In 2008, rock band Tokio Hotel beat out a quartet of pop stars -- Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Jordin Sparks and Taylor Swift -- to nab a Best New Artist win at the MTV Video Music Awards. This year the category pits nine-time nominee Lady Gaga against 3OH!3, Drake, Kid Cudi and Asher Roth and, according to one of them, the contest is already over before the September 13 show has begun.

"I think Gaga's gonna take it," Roth told MTV News. "She's been killing it for however long now, so she can go ahead and have it. I'm not gonna put up a big fight."

Instead of a fight, he's putting forth a new look: Roth has spent the last two weeks sprouting a blondish, '70s-style moustache that would not be out of place in an adult film. By the rapper's reasoning, if he can't match Gaga and Beyoncé with a glitzy fashion choice, he might as well rock some creative facial hair.

"The moustache was European-inspired. It was supposed to last a day, but it's lasted 12!" he said, joking that it actually took six months for the baby-faced artist to grow the meager 'stache. "I'm getting some bad backlash from my inner squad, my cabinet."

Undeterred, Roth went on to suggest he might go all-in with the Euro-motivated fashion decisions and dress up like the namesake of Frenchman Alexandre Dumas' famous 19th-century adventure novel -- cape, frilly blouse and all.

"You might see me as the Count of Monte Cristo at the MTV Video Music Awards!" Roth declared.

Watch the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards Preshow this Sunday, September 13, at 8 p.m. ET, followed by the big event, airing live at 9 p.m. New York is celebrating the VMAs all week long, so stay tuned for party coverage, concert reports, behind-the-scenes updates and more.