Comments on: Asher Roth is everything that is wrong with the world http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2009/05/01/asher-roth-is-everything-that-is-wrong-with-the-world/ In defense of the sanctimonious women's studies set. Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:48:34 +0000 hourly 1 By: Joey http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2009/05/01/asher-roth-is-everything-that-is-wrong-with-the-world/#comment-242693 Joey Sat, 23 May 2009 03:13:47 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=13211#comment-242693 Okay okay okay, fine, you don't like the song or the content of it. But what I don't understand is all the people that are saying that hip hop can't be about white suburban upbringing or fraternal antics. A lot of people come from that world and I think it's a good thing that Asher Roth (and for all I know he isn't the first) brings that element into hip-hop instead of using his flow to talk about guns and selling crack. I'm not defending the song because I like it, I'm defending it because I don't see any good reason that a white person can't rap about his actual existence and experiences in life - I'm black and I realize this. Okay okay okay, fine, you don’t like the song or the content of it. But what I don’t understand is all the people that are saying that hip hop can’t be about white suburban upbringing or fraternal antics. A lot of people come from that world and I think it’s a good thing that Asher Roth (and for all I know he isn’t the first) brings that element into hip-hop instead of using his flow to talk about guns and selling crack. I’m not defending the song because I like it, I’m defending it because I don’t see any good reason that a white person can’t rap about his actual existence and experiences in life – I’m black and I realize this.

]]> By: Date Rape Anthem: Asher Roth’s “I Love College” - The Sexist - Washington City Paper http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2009/05/01/asher-roth-is-everything-that-is-wrong-with-the-world/#comment-242264 Date Rape Anthem: Asher Roth’s “I Love College” - The Sexist - Washington City Paper Wed, 20 May 2009 13:56:33 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=13211#comment-242264 [...] it’s enough for commenters on feminist blog Feministe to defend Roth against charges of racism  and sexism: “He does the bare minimum of saying, ‘…don’t have sex if she’s too far [...] [...] it’s enough for commenters on feminist blog Feministe to defend Roth against charges of racism  and sexism: “He does the bare minimum of saying, ‘…don’t have sex if she’s too far [...]

]]> By: How Do I Draw On A Self-assured Attitude To Get My Ex Girlfriend Back > Relationships > Front Page Articles - Article Directory http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2009/05/01/asher-roth-is-everything-that-is-wrong-with-the-world/#comment-241283 How Do I Draw On A Self-assured Attitude To Get My Ex Girlfriend Back > Relationships > Front Page Articles - Article Directory Mon, 11 May 2009 03:05:15 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=13211#comment-241283 [...] Feministe » Asher Roth is everything that is wrong with the world [...] [...] Feministe » Asher Roth is everything that is wrong with the world [...]

]]> By: Xenu01 http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2009/05/01/asher-roth-is-everything-that-is-wrong-with-the-world/#comment-240383 Xenu01 Tue, 05 May 2009 20:53:43 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=13211#comment-240383 Two things: 1) When Jay Smooth was talking about "hipster rap", he wasn't talking about white people. In fact, he specifically references Kid Cuddy, Kid Sister and Kidz in the Hall. He's talking in that video, in fact, about something more like what <a href="http://www.racialicious.com/2009/05/05/asher-roth-and-the-politics-of-race-in-hip-hop/" rel="nofollow">Latoya</a> says in her take on this whole Asher Roth thing, where she wearily jokes about being an old head who doesn't understand these kids and their new music. 2) It's all well and good for us to talk about people crossing over within their musical genres, only- well- why is it always white people crossing over into black music, appropriating it, putting new labels on it and getting famous with it? And then later generations are either ignorant of just how much white artists borrowed from black artists, or decide that white people make black music more marketable because white people are the mainstream. Oh yes, this whole "making things more palatable for everyone who is normal" thing is a problem at the base of it because it assumes that your baseline normal person is a white person. However. What I wanted to point to is that whether in homage or just love of or intentional mockery, this white-people-stealing-black-music, being-embraced-by-white-america thing is far from new (See: Elvis Presley, see: the whole whitewashed existence of rock n' roll) and it would be awesome for it to go the other way, with a POC crossing over into white territory, and for us to be just as excited for this to happen as we are for some white dude to piece together black music and put some self-satisfied rhymes over-top. Two things:
1) When Jay Smooth was talking about “hipster rap”, he wasn’t talking about white people. In fact, he specifically references Kid Cuddy, Kid Sister and Kidz in the Hall. He’s talking in that video, in fact, about something more like what Latoya says in her take on this whole Asher Roth thing, where she wearily jokes about being an old head who doesn’t understand these kids and their new music.

2) It’s all well and good for us to talk about people crossing over within their musical genres, only- well-
why is it always white people crossing over into black music, appropriating it, putting new labels on it and getting famous with it? And then later generations are either ignorant of just how much white artists borrowed from black artists, or decide that white people make black music more marketable because white people are the mainstream. Oh yes, this whole “making things more palatable for everyone who is normal” thing is a problem at the base of it because it assumes that your baseline normal person is a white person.

