Breaking News: Music Retailers to Create "Everything Except Country and Rap" Sections in Stores

In a surprising coordinated business strategy, hundreds of music retailers nationwide are changing their methods of sorting in-store inventory into musical genres, instead creating a large section called "Everything Except Country and Rap." Rap and country will be relegated to either one or two separate sections within the stores, but this has not been standardized.

A representative for Best Buy, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the decision by the American Association of Large, Non-Independent Music Retailers (AALNIMR), an organization that works closely with the RIAA and the NRA came in response to changing consumer demands.

"Before, more people had defined tastes - they were into classic rock, or alternative, or new wave, or something else. Now, nearly 70% of our poll respondents seem to have gained an appreciation for all music, except for country and rap, obviously," the representative said at a press conference this morning. "It's clear that our business model should reflect the needs of the public, not outdated notions of genre and classification."

Many customers seem happy about the change. Rick Suleck, 19, was shopping for new music at Border's in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Suleck calls himself "a huge fan of everything except country and rap." Now, he says, "It will be a lot easier to find music I will definitely like. Before I had to wade through all sorts of genre discriminations that really don't matter. At the end of the day, it's all rock and roll, right?" Suleck then displayed the Devil Fingers (a common rock and roll related hand gesture that is a fist with the palm out, except with the index and pinkie fingers pointed straight up instead of curled).

Amanda Eberstein, who was shopping yesterday at Barnes and Noble in Modesto, California, was not as excited about the announcement. She expressed concerns that "everything except country and rap" was too broad a label, asking, "Do you think this section include genre crossover acts like the Beastie Boys and Ryan Adams?"

Trent MacCoy, Eberstein's boyfriend who was shopping with her, was also unclear about the true purpose of the new section. "Will this include everything that isn't country or rap? Even things that are non-musical in nature, such as housewares, or floral arrangements."

AALNIMR representatives were unwilling to comment on these and other questions posed by Rolling Scone reporters, saying that these details had not yet been decided, as the decision-making summit, taking place in Palm Springs, California, was ongoing.

Noticeably absent from negotiations are the thousands of independent music retailers around the United States, though changes to their inventory display methods seem unlikely to change anytime soon.

Doug Baker, co-owner of West Wind Books and Records in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was unsurprised by the announcement. "The AALNIMR's decision is indicative of the current state of music listenership in this country, but definitely not indicative of the consumer base of my store and others like it."

"My customers know the differents between hi-fi and lo-fi, grunge and punk, rockabilly and psychobilly, glam and prog - they are more specific in their tastes, and want their store to recognize that."

Some artists are upset by the new genre classification. A group of country and rap artists calling themselves the Country-Rap Antidiscrimination Parnership (CRAP), are starting to put together a lawsuit to overturn the AALNIMR's decision.

Kanye West and Dolly Parton, the acting co-presidents of CRAP until the organization is officially formed, released a joint statement.

"SHIIIiiiiiiiitttttt SSSSSssson. We, the country-RAP Antidiscrimination Partnership, believe that the actions of the AALNIMR are unfairly biased against country and rap music [boob jiggle] . TTTTThhhhiiissssssssssS iiiiisssSSSSSSS BUUUUUULLLshiiiiit. WHHY IIISN'T eeeMOoOO orrrR eeeLectroniCA leFFtttt ouT???!!! How about free jazz, or classical [boob jiggle]? CRAP vooWS to PPPut aN eND to thiiiis."

Rolling Scone will be following this story closely and updating details as they become available. Don't forget to check Rolling Scone Online for the latest in music news, reviews, and terrible twos.

Asher Roth Understands White, College-Educated 20-somethings

The fascination of white college students with hip-hop and rap is not new, but rarely has a white college graduate been able to successfully cross-over into the genre. But this is all about to change. Meet Asher Roth.

Asher Roth, a 22-year-old from Morrisville, PA, dropped his debut album Asleep in the Bread Aisle on April 20, 2009. The album's tracks have names like "Lark on my Go-Kart," "I Love College," and "Be By Myself," which features Cee-Lo. "I Love College," the album's first single, is a feel-good anthem about drinking, smoking weed, dancing, Thirsty Thursdays, and naked girls. The music is an even mix of real instruments and beats, with guitars on "I Love College" and some keyboard on "Lark" The rhymes are clever and he has a sense of humor about the whole thing, but it's clear that Asher Roth is writing about what he knows in the genre he happens to love. Less psychopath than Eminem, more coherent than the Beastie Boys, Asher Roth has what it takes to overtake his predecessors as the most commercially successful white rapper ever.

