History of Kid Rock in Timeline

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Kid Rock

Kid Rock, born Robert James Ritchie, is an American musician known for blending hip-hop, rock, and country influences. He started in the Detroit hip-hop scene and gained mainstream recognition with a rap rock sound before transitioning to country rock. A self-taught musician, Kid Rock claims proficiency in playing all instruments used by his backing band. He has been heavily involved in the production of the majority of his albums.

1941: William "Bill" Ritchie's Birth

In 1941, William "Bill" Ritchie, father of Robert James Ritchie (Kid Rock), was born.

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January 17, 1971: Robert James Ritchie Born

On January 17, 1971, Robert James Ritchie, known professionally as Kid Rock, was born in Romeo, Michigan.

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1988: Production of Demos

In 1988, Clark produced a series of demos with Kid Rock, which led to offers from major record labels.

1989: Shareholder in Top Dog Records

In 1989, Kid Rock became a shareholder in Top Dog Records, an independent record label.

1990: Debut Album Release

In 1990, Kid Rock released his debut album, "Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast", on Jive Records.

1990: Signing with Jive Records and Release of Debut Album

In 1990, at age 17, Kid Rock signed with Jive Records and released his debut album, "Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast".

1990: Rise in Detroit Rap Scene

In 1990, the album made Kid Rock one of the two biggest rap stars in Detroit, along with Esham, and he toured with Ice Cube, D-Nice, Yo-Yo and Too Short.

1991: Sampling Metallica's "Sad but True"

In May 2000, Kid Rock released the song "American Bad Ass" which sampled Metallica's 1991 song "Sad but True".

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1992: Signing with Continuum and Collaboration with Insane Clown Posse

In 1992, Kid Rock signed with Continuum record label and met Insane Clown Posse, leading to a guest appearance on their debut album, "Carnival of Carnage".

1993: Recording 'The Polyfuze Method'

In 1993, Kid Rock recorded his second studio album, "The Polyfuze Method", with producer Mike E. Clark, who helped give the album a more rock-oriented sound.

1994: Formation of Twisted Brown Trucker

By 1994, Kid Rock's live performances increasingly incorporated live instrumentation, leading to the formation of the rock band Twisted Brown Trucker.

1996: Release of 'Early Mornin' Stoned Pimp'

In 1996, Kid Rock released his most rock-oriented album to date, "Early Mornin' Stoned Pimp".

1997: Signing with Atlantic Records

In 1997, Kid Rock signed with Atlantic Records after Jason Flom, head of Lava Records, attended one of his performances.

1998: Breakthrough with 'Devil Without a Cause'

In 1998, Kid Rock achieved mainstream success with his breakthrough album, "Devil Without a Cause", which sold 14 million copies.

1999: Commercial Success of Devil Without a Cause

In 1999, "Devil Without a Cause" became a commercial success, selling over 14 million copies; Kid Rock performed at Woodstock 1999 and appeared at the MTV VMA.

1999: Release of "Cowboy"

In 1999, Kid Rock released "Cowboy", considered a pioneering song in the country rap genre.

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May 2000: Release of The History of Rock

In May 2000, Kid Rock released the compilation album "The History of Rock", featuring the single "American Bad Ass".

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July 7, 2000: Kid Rock fills in with Metallica

On July 7, 2000, Kid Rock filled in on vocals for an injured James Hetfield with Metallica in Atlanta during the Summer Sanitarium Tour.

2000: Grammy Nomination

In 2000, Kid Rock was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.

November 2001: Release of 'Cocky'

In November 2001, Kid Rock released his fifth studio album, "Cocky", dedicated to Joe C. and featuring the successful single "Picture" with Sheryl Crow.

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2001: Acting Roles

In 2001, Kid Rock appeared in the comedy film "Joe Dirt" and voiced "Kidney Rock" in the film "Osmosis Jones".

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2001: Release of 'Cocky'

In 2001, Kid Rock released the album "Cocky", noted for blending hip-hop, country, and rock elements.

2001: Display of Confederate Flag

Starting in 2001, Kid Rock displayed the Confederate flag in concerts.

April 2002: Engagement to Pamela Anderson

In April 2002, Kid Rock and actress Pamela Anderson got engaged.

2002: Theme Song for Stacy Keibler

In 2002, Kid Rock covered ZZ Top's "Legs" as a theme song for WWE Diva Stacy Keibler, which appeared on the album "WWF Forceable Entry".

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2002: Cocky Tour and Girls of Summer Tour

In 2002, Kid Rock performed on the Cocky Tour and opened for Aerosmith with Run-DMC on the Girls of Summer Tour, during which Uncle Kracker began his solo career and was replaced by Paradime.