However. What I wanted to point to is that whether in homage or just love of or intentional mockery, this white-people-stealing-black-music, being-embraced-by-white-america thing is far from new (See: Elvis Presley, see: the whole whitewashed existence of rock n’ roll) and it would be awesome for it to go the other way, with a POC crossing over into white territory, and for us to be just as excited for this to happen as we are for some white dude to piece together black music and put some self-satisfied rhymes over-top.

]]> By: j.ceasless http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2009/05/01/asher-roth-is-everything-that-is-wrong-with-the-world/#comment-240333 j.ceasless Tue, 05 May 2009 17:53:09 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=13211#comment-240333 The first time I saw Asher Roth was at some awards party or something. I think he shared a stage with the Cool Kids. I was so mad. There is so much talent out there in the world, so many amazing rappers who are not given a single shot. And Roth, with zero rep and no notoriety, just marches out there and "raps" some bullsh*t lyrics. On television. I couldn't believe it. The guy can't even freestyle. His lyrical ability is nonexistent. And on top of that he's going "and i got this one chick completely naked" in his hook. I was steamed. Being a white male who raps I would never approach from a POV that tries to sidestep or gloss over my privilege. That privilege and the recognition of that privilege have shaped me too much to not be a core part of my experience. Since Roth does not address this, he either has never confronted his own privilege or has but decided he doesn't care. Either way, Fail. @Walt Are you seriously saying that white rappers who get political are perpetuating racism? Please explain. The first time I saw Asher Roth was at some awards party or something. I think he shared a stage with the Cool Kids. I was so mad. There is so much talent out there in the world, so many amazing rappers who are not given a single shot. And Roth, with zero rep and no notoriety, just marches out there and “raps” some bullsh*t lyrics. On television. I couldn’t believe it. The guy can’t even freestyle. His lyrical ability is nonexistent. And on top of that he’s going “and i got this one chick completely naked” in his hook. I was steamed. Being a white male who raps I would never approach from a POV that tries to sidestep or gloss over my privilege. That privilege and the recognition of that privilege have shaped me too much to not be a core part of my experience. Since Roth does not address this, he either has never confronted his own privilege or has but decided he doesn’t care. Either way, Fail.

@Walt

Are you seriously saying that white rappers who get political are perpetuating racism? Please explain.

]]> By: Asher Roth and the Politics of Race in Hip Hop at Racialicious - the intersection of race and pop culture http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2009/05/01/asher-roth-is-everything-that-is-wrong-with-the-world/#comment-240314 Asher Roth and the Politics of Race in Hip Hop at Racialicious - the intersection of race and pop culture Tue, 05 May 2009 16:10:25 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=13211#comment-240314 [...] after doing a bit of reading and seeing how Roth is being championed as someone who is just expressing himself, I understand my reaction a little [...] [...] after doing a bit of reading and seeing how Roth is being championed as someone who is just expressing himself, I understand my reaction a little [...]

]]> By: William http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2009/05/01/asher-roth-is-everything-that-is-wrong-with-the-world/#comment-240308 William Tue, 05 May 2009 15:01:39 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=13211#comment-240308 <blockquote>Asher Roth knows his song is stupid he has said it a million times. I don’t think the song is celebrating passivity, sometimes you really do just want to have fun.</blockquote> Part of the problem is that he knows his song is stupid. Andrew WK celebrates just having fun, Asher Roth isn't quite doing that. Nor is he really celebrating passivity. Instead, he's playing the irony game. Roth doesn't just know his song is ridiculous, he knows that the only reason it exists is because it is ridiculous. Its ridiculous because it's ironic. Thats the hipster schtick he's shilling, thats where his comment about "nappy headed ho's" came from. The problem is that the irony he's selling is intentional, and we can see the processes that lead him to finding it funny. Roth is using a black art form that grew from oppression and a desperate desire for escape to, as a white man, talk about base privileged decadence. Its funny because it doesn't fit, and the exact same song might be a very different thing if it had been coming from a satire act. With Roth it isn't satire, though, but an elaborate joke about how dumb black people are. You're not meant to laugh at him for missing the point because he is presenting himself not as a novelty act but as a serious artist. The irony he's cultivating comes from the perception that he is behaving in the way a white person would behave if they were as "foolish" as those black artists rapping about crunk juice. The implication, and the source of the incongruity, is that white people are better than that. He then sets this joke in the medium of a primarily black art form to give it just a little more kick. Now I know, maybe it sounds like I'm reading too much into it, but this is the exact thing that pisses me off about hipster irony. This aggressive irony serves as a means for people who like to think of themselves as liberal and post-racist/classist/feminist/homophobic/etc to continue reinforcing the old stratifications. Wearing trucker hats, swilling PBR, and listening to Asher Roth with a giggle about the irony doesn't work if the people doing it don't feel like they're culturally slumming. You can't have that feeling if you don't think you're better than the group you're emulating.

Asher Roth knows his song is stupid he has said it a million times. I don’t think the song is celebrating passivity, sometimes you really do just want to have fun.

