Asher Roth Avoids Battle Rap, "I Don't Like Using My Powers To Tell People They Suck"

Rap newcomer Asher Roth recently spoke on his overall sound and why he would not step behind the mic in a battle rap session.

In addition to speaking on rap battles, Roth also described the advantages of being a young white rapper.

"I'm not a battle emcee," Roth revealed. "I don't like using my powers to tell people they suck. I'd rather just rap about what's going on in my head. As far as content and substance, I don't think [I'm like Eminem], but you never really know...I'm just happy I've been given a platform. Being white spawns [comparisons] right off the bat, but I think time is on my side, and people will see that there's something really here."

Roth recently found himself in controversy after playfully re-wording Don Imus' infamous 2007 "nappy headed" statement via Twitter.

"At Rutgers stirring up a ruckus," Roth wrote. "Been a day of rest and relaxation, sorry Twitter - hanging out with some nappy headed h*es...Totally just making fun of Don Imus - Sorry Scoot, not trying to be offensive...I'm extremely apologetic to anyone who took offense to my immature, bad joke."

He also sparked attention for statements he made in an interview earlier this year.

"When I dropped [the 'A Milli' freestyle] I thought, 'You guys are always going off about how much money you have. Do you realize what's going on in this world right now,'" Roth said. "All these black rappers - African rappers - talking about how much money they have. 'Do you realize what's going on in Africa right now?' It's just like, 'You guys are disgusting. Talking about billions and billions of dollars you have. And spending it frivolously, when you know, the Motherland is suffering beyond belief right now.'"

He later apologized and clarified both controversial issues.

"The twitter situation was an immature attempt to poke fun at an infamously moronic joke," he wrote in past statement. "In doing so, I unconsciously stooped to the level of its originator, making it just as bad, if not worse. Pathetic. Lesson learned - nothing good can come from repeating hateful words, regardless of your intentions...The latest quote on giving back was in response to a question about rappers and their money posed to me by the interviewer. With the question and entire vibe of the conversation not being present in the article, when my statement came out in print it appeared as if I was taking black rappers to task randomly. Not the case...Lesson learned: talk about what you know. You can call them mistakes, I call them life lessons."

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