grab it below.
Lots of things I could pick out in this week’s episode, but probably the most prominent would be the features: there are lots of them! A couple of unexpected ones too, including Asher Roth’s first appearance in R&B Fridays.
A motivational, inspiring and uplifting video for a great song with the same qualities.Very simple video, with some real, everyday images interspersed with some shots of Asher that make you further appreciate the evolution of his rapping skills and lyricism.
An expressive track that has an everyman honesty, something hip-hop really lacks these days. This is one of those tracks that is being massively slept on by all circles, so hopefully this video will inspire you enough to click here and grab the audio.
It’s no secret that Nottz is one of the better producers in the hip-hop game today, so it’s with great pleasure that I (belatedly) bring you the first track from the upcoming free EP from himself and Asher Roth.
A great track to kick things off with, with the production being a raw, gritty beat that clearly has its roots in the old-school style and helps to dispel some misconceptions about Asher’s rapping: he takes this beat on superbly, delivering a nicely-paced and fitting verse with some great lines. I’d never heard Nottz rap before this and he does a decent job too, bringing a more aggressive, Royce Da 5’9″-esque style to the track. Hip-hop heads should definitely be checking for this one.
Asher just let loose of a DJ-free version of his latest mixtape. Have to say, I didn’t really mind Wreckineyez on the original, but as Asher says this is better for DJs/radioplay. This has a couple of additional tracks too, so be sure to grab it even if its just for those.
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