2002: Release of "Picture"

In 2002, Kid Rock released "Picture", which became one of his best-selling singles overall.

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2003: Full Control of Top Dog Records

In 2003, Kid Rock gained full ownership of the Top Dog record label after filing a lawsuit.

2003: Release of Self-Titled Album and Waylon Jennings Tribute

In 2003, Kid Rock's self-titled sixth album was released, featuring a cover of Bad Company's "Feel Like Makin' Love". He also contributed to a Waylon Jennings tribute album.

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July 2006: Marriage to Pamela Anderson

In July 2006, Kid Rock and Pamela Anderson reconciled and were married.

2006: End of Confederate Flag display

Kid Rock's display of the Confederate flag ended in 2006.

July 2007: Rolling Stone Cover

In July 2007, Kid Rock was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine for the second time.

2007: Release of 'Rock n Roll Jesus'

In 2007, Kid Rock's album "Rock n Roll Jesus" was released, marking a shift towards a country rock style.

2008: Recording "Warrior" for National Guard

In 2008, Kid Rock recorded and made a music video for the song "Warrior" for a National Guard advertising campaign.

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2008: Release of "All Summer Long"

In 2008, Kid Rock released "All Summer Long", one of his best-selling singles.

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2008: Support for Barack Obama

In 2008, Kid Rock supported newly elected President Barack Obama, saying that Obama's election was "a great thing for black people."

2010: Release of 'Born Free'

In 2010, Kid Rock released his country-oriented eighth studio album, "Born Free", which was produced by Rick Rubin and featured guest appearances by Sheryl Crow and Bob Seger.

2011: NAACP Honor and Confederate Flag Controversy

In 2011, Kid Rock was honored by the NAACP, sparking protests due to his past use of the Confederate flag at concerts, after which he claimed he never flew the flag with hate in his heart and he loves America, Detroit, and black people.

2012: Campaigning for Mitt Romney

In 2012, Kid Rock campaigned for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney; the candidate used Kid Rock's song "Born Free" as his campaign theme.

2012: Beastie Boys Induction and Release of 'Rebel Soul'

In 2012, Kid Rock performed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction for the Beastie Boys and released his ninth studio album, "Rebel Soul", introducing his alter ego, Bobby Shazam, on the track "Cucci Galore".

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2013: "Best Night Ever" Tour

In 2013, Kid Rock performed on the "Best Night Ever" tour, offering tickets for no more than $20.

2015: Endorsement of Ben Carson

In 2015, Kid Rock publicly endorsed Ben Carson for the Republican nomination for President of the United States in the 2016 election.

2015: Confederate Flag Controversy

In 2015, the Michigan chapter of the National Action Network protested outside the Detroit Historical Museum, which honored Ritchie, urging him to renounce the Confederate flag. Ritchie responded with an email to Megyn Kelly, and the National Action Network protested Chevrolet for sponsoring his tour in 2015.

February 2016: Approval of Donald Trump's campaign

In February 2016, Kid Rock voiced approval for Donald Trump's campaign for the same office.

September 2016: Criticism for Colin Kaepernick comment

In September 2016, Kid Rock faced criticism for allegedly saying "man, fuck Colin Kaepernick" during a live performance of his song "Born Free".

July 12, 2017: "Kid Rock for US Senate" Hoax

On July 12, 2017, Kid Rock shared a photo of a "Kid Rock for US Senate" yard sign on Twitter, later clarifying it was a hoax and donating funds raised from merchandise to voter registration.

October 2017: End of Senate run speculation

In an October 2017 interview with Howard Stern, Kid Rock put an end to the speculation about a Senate run, saying that he never intended to run and that the campaign was a joke.

November 2017: Engagement to Audrey Berry

In November 2017, Kid Rock became engaged to his longtime girlfriend, Audrey Berry. The couple met not long after he and Anderson finalized their divorce in 2007.

November 2017: Firing of Publicist

In November 2017, Kid Rock fired his publicist, Kirt Webster, after Webster was accused of sexual misconduct.

January 2018: Headlining NHL All-Star Game

In January 2018, the NHL announced Kid Rock as the headlining entertainer for their January 28 All-Star Game, which sparked some negative reactions.

March 2018: Lynyrd Skynyrd's final tour

In March 2018, Kid Rock announced he would perform on Lynyrd Skynyrd's final tour before the Southern rock band retired. Other artists joining the tour include Hank Williams Jr., Bad Company, the Marshall Tucker Band and 38 Special.

