Kid Rock built his new album out of a song named for a Bible verse, and with release day almost here, he says somebody wants several of those songs gone.
In a post on X, he said people are trying to get him to take several songs off Halfway 2 Jesus, his Christian album, and he called the whole idea unreal.
“Can you believe they are trying to get me to take several songs off my new album “Halfway 2 Jesus” that comes out next Saturday 10-17 @ 10-17am? – Unreal.”
He never said who “they” are, and it is unclear, since Kid Rock puts out his albums on his own label.
Halfway 2 Jesus arrives Saturday, October 17, at 10:17 a.m. It carries a collab with fellow Michigan native Eminem, plus appearances from Rascal Flatts frontman Gary LeVox and Jimmie Allen, and those features are where the criticism has landed.
Eminem and Jimmie Allen Are at the Center of the Backlash
Eminem fans have called out the rapper for collaborating with Kid Rock. The two go back a long way, and American Songwriter says they became pals on the Detroit rap scene and often battled in rap ciphers.
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Kid Rock has also been criticized for featuring Allen, who has faced sexual assault allegations. When those allegations surfaced, his label, BBR Music Group, suspended all activity with him, and UTA suspended its representation of him. Allen has denied the claims, and he said so in a statement.
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“It is deeply troubling and hurtful that someone I counted as one of my closest friends, colleagues and confidants would make allegations that have no truth to them whatsoever.”
Kid Rock Already Had a No. 1 Christian Song Before Halfway 2 Jesus
The album was born from one song, “James 1:17 (Jesus Is King),” which is out everywhere now. James 1:17 is the verse about every good and perfect gift coming from above, and the release time, 10:17 on the morning of October 17, carries that same number.
He has topped the Christian chart before. His version of Cody Johnson’s 2022 hit “Til’ You Can’t,” written by Matt Rogers and Ben Stennis, added a verse with explicitly Christian lyrics that earned him a writing credit. It debuted at No. 1 on Hot Christian Songs on the chart dated February 21, with 3.7 million U.S. streams and 51,000 sold.
The song also reached No. 14 on Hot Country Songs and No. 69 on the Hot 100, and it became his second No. 1 on Digital Song Sales after “We the People” in 2022. He performed it on February 8 at Turning Point USA’s concert, billed as counter-programming to the Super Bowl LX halftime show starring Bad Bunny.
That is a long road from 1999, when “Cowboy” became his first Hot 100 entry. Plenty of fans who have followed him from that song to the Christian chart will be setting alarms for that Saturday morning release.
Kid Rock’s album grew out of the song “James 1:17 (Jesus Is King),” and at 10:17 on the morning of October 17, the people who love his music will hear for themselves which of those songs made it.
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