“The celebrity you will be interviewing is... Asher Roth.”

‘Eeeee’

-Me, giddy with excitement.

You see, I love Asher Roth. His first big hit, ‘I Love College’, conveniently came out my last semester of college and was my anthem that spring. We blared it down Providence, down Rollins, down College, and of course, in Fort Myers on spring break.

And (confession:) every time it gets to the ‘Freshman, freshman, do somethin’ crazy’ part... I cry.

I am not joking.

So, needless to say, when MTV told me I would be interviewing him for the TJ Challenge... I. Was. Psyched.

What I expected to get from my interview with Asher Roth:
Just a goofy party boy.

What I actually got from my interview with Asher Roth:
A goofy party boy who is also really down-to-earth, honest, and smart.

When I got on the phone with Asher, he was chilling out in LA, ready to hit the pool before a writing session for his new album, which he hopes to be finished with in November or December- just in time for those holiday sales! (Mom Santa, add that to my Christmas list now.)

Writing and recording for the album is in full swing, but don’t expect a tour from Asher any time soon. The self-proclaimed ‘pale white kid’ will wait until summer is over before he goes out touring in the hot sun. In the meantime, he’s got his SPF, his water, and his work to keep him occupied.

He's already promoting his new single 'G.R.I.N.D (Get Ready It's a New Day)', and has a concept for the video that any social media lover (aka me) can get behind-

He’s leaving it up to the fans.

That’s right. Fans submitted their own videos for' G.R.I.N.D', and Asher and his team will pick the best of the best to be chosen (again, by the fans of course) for the official video.

“We want them to feel like this is their project. That they have the control. That they can pick something dope.”

The videos aren’t the only way Asher is keeping his fans engaged while they wait for the next album. This guy’s as active online as an MTV TJ. He stays connected on Twitter and Facebook, and through his seriously awesome website.

“I’m 24, and when we were looking ahead to 2010, 2011, we thought there would be flying cars, holograms, future sh*t... This is where we are. Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, even though that’s faded a little bit. Now, I’m in the music business... I never thought I would be here... and it’s way bigger than just music. It’s about how we are as people. Its about our personality... I want to welcome people into our world.”

And just a note: Asher isn’t logging on via the iPhone. He's got a Blackberry through Verizon... and proud of it. (Anyone looking for a spokesperson?)

There’s no doubt that Asher is most famous for his party anthem, ‘I Love College.’ In fact, when I told people I was interviewing him, all they wanted to know was why he loved college so much. The avid beer pong player (and competitive flip cupper, too) says that besides the obvious reasons- you know, women and drinking, like he says in the song- college is really all about the experience.

“You’re learning about life. It’s a human experience. It’s social. It’s branching out.”

And when asked what he loves more than college, Asher responds without hesitation-

“My family, my friends, and my freedom.”

Cue the ‘awww’s’, right?

I can hear his friends laughing in the background. “They’re laughing because they know I love them,” Asher tells me, before shouting, “I love you guys!”

The new album, tentatively titled The Spaghetti Tree, is all about life after college, but Asher isn’t forgetting about the hit that made him a star.

“Hopefully it sticks around for years to come. I think people really connected with it.”

They sure did. And here's hoping Asher sticks around for years to come too.

(Image credit: Asher's Facebook page. Check it out. And 'like' it.)