Asher Roth dropped a music video for “Mommydog,” his latest single featuring CJ Smith of Besphrenz.

It’s been quite some time since Asher Roth dropped a full-scale music video. Outside of a few shorter videos with Alexander Charles this year, his last major music video came in 2016 when “Laundry” was shot and released. Having said that, the wait was worth it as Roth released a video for his introspective single “Mommydog” today on YouTube. And like the actual song, the video is thoughtful and a reflection of where Asher is currently at in his music career.

“Mommydog” tells the story of something a lot of major performers and celebrities struggle to balance: leaving your family and friends for life on the road and all the things that come with celebrity. In the video, you see Roth and his DJ, Uncle Ron, on the road doing shows before coming home to see his family for an old-fashioned feast.

If you’ve followed Asher over the last few years (specifically his back-to-back “Terry” and “LA” freestyles), you know that he’s decided to place a lot more value on the latter. He’s moved from Los Angeles back to Philadelphia in order to maintain better relationships and work more in his community.

Since making the trek back east, he’s mastered the inside-out approach to living and working. Whether it be organizing local events or collaborating with local talent (almost exclusively), he’s proven that you can have a national impact while focusing on the area nearest to you. And, perhaps the most important part of the inside-out approach he’s taken is that he’s actually on the inside now rather than the opposite side of the country.

There’s something to be said about just being in the loop with the folks you care for. After years of touring different countries and bouncing from city to city, it’s clear that Roth is firmly, and happily tied back in.

Along with the video, Asher shared a message to fans in the description of the video:

“I’m a big fan of the uproot. We learn a lot when we leave. But before living out of a duffle bag or experiencing weak shower pressure in hotel rooms, I took home for granted. My travels have lead me back to where I started. I’ve learned that those of us fortunate enough to come from a stable home environment are extremely lucky. The connection with a parent, sibling or close friend is hard to find in the wild. “Mommydog” celebrates the household and encourages you to make a home, wherever you are.”

Asher continues to move in an independent direction, with more and more artists following suit. Action Bronson, who collaborated with Roth on “Choices” a few years ago, just released a new album independently (White Bronco) and seems happier than ever having done it. These days, it may be more labor intensive doing things with a small, self-grown circle, but the rewards, as told in “Mommydog,” make the work worth it.

The “Mommydog” video was directed by Mike Oberlies (@obecuatro). The song was produced by Rob Deckhart (@robdevious) with vocals from CJ Smith (@yoitscj).

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