Asher (Hebrew: אָשֵׁר, Modern Asher Tiberian ʼĀšēr), in the Book of Genesis, is the second son of Jacob and Zilpah, and the founder of the Tribe of Asher.

Name[link]

The text of the Torah argues that the name of Asher means happy/blessing, implying a derivation from the Hebrew term osher (with the same meaning); the Torah actually presents this in two variations—beoshri (meaning in my good fortune), and ishsheruni, which textual scholars attribute to different sources—one to the Yahwist and the other to the Elohist.^[1] Many scholars suspect that the name of Asher may have more to do with a deity originally worshipped by the tribe, either Asherah,^[2] or Ashur, the chief Assyrian deity;^[3] the latter possibility is cognate with Asher.^[3]

Biblical narrative[link]

Asher played a role in the plot to sell his brother Joseph into slavery.(Gen. 37:23-36) Asher and his four sons and daughter settled in Canaan.^[2] On his deathbed, Jacob blesses Asher by saying that "his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties"(Genesis 49:20).

The eighth son of the patriarch Jacob, and the traditional progenitor of the tribe Asher. However, some Biblical scholars view this as postdiction, an eponymous metaphor providing an aetiology of the connectedness of the tribe to others in the Israelite confederation.^[4]

Asher is represented as the younger brother of Gad; these two being the sons of Zilpah, the handmaid of Leah (Gen. xxx. 10 et seq., xxxv. 26). The Biblical account shows Zilpah's status as a handmaid change to an actual wife of Jacob Genesis 30:9,13. Her handmaid status is regarded by some biblical scholars as indicating that the authors saw the tribe of Asher as being not of entirely Israelite origin;^[3] scholars believe that Asher consisted of certain clans affiliated with portions of the Israelite tribal confederation, but which were never incorporated into the body politic.^[3]

The Torah states that Asher had four sons and one daughter, who were born in Canaan and migrated with him to Egypt,^[5] with their descendants remaining there until the Exodus;^[6] this seems to be partly contradicted by Egyptian records (assuming a late Exodus date), according to which a group named Aseru, a name from which Asher is probably derived,^[3] were, in the 14th century BC, living in a similar region to Asher's traditional territory, in Canaan.^[3] Asher's daughter, Serah (also transliterated as Serach), is the only granddaughter of Jacob mentioned in the Torah (Gen. 46:17). Her mother is not named; according to classical rabbinical literature, Serach's mother was named Hadurah, and was a descendant of Eber, but although Hadurah was a wife of Asher, it was her second marriage, and Serach's father was actually Hadurah's first husband, who had died.^[7] In classical rabbinical literature, Hadurah's marriage to Asher was his second marriage as well, his first having been to Adon, who was a descendant of Ishmael;^[3] the Book of Jubilees contradicts this, arguing instead that Asher's wife was named Lyon (which probably means dove).^[3]

Asher's sons were: Jimnah, Ishuah, Isui, and Beriah.

In rabbinical literature[link]

According to classical rabbinical literature, Asher had informed his brothers about Reuben's incest with Bilhah, and as a result Asher came to be on bad terms with his brothers, though once Reuben confessed, the brothers realised they had been unjust towards Asher;^[3] Asher's motivation is described, by classical rabbinical sources, as being entirely innocent of evil intent, and always in search of harmony between his brothers.^[3] He was the very one whose endeavor it had always been to reconcile the brothers, especially when they disputed as to who among them was destined to be the ancestor of the priests (Sifre, Deut. 355). In the Test. Patr., Asher, 5, Asher is regarded as the example of a virtuous man who with singlemindedness strives only for the general good.

Asher was born on the 20th of Shevat 2199 (1562 BCE). According to some accounts 20th of Shevat is also the date of his passing.

Asher married twice. His first wife was 'Adon, a great-granddaughter of Ishmael; his second, Hadurah, a granddaughter of Eber and a widow. By her first marriage Hadurah had a daughter Serah, whom Asher treated as affectionately as if she had been of his own flesh and blood, so that the Bible itself speaks of Serah as Asher's daughter ("Sefer ha-Yashar, Wayesheb"). According to the Book of Jubilees (xxxiv. 20), Asher's wife was named "Iyon" (probably, "dove").

