BOMB Music Review Group: Nottz Raw x Asher Roth - Rawth EP Review

If you don't love the history behind this one, it's a unlikely collaboration between two artists that spawned a EP. Nottz is a veteran producer who's worked with lot of raps big names since 1998. Asher Roth is the new kid on the bar who made a lot of disturbance in 2008 and dropped a album but never had the impact most expected. The issue is the Rawth EP, never really pushed, it dropped yesterday via the internet.

he album opens up with the fellow My Neighbor, the beginning call to be released from the EP. If you aren't familiar with this by now, it's a smooth track that sounds like something that would be run on a updated edition of Give it to Beaver. The Roth boy needs to get on more production like this, it suits his style perfectly, Nottz not so much. The second song, Gotta Get Up,picks up where My Neighbor left off, a piano driven song with Chester French on the chorus. This is Asher's solo song on the record; sounds good.This brings us to our 3rd song Enforce the Law. This is just mean. Not wish the early songs up to this point, this one drops the strings and pianos for a dirty guitar synth and a stuttering bass. From the start Asher commands your aid and doesn't let go until.well Nottz comes in.Break Bread, the fourth song on the EP, slows the pace down and brings back the strings. A smooth track thats sounds like a Dre track with thedrum patterns and bass. Asher Roth goes in on this one and outshines his counterpart, dope track overall. This is followed by Nottz solo track, In My Mind, where hepicks up the slack without the assistance of Asher Roth and you won't even notice. I wasn't a fan of Nottz spittin up to this point, but he rides this beat effortlessly and sounds good on it. One of the best beats on the album, this wouldn't go out of office on Kanye's MBDTF. Rhymefestjoins the duo on Coming and Going, a dog which gets his epithet from the sample used in the chorus,and spits a memorable verse slightly edging out Asher and Nottz.Run it Back(RMX)breaks up the yard again like Enforce the Law, but doesn't run as well.Another gritty track where the duo's joined by Kardinal Offishall to trade rhymes. A call about nothing and likely the weakest song on the EP. Thankfully the EP ends on a serious note, Nothing You Can't Do bringsback the smooth soulful production with a uplifting chorus rap/sung by Asher. Nottz is lacking on this one but is distinctly heard through the production; Infectious drums and a network of sampled vocals and synths.ZD7MND4T8E4UFinal Thoughts:Rawth EP finds Asher Roth going in a right way and gives Nottz another solid product to add to his catalogue. It's a really strong EP with just one weak song in Run it Back(RMX), but other than that it's a feel good celebration of rap. Asher Roth still comes of as rap's Robin Hood and delivers his message through his word wizardry and reminds us that he's only getting better.