It was clear that Kid Rock's time had to come. To a personality like his, fame fits like a glove. But nevertheless, good old Rock couldn't manage to get out of anonymity every time he released a new album. He was very clear about what he wanted to do, he was a pure rapper, but he wasn't willing to give up the undeniable influences he had from the hard rock and punk bands he had grown up with, he loved Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, AC/DC, and Lynyrd Skynyrd above all things. That's why he came up with this highly original mix of hip hop, heavy guitars, in the vein of the most powerful metal of the last decade, and the ever-present southern element, with those wonderful choruses of the privileged black throats.
Estaba claro que la hora de Kid Rock tenia que llegar. A una personalidad como la suya la fama le va como anillo al dedo. Pero sin embargo el bueno de Rock no terminaba de lograr salir del anonimato cada vez que publicaba un nuevo álbum. Tenia muy claro lo que quería hacer, el era un rapero de pura cepa, pero no estaba dispuesto a renunciar a las influencias innegables que tenia de bandas de hard rock y punk con las que había crecido, amaba a Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, AC/DC, y Lynyrd Skynyrd por encima de todas las cosas. Por eso se le ocurrió hacer esa originalísima mezcla de hip hop, guitarras plenamente heavies, en la onda del metal mas potente de la ultima década, y el siempre presente elemento sureño, con esos maravillosos coros de las privilegiadas gargantas negras.
And so, surrounded by a band capable of meeting all these requirements, the spectacular Twister Brown Trucker Band, he manages what will be the album of his life. If James Dean was “Rebel Without A Cause” in the most famous movie of this American youth icon (better known as “Rebel Without A Cause” on our screens), Kid Rock “Devil Without A Cause”, and the truth is that the phrase fit perfectly with the overflowing attitude of the future star.
Actually the album did not have too many expectations of becoming a bestseller, but it was going to enjoy more opportunities when Rage Against The Machine (with whom he was compared on occasion) and un metal were giving that talk and selling plastics like hot cakes. Sales exceeded all forecasts, although, it must be said, Kid Rock did not make any concession to commerciality. He was still the same, the Detroit chops, with overflowing arrogance and typical ghetto attitude, that is to say, the black rapper with strong values of brotherhood and friendship, although his skin was quite light and his hair straight and long as if he belonged to the bosom of any heavy group.
Y asi, rodeado de una banda capaz de cumplir todos estos requisitos, la espectacular Twister Brown Trucker Band, gesta el que será el disco de su vida. Si James Dean era “Rebel Without A Cause” en la película mas famosa de este icono juvenil americano (mas conocida como “Rebelde Sin Causa” en nuestras pantallas), Kid Rock “Devil Without A Cause”, y lo cierto es que la frase encajaba perfectamente en la actitud desbordante de la futura estrella.
Realmente el disco no tenia demasiadas expectativas de convertirse en un superventas, pero si iba a gozar de mas oportunidades cuando Rage Against The Machine (con los que se le comparo en alguna ocasión) y el un metal estaban dando que hablar y vendiendo plásticos como churros. Las ventas desbordaron todas las previsiones, pese a que, todo hay que decirlo, Kid Rock no hizo ninguna concesión a la comercialidad. Siguió siendo el mismo, el chuleta de Detroit, de arrogancia desbordante y típica actitud de ghetto, es decir, de rapero negro con unos fuertes valores de la hermandad y la amistad, aunque su piel fuera bastante clarita y su pelo lacio y largo como si perteneciera al seno de cualquier grupo heavy.
“Bawitdaba”, a powerful single with an unpronounceable name but with a heavy sound, overwhelming guitars, and above all memorable phrasing and a powerful chorus by our man, would be his definitive passport to stardom, it was even used here in the country as the tune for a jeans commercial, something that made him slightly known in our borders, since now placing a song in a well-known commercial spot seems to guarantee easy success. ‘Cowboy’ would be the next single, where the band explored their southern roots to the fullest.