Asher's descendants in more than one regard deserved their name ("Asher" meaning "happiness"). The tribe of Asher was the one most blessed with male children (Sifre, l.c.); and its women were so beautiful that priests and princes sought them in marriage (Gen. R. lxxi., end). The abundance of oil in the land possessed by Asher so enriched the tribe that none of them needed to hire a habitation (Gen. R. l.c.); and the soil was so fertile that in times of scarcity, and especially in the Sabbatical year, Asher provided all Israel with olive-oil (Sifre, l.c.; Men. 85b; Targ. Yer. on Deut. xxxiii. 24). The Asherites were also renowned for wisdom (Men. l.c.).J. Sr. L. G.

Scholarly interpretations[link]

A number of scholars have proposed that the tribe of Asher actually originated as the Weshesh group of Sea Peoples^[8][9] - the name Weshesh (or rather Uashesh/Ueshesh - for easy pronunciation, this is usually transcribed into English as Weshesh) can be decomposed as men of Uash in Hebrew, and hence possibly a corruption of Asher.^[10]

Notes[link]

1. ^ Richard Elliott Friedman, Who wrote the Bible?
2. ^ ^{a b} Metzeger, Bruce M. (ed); , Michael D. Coogan (ed) (1993). The Oxford Companion to the Bible. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. pp. 62. ISBN 0-19-504645-5. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j} Jewish Encyclopedia
4. ^ Peake's commentary on the Bible
5. ^ Genesis 46:17
6. ^ Book of Exodus
7. ^ Sefer ha Yashar
8. ^ Yigael Yadin And Dan, Why Did He Remain in Ships
9. ^ N. K. Sandars, The Sea Peoples. Warriors of the ancient Mediterranean, 1250-1150 BC. Thames & Hudson,1978
10. ^ Sandars, The Sea Peoples.

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Asher Roth
Background information
Birth name	Asher Paul Roth
Born	(1985-08-11) August 11, 1985 (age 26)
Origin	Morrisville, Pennsylvania, US
Genres	Hip hop
Occupations	Rapper
Years active	2005-present
Labels	Schoolboy, SRC, Def Jam
Associated acts	Nottz Raw, All City Chess Club
Website	asherrothmusic.com

Asher Paul Roth (born August 11, 1985) is an American rapper from Morrisville, Pennsylvania. Roth is signed to Schoolboy Records, SRC, and Def Jam.

Early life[link]

Asher Roth was born and raised in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, a small town about 20 miles northeast of Philadelphia.^[1][2] His mother, Elizabeth (née McConnell), is a yoga instructor, and his father, David Roth, is the executive director of a design firm.^[3][4][5][6] His mother has Scottish ancestry and his paternal grandfather was Jewish.^[7][8] Roth does not consider himself Jewish, although his name often leads people to believe he is.^[9] He attended Pennsbury High School. Growing up, Roth was exposed to little hip hop in his family, with his parents preferring "The Temptations, Earth, Wind & Fire ... Bruce Springsteen and Dire Straits."^[10] According to Roth:

The first CD I ever bought was Dave Matthews Band's Crash ...That is how suburban I am...I finally got into hip hop in '98 when I heard the Annie sample with Jay-Z....When I wrote my 'A Milli' freestyle, that was me listening to 10 years of hip hop and not relating to it at all. Like, Damn I don’t sell coke. Damn, I don’t have cars or 25-inch rims. I don't have guns. I finally got to a point where I had the confidence to do this thing myself, and I was making music for me. And it turns out, a lot of people feel the same way I do.^[11]

Asher has also stated that:

Hip-hop has always been very influential in the ‘burbs, [but] it’s just a matter of where we could relate to it. You find a lot of kids that are really confused. You look at them and they’re dressed out of character. They don’t look right. I figured out, I don’t have to dress this way, but I can still love hip-hop.^[12]

After graduating high school, Roth entered West Chester University and became an Elementary Education major, while continuing to record verses over other people's beats. During sophomore year, Roth posted some of his verses on his MySpace page and sent a Friend Request to Scooter Braun, an Atlanta-based promoter and former VP of Marketing for Jermaine Dupri's So So Def. One week after speaking to Braun, Roth flew down to Atlanta and was immediately signed by Braun, who subsequently became his manager.^[10]

Asher Roth cites Jay-Z and Eminem among his influences in hip hop, mostly by Jay-Z's "Hard Knock Life".^[13]

Roth's lyrics characteristically center around what have been called "middle-class minutiae, some also consider them to be a joke."^[11] Roth's song "I Love College" is about partying after a visit to Penn State, but includes fatuous lyrics such as "I can get pizza a dollar a slice"^[11] that have been identified as "far from threatening".

