He
grew up in the Detroit area, and he’s made a name
for himself in the predominantly African-American rap genre,
giving it his own twist with some hard-driving, bluesy rock.
He’s not Eminem, though he does count the rapper among
his friends. He’s Bob Ritchie, better known as Kid
Rock, and he hit the music scene in 1990 with the album
“Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast.” The record
didn’t bring Kid Rock commercial success, but at an
autograph signing following its release, it did bring him
in direct contact with a young Marshall Mathers III, later
to be known as Eminem. The two struck up a friendship, even
appearing on each other’s major-label debuts.
It
took Kid Rock several years to achieve that major-label
release, as 1993’s “The Polyfuze Method”
and 1996’s “Early Morning Stoned Pimp”
failed to find an audience. Though he was working on a very
tight budget and often selling bootlegs of his own records
for rent money, Kid Rock decided to form a backing band,
to which he gave the name Twisted Brown Trucker. Diminutive
rapper Joe C. quickly signed on and would later become one
of the most distinctive personas in Kid Rock’s entourage
before passing away in 2000. DJ Uncle Kracker also joined,
though he would later break away in favor of a solo career.
After
a few years of hardship, Kid Rock benefitted from a changing
music scene in which rap-metal bands such as Rage Against
the Machine and Korn were gaining popularity. With such
a landscape in place, Atlantic Records opted to sign Kid
Rock, and “Devil Without a Cause” was released
in 1998. The album didn’t take off right away, but
aggressive promotion by the label and backing from music
television helped the second single, “Bawitdaba,”
become a smash hit. It was followed up by “Cowboy,”
another nationwide hit, and the album sold more than seven
million copies. Suddenly, the masses were lining up for
Kid Rock concert tickets.
After
Joe C.’s death and the departure of Uncle Kracker,
Kid Rock returned with 2000’s “The History of
Rock” and 2001’s “Cocky,” an album
infused with a country feel. In 2003, he released a self-titled
album on which he covered Bad Company’s “Feel
Like Makin’ Love.”
In
early 2006, Kid Rock released “Live Trucker,”
showcasing his high-energy onstage performances. The constant
evolution of his sound and his outspoken support for President
George W. Bush have gained and lost Kid Rock numerous fans
over the course of his career.
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