April 6, 2018: Induction into WWE Hall of Fame

On April 6, 2018, Kid Rock was inducted into the Celebrity Wing of the WWE Hall of Fame during the weekend of WrestleMania 34.

September 21, 2018: Greatest Hits Album Release

On September 21, 2018, Kid Rock released his first greatest hits album, titled Greatest Hits: You Never Saw Coming.

2018: WWE Hall of Fame speech

During his speech at the 2018 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, Kid Rock stated that he wanted to "body slam some Democrats".

November 30, 2019: Controversial statements at Nashville restaurant

On November 30, 2019, Kid Rock drew controversy after he was recorded making inappropriate statements about Oprah Winfrey and Joy Behar while intoxicated at his Nashville restaurant.

December 2019: Closure of Detroit restaurant branch

In December 2019, following backlash from his controversial comments, Kid Rock decided to close the Detroit branch of his restaurant, located at the Little Caesar's Arena, stating, "it's wise to go where you're celebrated, not tolerated".

March 29, 2020: Release of "Quarantine" Single

On March 29, 2020, Kid Rock, under the name "DJ Bobby Shazam", released his first single titled "Quarantine", featuring an old-school hip-hop sound. All proceeds from the single's sales were to be donated to fight COVID-19.

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June 2021: Controversy over homophobic slur

In June 2021, Kid Rock attracted controversy for using the word "faggot" onstage during a tirade against fans filming his performance.

November 18, 2021: Release of "Don't Tell Me How To Live"

On November 18, 2021, Kid Rock released the first single, "Don't Tell Me How To Live", featuring the band Monster Truck, from his upcoming triple album. The song has a rap rock sound reminiscent of his Devil Without a Cause album.

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December 17, 2021: Release of "Ala-Fuckin-Bama" Cover

On December 17, 2021, Kid Rock released a cover of "Ala-Freaking-Bama" by Trace Adkins, titled "Ala-Fuckin-Bama".

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January 25, 2022: Release of "We the People", "Rockin'", and "The Last Dance"

On January 25, 2022, Kid Rock released the single "We the People", which criticizes the media, Anthony Fauci, face masks, COVID-19 restrictions, and Big Tech. On the same day, he also released "Rockin'" and "The Last Dance".

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January 28, 2022: Announces Mask and Vaccine Policy for Bad Reputation Tour

On January 28, 2022, Kid Rock announced that on his upcoming Bad Reputation Tour he would not perform at venues that require masks and proof of COVID-19 vaccination, and he would cancel shows at such places.

March 10, 2022: Announcement of "Bad Reputation" Album

On March 10, 2022, Kid Rock announced his upcoming twelfth studio album Bad Reputation, which would include his five previously released singles.

June 2022: Interview on Tucker Carlson Originals

In a June 2022 interview with Tucker Carlson on Tucker Carlson Originals: Life of a Rockstar, Kid Rock said he had nothing to apologize for regarding the incident from November 2019.

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June 30, 2022: Controversial Tweet

On June 30, 2022, Kid Rock posted a meme on Truth Social and on Twitter stating, "If you're anti-gun, you don't get to celebrate the 4th of July, You would have never fought back. Enjoy your pride month. Pussy."

July 2022: Accusations of homophobia

In July 2022, Kid Rock faced additional accusations of homophobia after his June 30, 2022, post on Truth Social and Twitter.

January 2023: Collaboration on "No Limits"

In January 2023, Kid Rock collaborated with Fueled by 808, Austin Mahone, and Jimmie Allen on the single "No Limits".

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April 3, 2023: Bud Light boycott video

On April 3, 2023, Kid Rock posted a video on Twitter showing him shooting cases of Bud Light beer cans with a submachine gun in response to Anheuser-Busch's advertising campaign featuring Dylan Mulvaney, leading to a boycott.

July 18, 2024: Republican National Convention Performance

On July 18, 2024, Kid Rock performed his song "American Bad Ass" for the 2024 Republican National Convention with modified lyrics to show his support for Trump.

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2024: Equivalent Value Update

In 1992, Kid Rock asked for $600 for his guest appearance on ICP's album, which is equivalent to $1,344 in 2024.

2024: Ticket Price Adjustment

In 2013, Kid Rock motioned to charge no more than $20 for his tickets, which is equivalent to $27 in 2024.

2024: Death of William "Bill" Ritchie

In 2024, William "Bill" Ritchie, the father of Kid Rock, passed away.

March 31, 2025: Visit to the Oval Office

On March 31, 2025, Kid Rock was in the Oval Office for the signing of an executive order to help curb ticket scalping and bring “common sense” changes to the way live events are priced.

2025: Relationship End

By 2025, Kid Rock and Audrey Berry were no longer together.