Music career[link]

After linking up with Braun, Roth moved to Atlanta to pursue a hip-hop career full-time. As industry buzz grew, Roth was courted by a number of labels, including SRC, Def Jam, Warner Bros. Records and Atlantic Records.^[14] Roth would eventually sign a joint venture between Braun's Schoolboy Music and Steve Rifkind, chairman of SRC/Universal Records. On June 13, 2008, Roth put out his first professional release, the Don Cannon and DJ Drama-helmed The Greenhouse Effect mixtape, via the Internet. This resulted in Roth being the second white rapper to be featured on Drama and Cannon’s Gangsta Grillz series.

[edit] 2009: Asleep in the Bread Aisle

Roth started recording a full album in late 2008. It was completed in 2009. The first single was "I Love College" which received many hits across North America. His second single was "Lark on my Go-Kart". After the two singles were released, Roth's studio album Asleep in the Bread Aisle was released on April 20, 2009. He supported his album with a nationwide tour with B.o.B. and Kid Cudi. Asher also joined Blink-182 in the second half of their reunion tour in the fall of 2009.

Roth was featured on the cover of XXL magazine’s annual Top 10 Freshmen: Hip-Hop’s Class ’09 issue.

[edit] 2010-present: The Rawth EP and Is This Too Orange?

After finishing touring in 2009 and releasing a second mixtape, Seared Foie Gras with Quince and Cranberry,^[15] Roth began working on his second studio album. From his friend Boyder's YouTube page, he has been seen working with producers Pharrell Williams and Nottz Raw. While working with Nottz, the two of them decided to collaborate on a project together, due to having a number of records rejected by the label due to sampling & copyright issues.^[16] The end result was an eight track EP, solely produced by Nottz, entitled The Rawth EP. The EP, which features appearances from Colin Munroe, D.A. (of Chester French), Rhymefest and Kardinal Offishall, was released December 27, 2010.^[17] Roth released and promoted "G.R.I.N.D (Get Ready It's a New Day)", the first single off of his upcoming second album, by traveling to different radio stations around the country. Roth revealed four tracks on his upcoming album in a XXL article. One features Game, one is produced by Swizz Beatz and another is titled "Run it Back".^[10] On May 25, it was announced that Roth's second studio album would no longer be called The Spaghetti Tree.^[18] His song with Akon titled "Last Man Standing" is featured on the soundtrack for the videogame Madden NFL 12. In an interview with Rikki Martinez of Power 106 he announced he will be releasing a mixtape titled Pabst & Jazz and revealed the title of his upcoming second album, Is This Too Orange?.^[19] On November 11th, 2011 he released the first offering off Pabst & Jazz, a song titled "Common Knowledge". In November 2011, Roth signed to Def Jam Recordings after several years been signed to SRC Records.

Personal life[link]

Asher Roth is open about his use of cannabis. As stated in an interview conducted and filmed by DJ Vlad, Roth stated his views about the legalization of marijuana and the use of cigarettes:

Cigarettes don't do anything for you except kill you ... I honestly don't believe [marijuana] is the gateway drug, because I use it and I've never done anything else ... I'm trying to be open about my "pot smoking" ...^[20]

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

• Asleep in the Bread Aisle (2009)
• Is This Too Orange? (2012)

Mixtapes[link]

• The GreenHouse Effect (2008)
• Seared Foie Gras with Quince and Cranberry (2010)
• Pabst & Jazz (2011)

EPs[link]

• Just Listen (2005)
• The Rawth EP (With Nottz) (2010)

Awards[link]

• MTV Video Music Awards
  • Best New Artist ("I Love College") [Nominated]
  • Best Hip Hop Video ("I Love College") [Nominated]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Office page at Facebook

Marlon Asher Lozano
Also known as	Mew A.
Origin	Enterprise, Chaguanas, Trinidad and Tobago
Genres	Reggae
Occupations	Singer, Nurse
Years active	2006–present

Marlon Asher is a Trinidadian reggae singer from Enterprise, Chaguanas. His first hit was "Ganja Farmer" and later went on to release three more popular reggae songs, his latest being "Fit and Strong".