Roth's music background is alarmingly unremarkable. He says, "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."

His autobiography on MySpace invites a little more insight into the mind of Asher Roth:

"When I'm not rhyming I find time to purchase rare kindergarten art off ebay. As I was recently enlightened that it portrays the soul in its purest form. On the weekends I like to watch football and dance in celebration of the coming week. I collect business cards purely for prank phone calls and pay my rent by doing BICH Work (Boys In Cougar Homes). My boy Greg Mike and I, both started living by the credo...WWJD. What Would JEEZY Do? More often than not we find ourselves going with answers.."YEEAAHHH" and "HAHAAAA." Ever since I've been living a much more positive lifestyle."

Whatever that means. Listen to his tracks at www.myspace.com/asherroth

RollingScone Interview: Kanye West

The RollingScone Interview: Kanye West
presented by the RNC and the New Orleans Tourism Board.

RollingScone: Hello and welcome back to the RS.com real interview. Today’s guest is multi-platinum recording artist Kanye West.

Kanye West: ShiiiTTttt SonnnNN, YouUuu CannNNN PriiNNttT whhatttEEVER you WaNNTT, I’MM KanNYee WeSSTtTTt, I DoNN’TT CarrEEE WhaTtT U SssAaayy, I MakkeEE MuussiiCCc ForRrR the MasSSSess, foRRr tHHee PeeeOppLLe. Goooooddd LiiiIIiiIIifffEE!

RollingScone: Uhm alright let’s talk about your latest album, 808’s and Heartbreak, now you really went a different direction with this album, gone are most of your boasts about being the greatest MC alive and instead you seem to get in touch with your emo side, explain how this all came about.

Kanye West: I’mmMmm a TrrUeEE ArTiSTt, I DoN’Ttt NeEeEeDdd YoUuu ComMmenntTinnggG onN WhatTt KinNNdd of SoNG I’mmMMm mmmAking-

RollingScone: Ok, can I stop you for just a second, what the hell is up with your voice. Is that the-

Kanye West: ThaaAAAttss the AuuutttOOO-TuuuuNNNeeeE, fooorrRRR the nEwW AAllbuM Iii WanTTTeddD to GggGGgOooOooOOOoooOOOoooOOOooooOOOOOoooooOoOOoooOooOooOoOoOoOOooooooooooooooooooooo0000000000000oooooooooooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooOOooooOOOOOOOOOOoOoooooooOOOOoooooOOoooOOOoooooOOOoOOoooOooOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooO O O OoooooooOOoo Inn a neWW dirrEcCtiOOnnn and ShOwOwoWoOW offFF my innncrEdible VoCCaLLL talleNNNTSSS. JessUUssSS Wallllkksss!

RollingScone: It’s incredibly distracting. I think you’re probably supposed to turn it off when-

Kanye West: biittTchh Iii’Mm Kanye WeSSttTTTT, I’m the GrrreAtttEsttTT RappErrr aliiiIIvvvEEee. attTTT the Enddd offff the DaYyyayyayyayayyyYY I Don’tTTt GiiivEee A F---KKKk if YouuU ThIiinKkk I’MmMM ArrOOoGAanNNtttT, YouUUu CanNNN PuTTTT aLllLL Thiss OnNN Hereeeee, You KOOnNNWw WhyyYYY? I MakKEee MussIIccc for THEeee PeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEople. FlaaaaSShiiNnggg LiiiigGGhhTTSS!

RollingScone: Ok why don’t you just get the hell-

Akon: Convict(Convict…convict…convict…) Akooonnnnnn. Convict (Convict… convict… convict) and Kaaannyyeee Westttt.

RollingScone: What in God’s name is this?

Kanye West: Ittt’sss thEEe MoothherrrrF----n reeeemixxxxXX, Chicaaagooooo raaaAIIIsee Upp!!! ThrroOuughHH the WiiiiIIreEEE.

Akon: Reeemixxxx, Convict (convict… convict… convict). Akonnnnnnn.

Kanye West: (clap) (clap) (clap) (clap) Yeah thatttTTsss Righttt, worrrLddSSS grEatesT MC. I canNN turn Shittt to GoldDdd. GeeOOrrGgeee BuuSShhh HAtteeessSS BlAaCkk peOpleee and BlaAcKKK PeppErRR and BlaAAckkboaARRddSS.

RollingScone: Thanks for nothing! Join us again for another thrilling edition of the Rollingscone Interview, brought to you by Fibersol, stay regular with Fibersol.
Next time we have - fresh from the grave - Barry White!