Asher Roth is a white rapper from Pennsylvania whose frat-boy party anthem "I Love College" could be the most irritating single of 2009. His debut album sets out to prove there's more to him than stoopid campus antics. "His Dream", a sober ode to a selfless father, showcases Roth's sentimental side. His anxiety of influence is addressed on "As I Em" - as in Eminem - with whom he is oft-compared, although his nerdy streak aligns him closer to Edan, a far superior white rapper. He is a nimble lyricist and, it turns out, no dummy, but nor is Roth the next great white hip-hop hope.
• This article was amended on Friday 1 May 2009. We originally identified both Roth and Edan as Jewish. It has now been established that Roth is not Jewish. In the context of rap music though it is relevant to note that both performers are white. This has been corrected.
