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Robert James Ritchie Profile
Robert James Ritchie comprehended professionally as Kid Rock is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper. His style rotates between rock, hip-hop, country, and metal. A self-taught musician, he has said that he can play every instrument in his backing band and has overseen production on all but two of his albums.
Robert James Ritchie Age
Ritchie is 52 years old as of 2023. He was born on 17th January 1971 in Rome, Michigan, United States of America. Furthermore, he celebrates his birthday on 17th January every year.
Robert James Ritchie Height
He stands at a height of 6 feet tall.
Robert James Ritchie Family
Ritchie was born Robert James Ritchie in Romeo, Michigan, the son of Susan and William Ritchie, who owned multiple car dealerships. He was raised in his father’s 5,628-square-foot (522.9 m2) home on a 6-acre (2.4-hectare) property, where he regularly helped his family pick apples and care for their horses.
His younger sister, Jill Ritchie, is an actress. In the 1980s, he evolved his interest in hip hop, began to breakdance, and taught himself how to rap and DJ while performing in talent shows in and around Detroit.
Robert James Ritchie House
Kid Rock is a mega superstar music star, he does not spend the majority of his time living an average rock star’s lifestyle, right now anyway. In fact, in June 2017, Kid Rock sold his Malibu mansion for $9.5 million and swapped it for a doublewide trailer.
Robert James Ritchie Relationships and Children
In eighth grade, Ritchie began an on-and-off relationship with classmate Kelley South Russell that lasted for the next decade. In the summer of 1993, Russell gave birth to his son, Robert James Ritchie Jr. They raised a total of three children together, two of whom Ritchie believed to be his. They split up in late 1993 when Ritchie discovered that only one of the two was his.
He subsequently raised his son as a single father. In 2000, Rolling Stone reported that Ritchie was dating model Jaime King. He began dating actress Pamela Anderson in 2001 and they became engaged in April 2002 but ended their relationship in 2003.
They later reconciled and were married in July 2006. Three months later, on November 10, it was announced that Anderson, who had been pregnant with Ritchie’s child, had miscarried. On November 27, she filed for divorce from Ritchie in Los Angeles County Superior Court, citing irreconcilable differences. Ritchie later claimed that the divorce was due to Anderson openly criticizing his mother and sister in front of his son. In 2014, Ritchie became a grandfather when his son’s girlfriend gave birth to a daughter. In November 2017, he became engaged to his longtime girlfriend Audrey Berry. Ritchie is an ordained minister and has a firearm collection.
Robert James Ritchie Career
Kid Rock started his music career as a rapper and DJ, releasing his debut album Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast (1990) on Jive Records. His subsequent independent releases The Polyfuze Method (1993) and Early Mornin’ Stoned Pimp (1996) saw him developing a more distinctive style, which was fully realized on his breakthrough album Devil Without a Cause (1998), which sold 14 million copies.
This album and its follow-up, Cocky (2001), were noted for blending elements of hip-hop, country, and rock. His most successful single from that period, “Cowboy” (1999), is considered a pioneering song in the country rap genre. His best-selling singles overall are “Picture” (2002) and “All Summer Long” (2008). Starting with his 2007 album Rock n Roll Jesus, his musical output has tended to be in the country and rock styles.
Robert James signing with Jive Records
Kid Rock began his professional music career as a member of a hip-hop music group called The Beast Crew in the late 1980s.[4] During this time, he met rapper D-Nice. That relationship would eventually lead to him becoming the opening act at local shows for Boogie Down Productions. During this time, Kid Rock began a professional association with producer Mike E. Clark, who, after some initial skepticism about 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. In 1988, Clark produced a series of demos with Kid Rock, and that eventually led to offers from six major record labels, including Atlantic and CBS Records. In 1989, Kid Rock became a shareholder in an independent record label that was formed by Alvin Williams and Earl Blunt of EB-Bran Productions, called “Top Dog” Records.
Robert James signing with Jive Records
Later, that investment would become a 25% ownership stake. With the help of D-Nice, Kid Rock signed with Jive Records at the age of 17, releasing his debut studio album, Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast in 1990. According to Kid Rock, the contract with Jive resulted in animosity from fellow rapper Vanilla Ice, who felt that he should have been signed with Jive instead of Kid Rock. The album made Kid Rock one of the two biggest rap stars in Detroit in 1990, along with local independent rapper Esham.
