Asher Roth Takes Pride in a Positive G.R.I.N.D.

I don't know if you've been to Asher's website lately, but it's pretty freakin' cool. Very 3D, artsy, interactive and engaging, solid effort on that Asher. He's doing his own celebrity marketing by getting friends and celebrities alike to hold his mini-Asher Roth license plates in pics, like the one above with Ryan Leslie. Cool idea in my opinion...

Anyways, a whole lot of people enjoyed his newest mixtape, Seared Foie Gras W/ Quince & Cranberry because it was the last we had heard from him since he was snoozing in the Bread Aisle. While the tracks on that mixtape were pretty high quality like Muddy Swim Trunks, many fans of his tracks craved something original, something creative and fresh...like...everyone song on his past album.

So patiently we waited for about a year until we hear finally that despite being out of the limelight, Asher has been on his G.R.I.N.D. or you could say he is G(etting) R(eady) I(t's) a N(ew) D(ay). Usually people don't like mixing politics and polarizing pop culture opinions with music (see Rage Against the Machine), but I feel like as long as it doesn't dominate the lyrics and remains mostly positive and constructive, I've got no problem with stating and backing up a strong opinion.

This one is less political as it is downright positive and inspirational. Yea it may come off as too sing-songy for hardcore Hip Hop heads, but give it a couple listens, you'll be better off. The repeatability of lyrics (hook especially) lends to the positive, upbeat rhythm of the track. It's a fast paced critique of the American work ethic and what we strive for as people, who get caught up in valuing money and sometimes lose perspective of the unbelievable gift we all have that is life. Without overtly stating, this song is a lyrically positive reinforcement of faith by Preacher Roth. The best part of the track without a doubt is his monologue at the end where he get's a little serious, but manages to come off extremely genuine and unrehearsed when he talks of believing in yourself and never giving up on the daily Grind and losing focus of how blessed you are...

"So it's not about fame and fortune,
It's about believing and believing in yourself,
And understanding that this life is, it's life,
It's liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,
And happiness is not about getting what you want all the time,
It's about loving what you have,
So get ready it's a new day"

As long as it's genuine and doesn't come off contrived, there is always a place for positive spirituality in music. Forget Hip Hop or Rock or Country, it doesn't matter what genre, if an artist can come off as real as Asher does in this track, I will always back positive tracks like this. It's a shame that (like Asher says below), it probably won't get the radio play it deserves "considering the positive undertones", but that isn't going to prevent me from sharing the hell out of it so that it can have the desired positive effect on the masses...

Even if life is working you over and you feel like you're losing the everyday G.R.I.N.D., you still have the right to have a positive outlook and although faith is oftentimes mixed with religion, it doesn't need to be. Faith to me is a word that means the refusal to panic or the ability to believe that good things will happen to you in life. If you feel panicked or believe someone is always out to get you, you're lacking faith and should listen to uplifting tracks like this more often.

I'll now climb down off my soap box and leave you alone to listen to some positively fresh new Asher Roth, who is one funny mofo and someone you should definitely follow on Twitter for some consistently entertaining quotes like this one he posted a few hours ago...

Asher Roth - G.R.I.N.D. (Get Ready It's a New Day)
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