Marlon Asher grew up in Enterprise Street, Chaguanas. He was a member of the Mount Ararat Spiritual Baptist Church Choir and later converted to Rastafari.

Asher was a pioneer of the Trinidadian reggae movement and his first song Ganja Farmer sparked controversy in his country despite being a run away hit. In an exclusive interview with the Trinidad and Tobago Express, he answered his critics by explaining what the song meant to him.

"I was never a farmer, but I have friends who are and seeing what they have to go through when police burn their fields inspired me to create the song. People must understand that planters have mouths to feed and this is how they earn a living to do so. Putting aside the fact that herb is life and everything else about that, when you think about the work and money a man puts into his field and then see it being burnt, it's not easy,"

"Herb is not for everyone. It have people who will smoke and trip. My music is not about promoting hate and violence, it's about uplifting people. I may not be able to change the world, but I can lead people into thinking differently about life and living with each other. Also, the lyrics in the song that tell about the rocket launcher, does not mean that people should kill police. I am showing the anger that a farmer has inside when he sees his field being burnt. That anger and frustration is real," ^[1]

Asher was once a joiner and a mason but left the trade due to allergies. His left index finger was lost in a sawing accident. He is currently a member of a pan side led by his father Glenford Sobers.

Asher has toured together with the stars such as Beenie Man, Sizzla, Maxi Priest and even the American R&B Group Boyz II Men. He has toured Boston, Virginia, Miami, Baltimore and Toronto, and later plans to tour Germany, the United Kingdom as well as other parts of Europe. ^[2]

He has since paved the way for other local reggae stars such as Prophet Benjamin,^[3] I-sasha, Khari Kill, Jah Bami, Xebulon, King David and so many more.

References[link]

1. ^ "'Ganja Planter' hit maker warns of marijuana risks" Trinidad and Tobago Express, Sunday, May 8th 2005.
2. ^ "Marlon Asher" TriniJungleJuice.com
3. ^ "Reggae has a new star", Trinidad and Tobago Express, Sunday, September 11th 2005, Retrieved Thursday, July 20th 2006.

MyMusicCity.Net Article on Marlon Asher at Corrosive Studio Launch Point Fortin [1]

Mike Posner
Mike Posner, July 2010.
Background information
Birth name	Michael Robert Posner
Born	(1988-02-12) February 12, 1988 (age 24) Southfield, Michigan, U.S.
Origin	Detroit, Michigan, United States
Genres	R&B, dance, electronic, hip hop
Occupations	Singer, songwriter
Years active	2007–present
Labels	J, RCA
Associated acts	Big Sean, Lil Wayne, Cher Lloyd, Your Favorite Martian, Justin Bieber
Website	mikeposner.com

Michael Robert "Mike" Posner (born February 12, 1988) is an American singer, songwriter, and producer.^[1] Posner released his debut album, 31 Minutes to Takeoff, on August 10, 2010. The album includes the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 single "Cooler Than Me," his second single, "Please Don't Go," as well as his third single, "Bow Chicka Wow Wow". As of 2012, he is the ambassador of Reebok Classic's RealFlex range.^[2]

Early life and education[link]

Posner was born and raised in Southfield, Michigan.^[3][4] His father, a criminal defense attorney, is Jewish, and his mother is Catholic.^[5][6] Posner attended and graduated from Groves High School, where he ran varsity track and cross-country, and went on to attend Duke University. There, Posner went Sigma Nu^[7] and graduated in 2010 with a degree in sociology and a certificate in markets and management, with an overall GPA of 3.59.^[3][4][8]

Career[link]