To promote the album, Kid Rock toured nationally with Ice Cube, D-Nice, Yo-Yo, and Too Short; Detroit artist Champtown served as Kid Rock’s DJ on this tour. During in-store promotions for the album, Kid Rock met and developed a friendship with local rapper Eminem, who frequently challenged Kid Rock to rap battles. Ultimately, unfavorable comparisons to Vanilla Ice led to Jive dropping Kid Rock, according to Mike E. Clark
Robert James Ritchie Signing with Continuum Records
In 1992, Kid Rock signed a contract with the local independent record label Continuum. During this period, Kid Rock crossed paths with the local hip-hop duo Insane Clown Posse, thanks to the involvement of Mike E. Clark, who was producing for the duo. While one of the members of Insane Clown Posse, Violent J, wasn’t a fan of Kid Rock’s music, he saw an opportunity for Kid Rock to appear on ICP’s debut album, Carnival of Carnage, hoping that this collaboration would attract more attention to ICP, as Kid Rock had achieved national success.
Violent J mentioned that a local rapper named Esham was paid $500 to feature on ICP’s album, and Kid Rock allegedly asked for $600 (equivalent to $1,159 in 2021) to record his guest appearance. There were claims of a rivalry between Esham and Kid Rock over who was the more prominent rapper. When Kid Rock came to record the track “Is That You?”, he was under the influence, but he later re-recorded his vocals and did the record scratching the next day.
In 1993, Kid Rock proceeded to work on his second studio album, The Polyfuze Method, with the assistance of producer Mike E. Clark. Together, they aimed to give the album a more rock-oriented sound compared to his debut. Kid Rock also started releasing his “Bootleg” cassette series as a means of maintaining his local fan base.
Later that year, he recorded the EP titled Fire It Up at White Room Studios in downtown Detroit. This studio was operated by the Nehra brothers, Michael and Andrew, who were in the process of forming the rock-soul band Robert Bradley’s Blackwater Surprise. The EP included the hard-hitting rock track “I Am the Bullgod” and a cover of Hank Williams Jr.’s country song, “A Country Boy Can Survive.”
Robert James Ritchie Signing with Continuum Records
In 1994, Kid Rock’s live performances predominantly featured DJs Blackman and Uncle Kracker as his backing musicians. However, Kid Rock gradually incorporated more live instrumentation into his shows and established the rock band Twisted Brown Trucker. After a breakup with his girlfriend, Kid Rock invited engineer Bob Ebeling to move into his apartment.
It was during a recording session with producer Mike E. Clark that Kid Rock’s singing talent was discovered. He recorded a reimagined version of Billy Joel’s “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me,” titled “It’s Still East Detroit to Me.” Clark was impressed and encouraged Kid Rock to sing more.
During this period, Kid Rock developed a feud with some other Detroit artists, including Insane Clown Posse. Through extensive promotion efforts, which included distributing tapes to local stores on consignment and offering free music samples, Kid Rock cultivated a following among a unique audience described by DJ Uncle Kracker as “white kids who dropped acid and enjoyed gangsta rap.” This following even included local rapper Joe C, who initially attended Kid Rock’s concerts as a fan but was later invited to perform on stage as Kid Rock’s hype man.
Robert James Ritchie with Atlantic Records
Kid Rock’s attorney, Tommy Valentino, played a significant role in elevating Kid Rock’s profile by securing articles in major publications like the Beastie Boys’ Grand Royal magazine for Kid Rock and his band, Twisted Brown Trucker. Despite initial resistance from local record labels, who were hesitant to sign a white rapper, Valentino asserted, “He’s not a white rapper; he’s a rock star and everything in between.”
In 1997, Jason Flom, the head of Lava Records, witnessed one of Kid Rock’s performances and met with him. Kid Rock provided Flom with a demo featuring the songs “Somebody’s Gotta Feel This” and “I Got One for Ya,” which eventually led to Kid Rock signing with Atlantic Records.