And from there, Kid Rock found himself playing at the MTV Awards along with Run DMC and Aerosmith, pioneers in the fusion of rap and rock, in a historic jam that would be the definitive take-off of the artist in America, as a consequence of his growing popularity “Devil Without A Cause” recently reached sales of 10 million copies in the USA alone. Kid Rock was definitely already a star. His exploits began to be echoed all over the planet, and it was assured that his live show was devastating (here we still haven't had the chance to check it out).
“Bawitdaba”, un potente single de nombre impronunciable pero de sonido pesado, guitarras abrumadoras, y sobre todo de memorables fraseos e impactante estribillo por parte de nuestro hombre, seria su pasaporte definitivo al estrellato, incluso se uso aquí en el país como sintonía de un anuncio de vaqueros, algo que le dio a conocer ligeramente en nuestras fronteras, ya que ahora colocar una canción en un conocido spot publicitario parece garantizar el éxito fácil. “Cowboy” seria el siguiente sencillo, donde la banda exploraba al máximo sus raíces sureñas.
Y de ahí, Kid Rock se vio tocando en los MTV Awards junto a Run DMC y Aerosmith, pioneros en eso de fusionar rap y rock, en una histórica jam que seria el despegue definitivo del artista en America, como consecuencia de su creciente popularidad “Devil Without A Cause” alcanzo recientemente unas ventas de 10 millones de copias solo en USA. Definitivamente Kid Rock ya era una estrella. Se comenzaba a hacer eco de sus hazañas en todo el planeta, y se aseguraba que su directo era demoledor (aquí todavía no hemos tenido ocasión de comprobarlo).
We soon met their most prominent traveling companion, Joe C., a swearing midget who rapped with Kid Rock, and who was a fundamental part of the band's sound, with those phrases full of bad blood but with the squeaky voice of a 9 year old kid. Unfortunately little Joe would die soon after, but not without having enjoyed success, leaving the band with a limp and Kid Rock disconsolate. In spite of losing one of his bastions, the most shameless Detroit's chops went ahead and luck kept smiling on him when he released “The History Of Rock”, compiling songs from his unknown previous albums and a song called “American Bad Ass” (which was nothing more than a remake of “Sad But True” by his also adored Metallica) with which he also achieved a lot of success.
En seguida conocimos a su mas destacado compañero de viajes, Joe C., un enano palabrotero que rapeaba junto a Kid Rock, y que era parte fundamental del sonido de la banda, con esas frases cargadas de mala leche pero con la chillona voz de un chaval de 9 años. Por desgracia el pequeño Joe moriría al poco tiempo, no sin haber disfrutado del éxito dejando al grupo cojo y a Kid Rock desconsolado. Pese a perder a uno de sus bastiones, el chuleta mas descarado de Detroit siguió adelante y la suerte siguió sonriéndole cuando publico “The History Of Rock”, recopilando temas de sus desconocidos discos anteriores y una canción llamada “American Bad Ass” (que no era otra cosa que un remake del “Sad But True” de sus también adorados Metallica) con la que también logro bastante éxito.
And if these were not enough credentials to become the new symbol of America, he would appear on the Simpsons last year and would cross his path the stunning blonde Pamela Anderson, who would add Rock to his list of rocker conquests, and that has led the rapper to the altar (it seems they want to expand the family). What more can you ask for? To repeat past successes with his recent album “Cocky”, but it has not been so since it has sold “only” one million copies and is falling in the charts, a trifle compared to “Devil Without A Cause”. Exhaustion of the formula? We'll see where the punk goes after his idyll with Pamela.
Y por si estos fueran pocos credenciales para convertirse en el nuevo símbolo de America, aparecería en los Simpsons el pasado año y se cruzaría en su camino la despampanante rubia Pamela Anderson, que añadiría a Rock a su lista de conquistas rockeras, y que ha llevado al rapero hasta el altar (parece que quieren ampliar la familia). ¿Qué mas se puede pedir? Pues repetir éxitos pretéritos con su reciente álbum “Cocky”, pero no ha sido asi puesto que lleva vendidas “solo” un millón de copias y esta bajando en listas, una nimiez comparado a “Devil Without A Cause”. ¿Agotamiento de la formula? Veremos por donde sale el macarra tras su idilio con Pamela.
