Who Is Asher Roth?
Asher Paul Roth, known as Asher Roth, is a Pennsylvania rapper who had a top 20 hit with I Love College (2009) — a Weezer-referencing frat-rap anthem that went platinum and briefly made him one of mainstream rap's most commercially anticipated new artists. His long-delayed second album, RetroHash (2014) — once announced under the scrapped title Is This Too Orange? — confirmed the keg was empty.
Quick Stats
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Real Name | Asher Paul Roth |
| Born | August 11, 1985 — Morrisville, Pennsylvania |
| Active | 2008–present |
| Labels | Schoolboy / SRC / Universal Motown; Federal Prism |
Career Overview
Asher Roth grew up in suburban Pennsylvania, attended West Chester University, and built an online following through MySpace before Scooter Braun — who also managed Justin Bieber — secured him a deal with Schoolboy/SRC/Universal. Asleep in the Bread Aisle (2009) debuted at #5 on the strength of I Love College, which reached #12 on the Hot 100 and went platinum. A label dispute followed, and he left the major-label system. His second album — long teased under the working title Is This Too Orange? before being renamed — finally arrived independently as RetroHash (2014), debuting at #45 to minimal commercial impact.
Discography
| Year | Album | Chart Peak |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Asleep in the Bread Aisle | #5 US — I Love College went Platinum |
| 2014 | RetroHash ⚠️ | #45 US — second album (working title "Is This Too Orange?") |
⚠️ = Reviewed on Rap Reviews Daily
Why RetroHash Failed
RetroHash (2014) — the long-delayed second album once announced as Is This Too Orange? — earned 3/10 from us. Without the frat-rap novelty and without a major label's promotional apparatus, the project confirmed that I Love College was a perfect convergence of timing and concept that could not be manufactured again. The keg had been emptied in 2009.
Legacy & Cultural Impact
Asher Roth's cultural legacy is I Love College — a song that defined a very specific 2009 mainstream rap moment and remains enduring as a party anthem. His technical ability as a rapper was always above average. The problem was that his commercial appeal was entirely anchored to a specific concept that had been fully deployed in one song.