As part of his recording contract, Kid Rock received $150,000 from the label. At this point, Kid Rock had fully embraced his stage persona and musical style and was determined to create a unique “redneck, shit-kicking rock ‘n’ roll rap” album. This vision materialized in his fourth studio album, “Devil Without a Cause,” which was recorded at the White Room in Detroit and mixed at the Mix Room in Los Angeles.
This album marked Kid Rock’s national breakthrough and significantly raised his profile. He made a notable appearance at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards, performing alongside Aerosmith and Run-DMC. Kid Rock also delivered a memorable performance of “Bawitdaba” at Woodstock in 1999. “Devil Without a Cause” achieved remarkable success, selling over 14 million copies, with its breakout hit single, “Bawitdaba,” playing a pivotal role in its popularity.
Robert James Ritchie Signing with Atlantic Records
Kid Rock’s extensive career in the music industry, spanning over a decade, led to his surprising nomination for a Grammy Award in the Best New Artist category in 2000. This period in his career also had its share of sorrow with the loss of his friend and collaborator, Joe C.
In May 2000, Kid Rock released a compilation album titled “The History of Rock,” featuring the single “American Bad Ass.” This song cleverly sampled Metallica’s 1991 track “Sad but True” and managed to reach the 20th spot on the mainstream rock chart. Notably, Kid Rock joined forces with Metallica during their 2000 Summer Sanitarium Tour, sharing the stage with Korn and System of a Down.
In an unexpected turn of events, Kid Rock and Jonathan Davis stepped in to cover for an injured James Hetfield during a performance in Atlanta on July 7, 2000. Their setlist included “American Bad Ass” and some iconic Metallica classics like “Sad but True,” “Nothing Else Matters,” “Fuel,” and “Enter Sandman,” as well as renditions of “Turn the Page” and “Fortunate Son.”
“The History of Rock” achieved a significant milestone by earning double platinum certification, and Kid Rock’s track “American Bad Ass” received a Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2001, although it ultimately lost to Rage Against the Machine’s “Guerrilla Radio.” Additionally, a collaboration with Robert Bradley, the song “Higher,” found its way into a Gatorade TV commercial.
Robert James Ritchie Legal issues
In both March 1991 and September 1997, Kid Rock faced misdemeanor charges related to alcohol-related incidents in Michigan. In 2005, he was charged with assaulting a DJ at a strip club. Furthermore, in 2006, a California adult film company, Red Light District, tried to distribute a 1999 sex tape featuring Kid Rock and Scott Stapp, the lead singer of the band Creed, engaging in partying and other activities with groupies. Both Kid Rock and Scott Stapp took legal action in California to prevent the distribution of the tape.
At the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards, Kid Rock was involved in a physical altercation with Tommy Lee, the drummer for Mötley Crüe and another former partner of Pamela Anderson. This incident led to Kid Rock being charged with assault.
About a month later, Kid Rock was arrested and charged with battery following a fight with a customer at a Waffle House. He later pleaded no contest to one count, receiving a $1,000 fine, as well as being mandated to complete 80 hours of community service and a six-hour anger management course.
On December 22, 2017, Kid Rock was sued by Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which had closed down seven months earlier. The lawsuit was related to Kid Rock using the slogan “Greatest Show on Earth” as the name of his 2018 tour. In response to the lawsuit, in January 2018, Kid Rock changed the name of the tour to the “American Rock N’ Roll Tour.”
Robert James Ritchie Songs
- Picture
- Cocky · 2001
- We The People
- Bad Reputation · 2022
- All Summer Long
- Rock n Roll Jesus · 2007
- Only God Knows Why
- Devil Without a Cause · 1998
- Bawitdaba
- Devil Without a Cause · 1998
- American Bad Ass
- The History of Rock · 2000
- Cowboy
- Devil Without a Cause · 1998
- Po‐Dunk
- Sweet Southern Sugar · 2017
- Redneck Paradise
- Rebel Soul · 2012
- Born Free
- Born Free · 2010
Robert James Ritchie Net Worth
Ritchie has an estimated annual net worth of $ 200 million to $ 300 million earned from his career as a Singer and Rapper.
Robert James Ritchie Social Media Platforms
Ritchie is very active on his Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook pages. He has 876.6k followers on Twitter, 1.1 Million followers on Instagram, and 7.1 Million followers on Facebook.
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