2008–2009: Musical beginnings[link]

Manager Daniel Weisman of Elitaste Inc. first heard about Mike Posner in 2008 when Jared Evan manager Saytum passed on some tracks Posner had created for Weisman's then client Wale.^[9] Weisman got in touch with Posner and, impressed by songs including "Cooler Than Me", began an informal mentoring relationship with the artist over iChat.^[9] The association was made official in early 2009 after Posner's second mixtape, A Matter of Time (the first mixtape being Reflections of a Lost Teen) started attracting industry attention.^[9] Working with Don Cannon and DJ Benzi, the mixtape was released from his dorm room at Duke University in March 2009 under the name, "Mike Posner & the Brain Trust," the Brain Trust referring to Posner's supporters.^[10] The release was unusual for being distributed for free through iTunes U, a channel designed for educational audio content. Although Posner was not the only artist to take advantage of this loophole, his release was the most organised and high profile, and attracted the largest response, immediately reaching the number one position on the iTunes U chart, thanks to his manager Saytum.^[9]

In July 2009, Posner signed a deal with J Records (RCA/Sony).^[11] He chose to return to Duke after signing his record deal, and toured on the weekends while at the same time recording for his debut album.^[12][13][14] Posner's third mixtape One Foot Out the Door, hosted by Clinton Sparks, was released on October 27, 2009. The mixtape was accompanied by a web series also entitled One Foot Out the Door which aired bi-weekly from September 30, 2009 until December 2009.

[edit] 2010: 31 Minutes to Takeoff

31 Minutes to Takeoff, his debut album was released on August 10, 2010. The first single from the album, "Cooler Than Me," produced by Gigamesh, climbed the Billboard Hot 100 to reach No. 6^[15] before going on to attain global success.^[16] He performed at Bonnaroo and the 2010 Warped Tour where he was a crowd favorite. A second single, "Please Don't Go," was issued on July 20, 2010.

Posner performed on national television for the first time on the talk show Last Call with Carson Daly on October 27, 2009. He also performed his song "Cooler Than Me" on America's Got Talent on July 28, 2010. He performed on Live with Regis and Kelly on August 3, and on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on August 4. He performed "Cooler Than Me" on The Wendy Williams Show on August 5, 2010, and on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on August 9, 2010. Posner has collaborated with artists Lil Wayne, Bruno Mars, Wale, Big Sean, Bun B, We The Kings, Saigon, One Be Lo, Eric Holljes, Cher Lloyd, and 3OH!3. On February 1, 2011, Posner released a radio mix of "Bow Chicka Wow Wow" which included a new verse from Lil Wayne. He performed his song Bow Chicka Wow Wow live on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on April 19, 2011.

He has also covered many popular songs, including Beyoncé's "Halo," Adele's "Rolling in the Deep," Coldplay's "The Scientist" and Kanye West's Heartless.

Posner was nominated for a 2010 American Music Award (T-Mobile Breakthrough Artist), a 2010 MTV Europe Music Award (Push Artist) and won a 2011 ASCAP Award ("Cooler Than Me").

2011–present: Second album[link]

On October 7, 2011, RCA Music Group announced it was disbanding J Records along with Arista Records and Jive Records. With the shutdown, Posner (and all other artists previously signed to these three labels) will release his future material on the RCA Records brand.^[17][18]

He provided vocals for X-Factor contestant Cher Lloyd's second single "With Ur Love",^[19] released on October 29, 2011.

"Looks Like Sex", the first single of his upcoming album titled Sky High, was released on December 2, 2011. On January 18, 2012, Posner collaborated with cartoon band Your Favorite Martian on the YouTube video, She Looks Like Sex^[20], a remix of "Looks Like Sex". His second single will be "Top of the World", produced by Diplo, which features Big Sean.^[21]

It was revealed on March 1, 2012 that Posner had collaborated with Justin Bieber to write the first single from Bieber's upcoming album Believe. The single is called "Boyfriend" and was released on March 26, 2012. He has also been working on Labrinth's album.^[22]

Discography[link]

• 31 Minutes to Takeoff (2010)
• Sky High (2012)^[23]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Recording Institute of Detroit Home Page