Kid Rock Discusses Why Eminem Switched Songs on His Faith-Based Album and Their Discussions on Politics

Kid Rock and Eminem changed the tracklist for Kid Rock’s faith-based album Halfway 2 Jesus shortly before its Oct. 17 release.

When the album was announced earlier in the month alongside the single “James 1:17 (Jesus Is King),” Eminem was listed on the track “7 Sins.” Following last-minute changes, Eminem appears on “Heal My Faith,” while Lil Wayne replaced him on “7 Sins.”

“It’s a lot of stress and a lot of anxiety, but it’s so good,” Kid Rock, whose real name is Bob Ritchie, told Billboard during a visit to his Dixie Ridge farm in Nashville.

“It’s giving me the exact record I wanted,” he said of the last-minute change. “I am so frickin’ stoked, and I feel like the biggest weight I have ever felt (doing an album) has been lifted. I have never experienced good anxiety and stress before.”

Kid Rock compared the frantic switch-up to making his 1998 breakthrough album Devil Without a Cause. “There was a lot of last minute (stuff) on that record, too,” he recalled. “I didn’t scream ‘My name is Kid!’ until we were mixing the song (‘Bawitaba’), ’til we were in the mix room.”

Kid Rock first approached Eminem about a year ago regarding “Heal My Faith,” previously titled “Lord Above” and “Show Me Love.” Their prior collaborations include Eminem appearing on “F-ck Off” from Devil Without a Cause, Kid Rock appearing in the 2013 video for Eminem’s “Berzerk,” and both appearing on Trick Trick’s “From the D” remix.

“We’ve been friends for, like, 40 years,” said Kid Rock, an outspoken supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump. “I really didn’t want to drag him into my political world…. We talk about (politics) a little bit, not a ton. There’s a lot of stuff we agree on, and we can have a laugh about what (we don’t). That’s why I asked him to write a verse for me.”

Eminem initially heard “7 Sins” and decided to rap on that track instead. “We agreed we didn’t need two songs together…people are going to think we’re dating,” Kid Rock said. Eminem recorded a verse for “7 Sins,” but earlier this month, after the Halfway 2 Jesus tracklist was revealed, Eminem contacted Kid Rock to suggest switching back to their original song.

“He sends me back a verse wrapping up our whole history from like, day one — living at the Oakwood Apartments together, how I came to his Slim Shady release (show) when he was nobody and told him to keep going and how much that meant to him back then,” Kid Rock said. “He nails the line, ‘He’s my brother, not my political enemy,’ and it just sent these chills.”

That verse arrived on Oct. 11, prompting Kid Rock to find a replacement for “7 Sins.” He reached out to Lil Wayne and Chuck D. Chuck D was unavailable, but Lil Wayne recorded a verse quickly.

Keeping The Faith

Halfway 2 Jesus is Kid Rock’s 13th album and the follow-up to his 2022 album Bad Reputation. Kid Rock feels that putting aside political differences with Eminem to collaborate reflects the intent of the new album.

“This (album) is about forgiveness and second chances,” Kid Rock said, “trying to heal some of the division in our country. I’m just putting a positive message out there in the world…showing a little more grace, trying to kill some of the division. I am not without sin, and I can’t say I ever will be. But I’m making a conscious effort to spread this better message — and I’m also still Kid motherf–king Rock. At the end of the day, I’m both of those guys. I’m not fundamentally changed, you know? I’m still Kid Rock; I’m gonna drink a beer, smoke a cigar… I’m just on the journey. I feel halfway to Jesus; I hope to be all the way there, but I’m not sure. I don’t know where it all leads. It’s almost as new as me as it is to everyone else.”

Kid Rock was raised and still considers himself Catholic, though he occasionally visits non-denominational Christian churches in Nashville. He has previously incorporated faith into songs such as “Only God Knows Why,” “Amen,” “Lonely Road of Faith,” and “When U Love Someone,” and released Rock n Roll Jesus in 2007.

“I had a lot of friends pushing me to make a gospel record, and I always thought it’d be cool. I always loved when Johnny Cash did it, and Elvis (Presley) did it,” he said. He was working on a conventional album when several events inspired him to focus on Halfway 2 Jesus: the widow of Charlie Kirk forgiving his killer, Twisted Brown Trucker keyboardist Jimmie “Bones” Trombly retiring due to ALS, and Kid Rock’s father passing away in February.

“The time feels right,” Kid Rock said. “I think people have had enough of the polarization, being so divided. And I think I can do my little part to help.”

Not Backing Down

Since announcing the album, Kid Rock appeared on Fox News with Lara Trump to criticize Michigan Democratic senatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed. He also introduced Donald Trump at an Oct. 10 rally in Clarksville, Tennessee, where he spoke about Islamic extremists and repeated Trump’s false contention that he won the 2020 election.

“Lord knows, I’ve been one of the most polarizing figures in the country,” Kid Rock said, while maintaining that he is trying to be less polarizing. “We can think differently, but we have to talk to one another. Nothing gets solved if we just shut off and are like, ‘Oh, f—k those people.’”

He added, “I’ll talk to anybody. If Dylan Mulvaney wants to sit down and have a conversation, I’m like, ‘Come for lunch. Come for dinner. No problem.’”

Kid Rock cited his relationships with actor Sean Penn and television host Bill Maher as examples of his openness. He coordinated a dinner between Maher and Trump and plans to appear on HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher on Oct. 30.

“You can always find common ground somewhere, with everybody,” said Kid Rock, who received a Bob Hope Award for Entertainment from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society this year. “I still love a lot of Bruce Springsteen’s music. No, I don’t like his politics, but I’m not gonna boycott him. We think differently. I think that’s perfectly fine.”

Halfway There

Kid Rock recorded Halfway 2 Jesus at Dixie Ridge Studios with Nashville session musicians, Twisted Brown Trucker members, and the AI program Suno, which he used primarily for choir arrangements and orchestrations. “I really do view it as another tool…like how I would love to use different samples,” he said.

He co-wrote most of the album with Uncle Kracker, John Eddie, and other writers. Trombly wrote “Into the Setting Sun,” and Kid Rock included covers such as Tom T. Hall’s “Me and Jesus,” Larry Norman’s “Why Don’t You Look Into Jesus,” and a rendition of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the U.S.A.”

“A couple of very famous friends of mine encouraged me to do that,” Kid Rock said. “One of them is a very famous guitar player who came over and helped me work it out. That’s one of those songs you probably shouldn’t take a stab at unless you can really do something different.”

Finishing The Climb

Following the release of Halfway 2 Jesus, Kid Rock plans to finish another album and record a stripped-down, acoustic faith-based record with a major producer. He is also considering a revival-style live show.

Tour dates are undecided, and Kid Rock mentioned plans to take 2027 off the road due to a wrist issue that may require surgery. “I’m extremely proud of it — probably as proud as I’ve ever been,” he said of the new album. “I’m as confident as when I was screaming, ‘I’m going platinum!’”