Part of the problem is that he knows his song is stupid. Andrew WK celebrates just having fun, Asher Roth isn’t quite doing that. Nor is he really celebrating passivity. Instead, he’s playing the irony game.

Roth doesn’t just know his song is ridiculous, he knows that the only reason it exists is because it is ridiculous. Its ridiculous because it’s ironic. Thats the hipster schtick he’s shilling, thats where his comment about “nappy headed ho’s” came from. The problem is that the irony he’s selling is intentional, and we can see the processes that lead him to finding it funny.

Roth is using a black art form that grew from oppression and a desperate desire for escape to, as a white man, talk about base privileged decadence. Its funny because it doesn’t fit, and the exact same song might be a very different thing if it had been coming from a satire act. With Roth it isn’t satire, though, but an elaborate joke about how dumb black people are. You’re not meant to laugh at him for missing the point because he is presenting himself not as a novelty act but as a serious artist. The irony he’s cultivating comes from the perception that he is behaving in the way a white person would behave if they were as “foolish” as those black artists rapping about crunk juice. The implication, and the source of the incongruity, is that white people are better than that. He then sets this joke in the medium of a primarily black art form to give it just a little more kick.

Now I know, maybe it sounds like I’m reading too much into it, but this is the exact thing that pisses me off about hipster irony. This aggressive irony serves as a means for people who like to think of themselves as liberal and post-racist/classist/feminist/homophobic/etc to continue reinforcing the old stratifications. Wearing trucker hats, swilling PBR, and listening to Asher Roth with a giggle about the irony doesn’t work if the people doing it don’t feel like they’re culturally slumming. You can’t have that feeling if you don’t think you’re better than the group you’re emulating.

]]> By: M.dot http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2009/05/01/asher-roth-is-everything-that-is-wrong-with-the-world/#comment-240249 M.dot Mon, 04 May 2009 23:15:47 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=13211#comment-240249 As a Black Woman, Feminist and Hip Hop head, I have come to appreciate Asher Roth's career if only because his statements such "Saying that his is hanging out with Nappy Headed Ho's" on Twitter, his music, and his comments in interviews have forced me to think and write about White and Black Masculinity in hip hop and the ways in which they Rap/Art intersects with Capitalism. Oh. The comments in this section also remind me that I need to write a piece on "privilage" that I have been thinking of. Thank you for visiting my site. ~m.dot As a Black Woman, Feminist and Hip Hop head,
I have come to appreciate Asher Roth’s career if only because
his statements such “Saying that his is hanging out with Nappy Headed Ho’s”
on Twitter, his music, and his comments in interviews have forced
me to think and write about White and Black Masculinity in hip hop
and the ways in which they Rap/Art intersects with Capitalism.

Oh. The comments in this section also remind me that I need to write
a piece on “privilage” that I have been thinking of.

Thank you for visiting my site.

~m.dot

]]> By: chava http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2009/05/01/asher-roth-is-everything-that-is-wrong-with-the-world/#comment-240200 chava Mon, 04 May 2009 15:52:30 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=13211#comment-240200 I think the only truly creepy part of that video --most of it is just annoying (and sexist, but I think we all agree on that one)--is the beginning, where the girl flops off the couch as if dead, and rapper boy doesn't. even. notice. I agree with Opponax-there was no way I would have been welcome at those parties either. Sure, they're a certain kind of college experience, but the pretending to be universal is annoying. I think the only truly creepy part of that video –most of it is just annoying (and sexist, but I think we all agree on that one)–is the beginning, where the girl flops off the couch as if dead, and rapper boy doesn’t. even. notice.

I agree with Opponax-there was no way I would have been welcome at those parties either. Sure, they’re a certain kind of college experience, but the pretending to be universal is annoying.

]]> By: Julie http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2009/05/01/asher-roth-is-everything-that-is-wrong-with-the-world/#comment-240193 Julie Mon, 04 May 2009 14:56:02 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=13211#comment-240193 I don't even understand how this song isn't sexist and offensive- "I had this one chick completely naked"? How is that not sexist? It takes away her agency and makes her an object that he did something to, not a person in her own right. So yeah, it's not Eminem screaming about the bitch he locked in his trunk or the other lovely things he throws about, but it's still offensive. I don't think it makes you anti-feminist to like it, but protesting that there's "so much worse" out there doesn't make this a-ok. I personally could not care less what kind of music you like- hell, I used to listen to Eminem. I even saw him in concert and I still love to turn the music up when he comes on the radio. Am I going to sit here and argue that his music is feminist? Nope. I don’t even understand how this song isn’t sexist and offensive- “I had this one chick completely naked”? How is that not sexist? It takes away her agency and makes her an object that he did something to, not a person in her own right. So yeah, it’s not Eminem screaming about the bitch he locked in his trunk or the other lovely things he throws about, but it’s still offensive. I don’t think it makes you anti-feminist to like it, but protesting that there’s “so much worse” out there doesn’t make this a-ok. I personally could not care less what kind of music you like- hell, I used to listen to Eminem. I even saw him in concert and I still love to turn the music up when he comes on the radio. Am I going to sit here and argue that his music is feminist? Nope.

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