• Faith: Christian
• Career: Musician
• Birthday:  January 17, 1971

Kid Rock is a singer, rapper, musician, and songwriter. After establishing himself in the Detroit hip-hop scene, he broke through into mainstream success with a rap-rock sound before shifting his performance style to country rock. As a self-taught musician, he’s said he can play every instrument in his backing band and has overseen production on all but two of his albums.

Kid Rock started his music career as a DJ and rapper, releasing his debut album “Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast” in 1990 on Jive Records. His subsequent independent releases, “The Polyfuze Method” and “Early Mornin’ Stoned Pimp,” saw him developing a more distinctive style, which was fully realized on his 1998 breakthrough album “Devil Without a Cause,” which sold 14 million copies. This album and its follow-up, “Cocky,” were noted for blending elements of country, rock, and hip-hop.

His most successful single from that time, “Cowboy,” is considered a pioneering song in the country rap genre. Overall, his best-selling singles are “Picture” and “All Summer Long.” Starting with his 2007 album “Rock n Roll Jesus,” his musical output has tended to be in the country rock style. Politically, Ritchie is a vocal Republican supporter, holding conservative views on foreign policy and fiscal issues, but considers himself more moderate on social issues. Kid Rock was born Robert James in Michigan in 1971. He was raised in his father’s home on extensive property, which included an apple orchard and barnyard for their horses.

In the 1980s, Kid Rock became interested in hip-hop, started breakdancing, and taught himself how to rap and DJ while performing in talent shows around and in Detroit. His younger sister, Jill Ritchie, is an actress. Kid Rock started his professional music career as a member of a hip-hop music group called the Beast Crew in the late 1980s. During this time, he met rapper D-Nice, and that relationship would eventually lead to him becoming the opening act at local shows for Boogie Down Productions.

During this time, Kid Rock started a professional association with producer Mike E. Clark, who, after some initial skepticism with the idea of a white rapper, found himself impressed with Kid Rock’s energetic and well-received performance where the artist, using his turntables and equipment, actually prepared his beats to demonstrate his skills for Clark.

What religion is Kid Rock?

Kid Rock identifies as a Christian and discusses his religion in his music. He’s also an ordained minister. In one interview, he said, “I am definitely a Republican on fiscal issues and the military, but I lean to the middle on social issues. I am no fan of abortion, but it’s not up to a man to tell a woman what to do. As an ordained minister, I don’t look forward to marrying gay people, but I’m not opposed to it.”

Rock helped incite a boycott against Bud Light after Bud Light sent a personalized case of beer to transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. In an apology to Bud Light, he said, “As a God-fearing man, as a Christian, I have to believe in forgiveness. They made a mistake, all right. What do you want, hold their head underwater and drown them and kill people’s jobs? I don’t want to do that. But I hope—at the same time, I don’t want to be their biggest cheerleader. I want them to show me something to get me back as a consumer, as a drinker.”