Amongst the myriad of talented students at West Chester University, there stands a 21-year -old rapper with music and hip-hop running through his veins. Asher Roth, an Elementary Education major, has a passion and a recognized talent for the art of rapping. He has already been submerged in the “big-time” world of music as he is currently working on promoting his debut CD entitled “Just Listen.”
“To me, rapping is everyday life. It is raw emotions, feelings, events, and stories of what is going on in my head. Rapping is like a journal of my life,” commented Roth, when given the opportunity to speak about what rapping meant to him.
Roth has had the chance to compare the influence of going to school verses not going to school in his music. He had taken a semester off to work solely in the studio on his CD before he decided to come back and obtain his degree.
Roth commented that it was good to be educated, that it gives you more to rap about and different ways to tell your story. He also noted that attending school has given him new, creative ways to write and continuously keeps him motivated.
“Look out the window. There is so much going on. If you can’t get motivated by what is around you, turn on the news,” said Roth when he talked about how his music is influenced by real life.
Just some of Roth’s many musical influences were such legends as Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Q-tip, Jay-Z, and Eminem. Roth noted that each of his influences were great in their own way.
When asked to pick one quote that could best describe his outlook on life he said, “Don’t take life for granted, there is so much going on.” He also noted, “Live to maintain, and take the day for what it is.” He continues to work on his degree and his music simultaneously with passion and constant motivation.