Celebrity: Straight Outta Morrisville
Mom and Dad thought the hobby was fine (writing poetry!) but that some of the rap he was listening to was crude stuff.
“I told him there’s a whole tradition of spoken-word lyrics that goes back to the folksingers,” Dave says. “Listen to the beat poets. These guys with bongos, chanting poems in New York City’s clubs — their topics weren’t women’s breasts. Was there plenty of free love? Yeah, but it was political and edgy. … Listen to Gil Scott-Heron, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan. I played him Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska. It’s filled with stories.”
I remember way back, I mean way
back ages
Eighth grade I think, feels like yesterday
… Started having hip-hop. Pops didn’t
buy it
Wanted more Springsteen, Earth, Wind and Fire
Felt that was fine but to rhyme had
to try it …
Steady wastin’ the day spittin’ silly verses
No curses, writin’ ’bout our girlfriends
Ballpoint pen, mine spinning like a
whirlwind
Gettin’ on the mic, I’m a wizard like Merlin
Breakin’ barriers, tearin’ walls like
it’s Berlin
— “Fallin’,” from Asleep in the Bread Aisle
At West Chester University, Asher got distracted. He started rapping over beats on his computer, putting songs on My-Space. Won a freshman talent show (and a $150 gift certificate to the Exton Mall). By sophomore year, he was doing more music than schoolwork and was ready to drop out.
Dave Roth is a sentimental guy. For Christmas sometimes he gives family members gifts that he makes, like a bottle of “Unconditional Love.”
“For Asher,” Dave says, “when I finally came to grips that he really wanted to do this, this was his dream, I gave him a certificate that dubbed me the Dream Guardian, that he could always look to me to support him. Whatever he needed, I would be there to help him protect his dream.”
He leans back from his desk
Rubs the back of his neck, the stress
takes effect
Grips the bridge of his nose
Squints while he’s showing emotion he
normally won’t
His father died at 56
So he’s well aware how vital a father
figure is
How big of a responsibility it is
To be a good husband and care for your kids
Never miss an event, helping them with homework
Discipline to prevent things when
they’re older
His only son is only 21
And focus as a poet has only just begun
Papa isn’t dumb, he understands what
this means
His dream is my dream, my dream is
his dream
— “His Dream,” from Asleep in the
Bread Aisle
An Atlanta promoter named Scooter Braun listened to Asher’s MySpace page, and it happened. Soon Roth was killing auditions for producers, even for Jay-Z himself. These days, Dave and Beth Roth don’t see him a lot. Sometimes they check out his tour schedule on MySpace, or his website, the Daily Kush (yes, another marijuana reference).