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 . 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 '' . After 2003 's Kid Rock and 2006 's Live Trucker sales declined from the previous releases , he then released Rock n Roll Jesus in 2007 . 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 .