Asher Roth

Grading XXL's Past 5 "Freshman 10" Classes

Apparently there are still rappers who want to make the XXL Freshman 10 class this year. Take Riff Raff, for example. He wants it so badly that he has been following everyone on Twitter who votes for him in the contest. The magazine began running its annual list of noteworthy, "undiscovered" rappe ... More >>

Upcoming: Big Freedia, Hall & Oates, A Place To Bury Strangers, RZA, Etc.

3rd Annual Red Cat Jazz Festival: Sat., Oct. 6, 1 p.m.; Sun., Oct. 7, 1 p.m., $30-$100. Pearland Town Center, 11200 Broadway St., Pearland. Aaron Lewis: Fri., Nov. 30, 7 p.m., $35.00-$65.00. Nutty Jerry's (Winnie), 18291 Englin Road, Winnie. Asher Roth: Wed., Nov. 7, 9 p.m., $15/$18. Bronze Peacoc ... More >>

Hey, Teacher, Leave Those Kids Alone: A Back to School Playlist

I have been a teacher for six years now. I joke about it, but it really is the best job of all, and remains to be the only one I've ever had that didn't make me want to drive right the fuck into a tree after doing it for three weeks. Last week, teachers returned to campuses. We cleaned our rooms a ... More >>

Last Night: Mac Miller at Warehouse Live

Photographer were not allowed to shoot the Mac Miller show last night.​9:55 p.m.: Mac Miller concert. Let's just get them all out of the way now: Asher Roth, Eminem, Yelawolf, Machine Gun Kelly, Paul Wall, Rich Hill, Aesop Rock, Bubba Sparxxx, El-P, MC Serch, R.A. the Rugged Man... He's whit ... More >>

Houston Rapper Aims To Win Nigerian Contest

The hip-hop world is a less than sensible place - lots of times, you're even required to clarify when bad means bad and when bad means good - so once a week we're going to get with a rapper and ask them to explain things. Have something you always wanted to ask a rapper? Email it to introducinglisto ... More >>

Shot In The Dark: How The Whole Mess Started

Mark C. AustinKings of Leon at Verizon Wireless Theater, October 2008​Just a couple of days now before Rocks Off - the person and the blog - proudly presents Shot In the Dark: Houston Press Concert Photography, our first-ever exhibit of live pics we've collected in about three and a half years ... More >>

Roosh Williams: No College Rapper, Just Wicked Smart

Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group "Artist of the Week," bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn't awful? Email their particulars to sheaserrano@gmail.com. Photos via Roosh Williams on F ... More >>

The Seven Worst Back To School Soundtracks

Sorry Kanye, Twitter is over capacity.​Going back to school sucks, and Rocks Off feels the pain of students far and wide. We've got another two semesters left before we graduate from college and get to move out of our parents' house. Yay! In the meantime, there are a few songs/albums/artists ... More >>

Hip Hop Honors Doesn't Totally Embarrass The South

VH1 honored the Dirty South for the 2010 edition of Hip-Hop Honors. We flew out there and sat in on the taping this past weekend. Or we Tivo'd it while we put our kids to bed and then watched it afterwards. One of those is true. Willie D​ 8:00 p.m.: Oh, good. Darrell from The Office is hosting to ... More >>

Lupe Fiasco, Trae And Bun B Pack House Of Blues

Photos by Marco Torres​ For more images from the show, see our slideshow here. 9:10 p.m.: Goodness gracious. House of Blues is stuffed to the gills tonight. And it appears that all races love alt-rap. 9:13: Is it really so much to ask that venues that have no seating to arrange for some type of he ... More >>

New Devin, Scarface And Big Pokey Product, The Kanye Abides, Snoop <3s Justin Bieber, Akon Vs. Sri Lanka, Etc.

Welcome back to Turning the Screw, Rocks Off's weekly rap post. It probably won't rhyme, at least most of the time. E-mail tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Thanks, homies. Unexpected Fubu Advertisement Featuring Slim Thug That Bites Apple Commercials of the Week Wire to Wire Here's that Devin t ... More >>

Live with Me

The best Houston concerts of 2009: U2, George Strait, Kid Cudi, Jandek, Peaches and even T-Pain.

Turning the Screw: Fat Pat, Trae, Shane Sparks, Gucci Mane, The Kanye, Maino, Eminem, Kid Cudi, Bun B and More

Welcome back to Turning the Screw, Rocks Off's weekly rap post. It probably won't rhyme, at least most of the time. E-mail tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Thanks, homies. Single of the Week: "No Glory," Fat Pat Wire to Wire So Trae spent the holidays handing out thousands of pairs of shoes to ... More >>

2009 Concert Rewind, August: Weezy, Blondie, Depeche Mode, JoBros, Katy Perry, Mos Def, De La Soul, Blue October, Green Day and an Audience With King George

Shea Serrano​ Asher Roth, Kid Cudi, House of Blues, August 1: "[Cudi has] tapped John Goldstein, Kanye's famed stage light guy, to help him create an actual feel to his show. Hipster rappers get derided a lot as not being "real rappers," but they put on a hell of a show. The crowd is already his." ... More >>

It Was What It Was

Amid a wash of national phooey, plucking Houston rap's pivotal 2009 moment is easy.

