2009 XXL Freshman Cover alumnus Asher Roth has had his fair share of media trying to tie his music to Eminem influence. He rebelled, recorded “As I Em”, and received a response.
Years later, this topic comes up again in the interview. Asher Roth and other rappers featured on 2009 XXL Freshman Cover sat down with N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN of Drink Champs when the conversations inevitably drifted to this topic.
Noreaga wanted to know how it feels to be constantly compared to Eminem, even if your music style is nothing alike. Asher was careful in his wording:
It’s tough, but at the end of the day, it’s banter. It’s media, people have to talk about something. Em is generational, as far as his appeal and the numbers he was doing. And there’s kind of a white rapper quota. There’s only allowed to be so many in the mainstream. As a white rapper, you are like part of the culture, sure, but also a visitor at the same time. Especially as a kid coming from the burbs, I’m a product of hip-hop and rap music and what it’s been able to accomplish, and the voices that they’ve been able to put on a platform and inspire kids like myself. Em was part of that group of people who we listen to and like, oh, cool, I guess I can rhyme too. But as far as even just who I am as a person, rhyme style, everything — that for me was kind of in one ear out the other. That was for other people to discuss.
N.O.R.E. also thinks that Eminem goes after any white rapper himself keeping them in check. Asher could only confirm it from his experience but also mentioned that he did not see it as an offence, rather as an acknowledgement. And that he could have certainly gained from this more than he did:
Yeah, he threw a shot at me. It’s like a benchmark. But my focus is so much on education. It wasn’t ever about like, let me get in the beef with somebody and sell more records.
The track in question is “Asshole” from MMLP2. There are lines there that respond to Asher. On “As I Em”, the young rapper admits being fascinated and influenced by Em but also frustrated by media blindness to his own personality, and then adds a jab at Marshall:
But Em was in it way before I committed
And his lyrics were the shit so I really gotta come with it
“As I Em” was released in 2009 on Asher’s debut album “Asleep in the Bread Aisle”. He probably did not expect to hear Em’s reaction four years later, when “The Marshall Mathers LP2” dropped with the verse:
Quit actin’ salty! I was countin’ on you to count me out
Ask Asher Roth when he roundabout
Dissed me to shout me out
Thought I was history, well goddamn, honky
That compliment’s like backhandin’ a donkey
Good way to get your ass socked in the mouth
Nah, I’m off him
But what the fuck’s all this trash-talkin’ about?
Watch the video below:
