Kid Rock isn’t the first self-professed redneck superstar. But he’s the first one in a while to shake hands with a president and create a small business empire. And, sure, if you’d ask him why he gets so much hate, he’d just call it a matter of envy.
Oh, people hated Kid Rock back when he wrote dumb jock anthems that made nu metal kids shake their fists. But some folks only truly began their hatetrip in recent years, and once the hits had long dried up.
Does Kid Rock actually suck? Is so much dislike warranted for a man who pulled himself up by the bootstraps? Maybe. Here are the reasons why all those flaming torches are moving toward the Kid Rock residence anyway.
Bandwagon Jumping? Cultural Appropriation? Lack of Talent?
Don’t get me wrong! I too think that some of the aspects of the story are inspirational. A Red-state funded movie about Kid Rock’s rise from obscurity to fame and fortune would surely be a hit.
But what parts of the story are you going to conveniently leave out?
Kid Rock was raised on the mean streets of Detroit, right? No, he was brought up in the adjacent rural area. But hearing cows moo and tractors buzz all day wasn’t enough. Bob Ritchie sought out something more.
He then moved to Detroit and started working on his rap-rock hybrid, yes? No, he moved to New York and became an old-style rapper.
To his credit, Ritchie had the work ethic and sensed the tide changing. Still, his first album was a Vanilla Ice-like clone called “Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast.” And, yes, the haircuts were as ridiculous as the tunes.
Kid Rock claims to have taken inspiration from The Beastie Boys and “Paul’s Boutique” to make that artistic change. In reality, this was likely a favour demanded by producers.
“I hate Kid Rock now!” That’s what you might tell your friends after learning all of this. But, hold your horses. The story gets a little more complex from here onward.
The Nu-Metal Angle
By the late 1990s Rage Against the Machine’s politically charged rap-metal had exploded. Bands like Korn and Limp Bizkit followed in its wake. They became even more successful. Anyone in the music industry could hear the nu metal train choo-chooing profanities from the near distance.
Kid Rock did jump on that bandwagon. He changed his sound to a heavy metal style with rap vocals. He changed his fashion to appeal to the dominant rock crowds at the time. And his tales of dirty sex, cheap drugs, and rap-rock earned him millions of fans.
Videos like “Bawitdaba,” and “Cowboy” promoted a redneck style not often seen on television. MTV loved it! The channel’s producers begged Kid Rock to perform at the VMA Awards.
Critics hated what Kid Rock represented. This was, to them, the dumbing down of rock and rap. But few critics really hated the music of “Devil Without a Cause.” Kid Rock had jumped on the bandwagon but landed safely. Novelty rappers like Vanilla Ice tried to do the same, but fell into the abyss of “one-hit wonder” status.
Should You Hate Kid Rock’s Fans?
Kid Rock is a self-professed redneck. And, in truth, this helped him reach a wide audience that many rock bands, even nu metal groups, didn’t dare court.
Are Kid Rock’s fans violent, uneducated, or evil? No, certainly not always. They are misrepresented. And that’s the reason why, from Kid Rock to Insane Clown Posse to Tom MacDonald, the people who speak to them directly can win them over.
But let’s be honest here. These artists, Kid Rock included, use their platform to line their pockets. Once Kid Rock becomes president, and I don’t see why he’s less equipped than the current one, he’ll forget all about the people who supported him.
Still, we have to acknowledge that there is a prejudice. New York and Los Angeles hipsters love bands like The Velvet Underground or Sonic Youth.
If high-end places have their music, why can’t low-end ones have theirs? After all, Lynyrd Skynyrd played redneck-rock. And you can’t open the radio without hearing the band.
Has Kid Rock Stolen Tunes?
Why is Kid Rock hated? The man certainly possesses some confidence. Some would even call it charisma. But you’d need that to peddle some of the tunes he’s sold to fans.
It is an understatement to say that Kid Rock likes to take other artists’ music and refashion it as his own. Even his first hit, “Bawitaba,” essentially was a Run-DMC rewrite. And the riff for “Cowboy” sounds like a Lynyrd Skynyrd intro played the wrong way.
But as years went on, Kid Rock got bolder. And nobody was willing to stand up to him.
He took Metallica‘s “Sad But True” for “American Bad Ass.” He incorporated Bob Seger’s style for country-rap ballads. And, well, he covered “Feel Like Makin’ Love” pretty well. Forget about that…
How’s Kid Rock beating the copyright lawsuits when you can’t post a 3-second Beatles clip on YouTube without it being taken down?
It was when “All Summer Long” became a monster, global hit that people realized the strategy. But it was too late! Kid Rock had blended Warren Zevon‘s “Werewolves of London” and Lynyrd Skynyrd‘s “Sweet Home Alabama,” which were practically identical songs to begin with, and rapped his own lines over them.
Rap music’s never been shy about sampling. Some of those techniques have been used to great effect. But is this what Kid Rock did?
Nah, Kid Rock is, essentially, bringing his raps over your favourite classic rock tracks. You won’t get much original content. But his fans think that is not the point.
Right-Wing Politics?
Why does everyone seem to hate Kid Rock nowadays? To be fair, it wasn’t the language, stealing songs, or exaggerating his life story that made most people dislike Kid Rock. It was his political stance.
What’s that political stance exactly? Not as clear-cut as you’d think. Well, just as with his music, Kid Rock wants to be endorsed for his political views. The man just wants to be loved, and… well… paid.
He has generally aligned himself with right-wing, conservative values. He has had his photo taken with President Donald Trump. And he’s talked and sung about issues that voters from Republican states would generally care about.
However, in all seriousness, Kid Rock’s done even this half-heartedly. His most recent songs are angry one minute, and call for unity the next. He raps about hating lefties who are tearing the U.S.A. apart, then sings about understanding everyone’s grievances.
In many ways, Kid Rock is a typical populist. He flip-flops so often that he’d make a good politician. Some people hate him for his views. But there’s not much there to analyze.
Responsible for MGK, Tom MacDonald, Post Malone?
Yes! It’s maybe a stretch to say that Machine Gun Kelly, Tom MacDonald or Post Malone would not have careers without Kid Rock. They would! They just wouldn’t be making the same music.
Why don’t people like Kid Rock? Critics will say that Kid Rock lowered the bar. They’ll say that he introduced a kind of brash, dumb, trailer trash rap-rock that’s still popular today.
I think that you can, indeed, blame Kid Rock for the fashion. You can even blame him for creating this career path for others.
Does Kid Rock Deserve the Hatred, Really?
Is Kid Rock still popular? Objectively, some of Kid Rock’s 2000s records are very good. They’re well-produced, hooky and Kid Rock’s a charismatic performer.
Those who like Kid Rock will say that redneck culture, American patriotism and a love of low-end couture were brought to mainstream culture by the the rapper, as well as the likes Eminem, Uncle Kracker or Darius Rucker.
How has this whole culture aged? Most of it, terribly. But “Bawitaba” is still worth blasting from your pick-up once in a while.
A lot of people hate Kid Rock. What does he think about it? He generally does not care. He got into the business to be a star and make money. On both counts, he’s achieved more than anyone would’ve ever expected, himself included