Ask a Rapper: Hollywood F.L.O.S.S. Has Some Internet Questions For Us

The hip-hop world is a less than sensible place - lots of times, you're even required to clarify when bad means bad and when bad means good - so once a week we're going to get with a rapper and ask them to explain things. Have something you always wanted to ask a rapper? Email it to introducinglisto ... More >>

He Said She Said: Songs We Are Least Thankful For, Part 2

​This was the first year that He Said made a conscious effort to listen to what was going on outside his self-imposed protective bubble of metal and proto-punk. We sort of took it as one of the facets of our job to actually pay attention to the stuff that was going on in the greater sphere in the ... More >>

Distant Early Warning: Aggrolites, Frankie Valli, the Krayolas, Peaches, "Rockers vs. Mods," etc.

​ The Aggrolites: Wed., Oct. 14. Meridian. Asher Roth: Thu., Sept. 24. Rich's Houston. Aventura: Fri., Dec. 4. Toyota Center. Bastard Sons Of Johnny Cash: LOUNGE STAGE., Thu., Oct. 1. Fitzgerald's. Buxton: Thu., Oct. 1. Continental Club. Captured! By Robots: Wed., Nov. 18. Super Happy Fun Land. C ... More >>

Aftermath: Asher Roth and Kid Cudi (and Bun B) at House of Blues

Photos by Shea Serrano​ 8:18 p.m.: Walking in, Pac Div, a serviceable hip-hop trio from L.A., is just finishing up their set. They're cool. They make fun of some guy for wearing a Fubu jersey. We automatically like them for it. 8:21 p.m.: There are two hipster-rap fans in here, one close to 13, th ... More >>

Asher Roth

Zin Balance

The Third Ward's favorite son produces his most important album to date.

Distant Early Warning: The Cult, Billy Joe Shaver, English Beat, Fall Out Boy, Talib Kweli and More

Asleep At The Wheel: Sat., Aug. 1. Sengelmann Hall (Schulenburg). Balaclavas, Cave, Twisted Wires: Thu., June 4. Mango's. Babasonicos: Thu., Aug. 20. House of Blues. Billy Joe Shaver: Tue., Aug. 4. Dosey Doe Coffee Company. "Sean Hannity Freedom Concert" with Billy Ray Cyrus, The Charlie Daniels B ... More >>

Distant Early Warning: Asher Roth, Dax Riggs, Franz Ferdinand, Peter Frampton and More

Ace Enders, Person L, The Gay Blades, The Dangerous Summer: Wed., July 15. The Java Jazz. Asher Roth, Kid Cudi: Fri., July 31. House of Blues. "The Battle Of Sam: Battle Of The Bands": Sat., June 6. The Showgrounds @ Sam Houston Race Park. Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp: Sun., Aug. 2. Cy ... More >>

Five Spot: Chamillionaire, Consistent as Oatmeal

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and, sometimes awkwardly, tie it to a bit of Houston rap. It's five videos and occasional cussing. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com.For some reason, there was this kid that we went to middle school with who, de ... More >>

Turning the Screw: Dead End Alliance, Bun B, DMX, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Eminem, The Kanye, Beyonce and More

Welcome back to Turning the Screw, Rocks Off's weekly rap post. It probably won't rhyme, at least most of the time. E-mail tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Thanks, homies. Single of the Week: "Heart of a Hustler," Dead End Alliance feat. Lil Keke and Mike D Wire To WireHow bad-ass is Bun B that ... More >>

Crash Into Me: Predicting the Economy's Impact on the Music Biz

GWAR more important than you might expect.

Asher Roth (and Entourage) Save the Day in L.A.

Despite being branded a hero, "Frat Boy Fresh" Asher Roth has since clarified that he's more so a hero by association. Wednesday, a post on the URB blog claimed that according to his publicist, Roth was involved in detaining a man who made a bomb throat on an Atlanta flight headed for Los Ang ... More >>

Turning the Screw: T-Pain & Friends, Pimp C, Asher Roth, Kanye vs. Colbert, Q-Tip, Suge Knight, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Young Jeezy, Paul Wall and More

Welcome back to Turning the Screw, Rocks Off's weekly rap post. It probably won't rhyme, at least most of the time. E-mail tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Thanks, homies.   Single of the Week: "Chopped and Screwed" Lil' O, T-Pain and Ludacris Wire To Wire Matt Sonzala et al. paid tribute ... More >>

Turning The Screw: Crew54, DJ AM & Travis Barker, G- Unit, Pharrell, Eminem, Nate Dogg, Kanye, Wu-Tang vs. UFC and More

Five Spot: Jack White, The Edge, Jimmy Page and the Mediocrity of Your Life