Compromise is rarely discussed within the realms of Rap. Truth be told, as experienced and elder Hip-Hop listeners, we compromise alot, whether we wish to admit it or otherwise. We accept beliefs and wordplay that we dont care for, simply due to our addiction for musical and rhythmical merit. Ostensibly, if the beat is bangin, were happy to sign up to whatever tosh is being talked about.
We here at the BALLS are grown men, so aggressive behaviour within the soundtrack to our lives is unnecessary, we dont like it [not all the time]. We’re comfortable with ourselves, we dont require threatening strangers reminding us of their masculinity, nor do we need ugly as bum-hole men Rapping about how they will remove us from this mortal coil if we choose to be anything other than harmonious in terms of their view-points of the world around us.
More often than not in 2010, Rappers like Asher Roth, and others that metaphorically veer off to the left, keep us interested. We’ve heard them all, we know that Rapping about Rapping is spent, it is done, we’ve witnessed more battle rhymes than Kat Stacks has witnessed weener. We can harp on about what we like til were blue in the face, but Hip-Hop means alot of different things to alot of different people and we respect that.
The BALLS got they own view, a view that harks back to when we began listening. For me personally, it was the Summer of 1981, but Roth is so refreshing in his outlook, he infuses a sense of spirit that I cant say I feel from the majority of MCs, even the ones I have time for. Pardon the hyperbole but it is truly TRULY inspiring to hear a kid like Asher articulate emotion, sensibility and a visionary Hip-Hop view-point in 2010
When I feel like punching some numb-nuts in the back of the head for being an inconsiderate numpty in a supermarket car park, or dropping litter beside a bin, I might turn up the volume and press play on an MC REN EP [I would never actually raise a fist to anyone, I dont wish to be remembered as a murderer]. When I dont wish to be threatened by my headphones, when I dont feel like hearing materialistic comments or basic bragadocio, I sometimes listen to Asher Roth, and I feel young again. That’s how this fellas output affects me, and I salute the young man, as well as his many mates who are almost equally as entertaining [HAHAYO]. His work brings me back to what I have always felt was THE important issue of Hip-Hop, the bloody words that Rappers rap !!
Asher Roth may or may not be your cup of tea but joisus Bobby, there aint many that take me back to those days when I looked forward to new material.
Big respect is automatic, white…
HOTASBALLS 
really..asher? i mean, i dont mind a care-free rapper doin his thing..but asher roth? he sucks hot balls..im surprised ya’ll bump his music like that,but hey..to each his own
No doubt Tech
It’s the wordplay, the subject matter and the rest, but without the threats. Of course were discussing the merits of actual Rapping, the cadence, the timing, the subjects, the references from a time passed…
I guess as grown folk, weve had enough of that incendiary Rap, words that you wouldnt stand up for . Personally, Im no longer puttin my hand in my pocket to be threatened, I been doin it
Read the post through and then listen to what the young gun has to say, he’s not to everyones taste as I dont think there’s enough catalogue available yet, but in time youll see
nah, tech, as you say, each to his own, but clean out your ears, mane…no shots.
I can understand the sentiment, even if I think Asher’s a bit rubbish. That Fashawn fella has his moments, the mix he dropped over Alchemist beats is a good listen. The Odd Future stuff has a similar effect… it’s so over the top and unreasonable, it actually cheers me up.
Edan’s stuff makes me feel how I did when I was getting into hip-hop…not Asher Roth’s. I don’t think he’s terrible but neither do I think he’s hype…and as for his comment about “black rappers talking about all this materialistic stuff” (I’m paraphrasing a bit!), well I was just straight-up disgusted. But if you’re just talking about his rapping, then guy is the okay side of average.
at least we got some opinions outta ya’s, heh?
ash definately divides opinion.
roll on “the spaghetti tree”…a reference to a seventies episode of nationwide.now, thats ill.word to frank bough.
First of all great site.
With regard to Roth:
2:24 till 2:32 – think is sums up the post in general quite well…
Marketing is a cold bitch – dont/do believe the hype its on you….