Fidel’s Corner: The Curse of Asher Roth

Do something stupid: Listen to this bullshit.

A spectre is haunting the American consciousness – the spectre of Asher Roth. All of the powers of old hip-hop have entered into a wretched alliance to promote this beast: XXL Magazine, MTV, and college DJs across the country. Two things emerge from this: One, that Asher Roth is considered an MC with legitimate skill, and two, that hip-hop heads should stamp their fear of whack MCs and reach out to promote this blonde-headed bellwether of eras to come.

In Cuba, there was one hip-hop Revolution, in the 1980s. It came to us in the form of breaking, which, like a child passing through several stages of growth to become a man, became a vehicle of expression and vigor. It was not at the behest of Imperialists and Capitalists that would make it commercial. American hip-hop, through collusion with Capitalism, lost its teeth, becoming a shark with no fins, a bird with no wings. The radicalism ideology that had infused it with such power became diluted by the bourgeoisie seeking to make a profit off such vitality. How do you talk to this bourgeoisie? Do you condemn its behavior? Do you pull your fingers into a fist to smash its existence? Or, is it less painful to let the transformation continue?

This transformation has culminated in the rise of Asher Roth. His victory of radio domination with the wretched retard babble of “I Love College” was not a causal event. It was not a matter of luck on his part. His victory over American culture was forged through the battle on moral decency. The fortune of his record label and the destiny of his ascension to the MTV Video Music Awards is not simply a matter of musical technique. It is clear that through his rhymes, Roth envisioned a complete destruction of the long-gone Revolution. Complex sentences and particular diction are gone, now replaced with drunken chants of “I LOVE DRINKING / EYYYYYYYYYY.” This vehicle of expression, now completely destroyed.

The Imperalists have never been morally bothered by murdering legit MCs. While fraternity brothers like Roth are allowed to succeed, other artists fail behind him. Of course, all artists are heathens, but some know how to make a beat ride. I would sooner enter a war with America then let someone like Dr. Dre play a concert on the shores of this country, but even I must admit that P-Funk sounds great. Roth’s music, on the contrary, has the sonic quality of a boar being stabbed in the throat with a ruby-encrusted sword. The song is a dogfight between abortions and date rape, a testament to the deafness of the typical American consumer. What is happening twenty years after the advent of Public Enemy? What are they thinking? Do they not thirst for revolution? Do they not want change? Of course not.

I have no influence over American culture and would never want to. I can only oversee the control of Cuba, and as such, I will never let Roth’s music be played here again. In this way, year after year, the number of Cubans which detest this music will be greater and greater. We, the revolutionaries, must always think of tomorrow. A tomorrow without Asher Roth.