Kid Rock is an artist.
Robert James Ritchie ( born January 17 , 1971 ) , known professionally as Kid Rock , is an American singer , rapper , songwriter , musician , record producer , and actor . His 1998 album Devil Without a Cause sold 14 million copies worldwide . He has sold over 35 million records worldwide and he was Soundscan 's number-one selling male solo musician of the 2000s , selling 17.6 million albums ; he was 17th overall for the decade . After signing a recording contract with Atlantic Records in 1998 , he gained commercial success in the rap rock genre behind the singles `` Bawitdaba '' , `` Cowboy '' and `` Only God Knows Why '' ( the latter foreshadowing his move into country rock ) . After the success of Devil Without a Cause in 2000 , he released The History of Rock , a compilation of remixed and remastered versions of songs from previous albums as well as the hit rock single , `` American Bad Ass '' .