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 . The RIAA certified him selling 23.5 million albums . 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 ) . In 2010 , he released Born Free , which featured an eponymous song that became the political campaign theme of Mitt Romney , the Republican nominee for President of the United States in the 2012 election .