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By Steven Roberts

When I got back to my desk after interviewing Asher Roth for our MCs to Watch in 2009 series, my friend and co-worker Alex Shapiro came over to ask me how everything went. Alex is also from the suburbs of Pennsylvania, and had developed sort of a man-crush on Asher, once I put him on to his music. I told him to write a blog about said man-crush, but he refused. Instead, he wrote this letter, saluting Mr. Roth:

"That party last night was awfully crazy, I wish we taped it/ I danced my ass off and had this one chick completely —" Congratulations, Mr. Asher Roth, for winning the award for "Most Impossible Song to Get Out of My Head Since Nelly's 'Country Grammar.' " My co-worker Steven introduced me to your mixtape while writing his MCs to Watch in '09 piece, and I have had it on serious rotation since I downloaded it (legally from your Web site The Daily Kush, of course!). I don't know if it's because the music reminds me of my collegiate glory days when drinking stale beer from Solo cups and having leftover Taco Bell for breakfast was considered good living, or if it's because I am also a white, 23-year-old from Bucks County, PA, who used to freestyle in friends' basements during high school. Whatever it is, I've got much respect for you and your music, or, as it was so eloquently put in our news meeting this morning, I have a "man-crush" on you ... Read More...

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By Steven Roberts

I may have the coolest job in the world. I am 23 years old, and I have been working at MTV News for a little over a year. Whenever I see Sway, he gives me a pound, and not just once a day — he literally gives me a pound every time I see him. I like to walk by and sneak a peek in Kurt Loder's office at least twice a day.

But the best part of my job is that I get to report on what I consider cool. For the past month, I have been working on "MCs to Watch in 2009." The project highlights five up-and-coming rap acts: Charles Hamilton, Wale, Kid Cudi, B.o.B and Asher Roth, who I feel are the next to blow. They each had been building a buzz on MySpace, blogs and with that pretentious hip-hop head in your dorm (he doesn't like them anymore now that they're on MTV).

I had the opportunity to meet and interview them all. It was a great experience, because not only had I convinced my bosses at MTV News to let me go out and interview underground rappers, but they were all around my age. I talked to each off the record, but since we're rolling out Asher Roth's piece today, I'll tell you guys that story. Read More...

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