 Asher Roth | Wale  |
You’ve been grouped with the so-called Freshman Class. How much has that helped your career, and how has it made it more difficult to define yourself as an individual?
Yeah, it probably… I talked to Kid Cudi and Asher Roth and Wale on several occasions, and even though there are different perceptions for all of us, I mean it’s all benefiting. I talk to them, and like, just because we’re even in this position, and it’s a very powerful road that we’re on, you really have to be responsible and really think about what you do. And if you really allow the pressure to get to you, it will get to you. But you can’t even think about it. You literally can’t think about it, and a lot of the times you just have to just roll with the punches. But really, it’s really helped me, you know what I mean? Just being put in situations where I have to identify with self, those types of situations are what give me the skills to do something really huge and something big. So you have to go through the rites of passage, so to speak.
How are you dealing with the attention? Cudi obviously went through that moment when he said he was retiring…
Hmmm. You know, it’s definitely changed my life, but I learned to embrace it because life is a family, you know. Whether your family is five people, 10 people, a million people, the world…it’s still a family, and you have to treat everybody the same way, and that’s something that I had to learn. Like, when I meet people, I don’t draw a line, like, “alright, well this is a fan, and this is…” Now, you know at the same time, you have relationships with people, and you have to acknowledge that, but at the same time, you have to understand that people are people, the same way that I am, that’s how somebody else is, regardless of what, what your skills are, regardless of your background, and the level of popularity is. It’s always relative. You know, to a huge, super world artist, I’d be still up and coming, but to an up-and-coming artist in my eyes, I’d probably be a celebrity, so it’s all relative. And you always have to keep that in mind, that it could be better, could be worse, but at the same time, this is the situation that you’re in, and you have to make the best of it. And I feel like that’s something that you have to learn regardless of how popular or unpopular you are.
Have you found that the music industry is as dirty of a game as everyone says?
[Laughs] Um… [Laughs] You know what? I understand why the music industry gets the flack that it does, and basically, the best way to deal with that is, “See no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil,” and just continue to do what you have to do, and that’s how you win.
Did you grow up wanting to be a superstar? Or did you grow up just wanting to have a creative outlet to be able to make music for a living?
You know, it’s funny because it sounds backwards for me, [but] it’s kinda like the actual “superstar” part is what attracted me to it. I didn’t know it yet. I didn’t know, okay being on stage, and just really giving your energy to people; I didn’t understand that aspect, but that’s what attracted me to it. And now, I can make a living off it, which is great, because I don’t have to worry about… You know, it’d be one thing if you couldn’t make a living off of it, and you have to travel the world, but at the same time you can’t make a living. Then you have to worry about that. But you can make a living off of it, and you can reach people, and it’s like, everything’s taken care of, as long as you do what you’re supposed to do.
So you were interested in being a star, as opposed to just being an artist who was like, “You know what? I just wanna be able to make stuff.”
Yeah, definitely. And you know, deep down, I always wanted to write songs and sing, but I didn’t know…I just didn’t know how to do it or what to do, and then I started learning more about music theory, and I started taking vocal lessons and learning how to sing, the correct way, instead of screaming, scream-singing. [Laughs] But you know, I’m still learning how to build the endurance to do like a two-hour show or something and just do it consistently night after night. And if you sing the right way, and if you balance yourself the right way, have a right diet, you can do that.
Do you consider yourself a rapper?
Um… nah. I consider myself a, um… a musician.
Right.
And I still don’t feel like everybody else realizes that, but it doesn’t matter. You know, whether I’m a rapper, trapper, slapper, whatever, I’m still gonna do what I do, but, I don’t know, something about the term “rapper”…I feel like the term “rapper” is bad. Rap over the past two years…So I’m like, “eh,” I’m not inclined to consider myself a rapper.
When you first started, did you consider yourself a rapper?
Oh, definitely. There was definitely a phase I went through when I was like, “Man, I’m gonna be the best rapper….” But then, I was like, “You know what? I wanna sing, too.” But singing is like…I’m more inclined to sing than rap, which is funny, even though rap is my first thing. I’m more inclined to sing something, or just make some music and just play something than rapping, and it’s not because I don’t like rap, it’s just that it’s more of a challenge to me. Not to say that I’ve mastered my craft as an MC, but it just got kinda boring after a while, just rapping, you know what I mean? And I wanted to do more and explore more.
Are you…
And you know, one thing, I will say, honestly, it feels great when you’re performing and people are singing lyrics. That feels great, know what I mean?
It feels better than when people are rapping along with you?
[Laughs] Yeah, exactly. Definitely.
Why do you think that is?
Because when you’re singing, you’re actually going through different melodies, and you know, different notes hit your body at different points, so when the crowd is singing [it’s] more dynamic. As opposed to rapping, which is damn near monotone, you know what I mean? It is more dynamic when it’s singing. It’s like, “Wow.” It’s like you can really feel the sonics, and sometimes when I’m performing at shows and I look down at the crowd, and they’ll be feeling it more than me! And I’m like, “Wow….” Like, that’s great. I wanna keep doing it.
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