Kid Rock has a problem to solve. He recently announced that he is a Christian rocker, and now he has to explain why Eminem, the rapper who has no love for Donald Trump, appears on his new album Halfway to Jesus. The answer, according to a report by Complex, is simple: friendship trumps politics.
On October 1st, Kid Rock shared the tracklist for Halfway to Jesus, revealing that Eminem will appear on the song “7 Sins.” The two have worked together before, but the pairing has fresh context. Kid Rock is a vocal political conservative who has backed Donald Trump. Eminem, meanwhile, has made clear his disdain for the current president, most notably in a 2017 rap at the BET Hip Hop Awards.
Tracklist Announcement
Kid Rock framed the collaboration in his own words. In a report obtained by Complex, he wrote about the guests who joined the album, singling out his old friend Eminem. The message was aimed directly at anyone who might doubt the sincerity of the pairing.
“I’m proud of the guests who joined me, especially my old friend Eminem,” Kid Rock wrote. “His verse speaks to something we’ve talked about and that really needs to be heard: we differ politically and on other things, but we’ve stayed friends through it all . . . We hope that sets an example for people who’ve lost friends or stopped talking to family because they think differently.”
A Fifteen-Year History
The pair have a history that spans more than a decade. Eminem appeared on Kid Rock’s song “Fuck Off” from 1998’s Devil Without a Cause, and Kid Rock showed up in the video for Marshall Mathers’ “Berzerk” in 2013.
The new album continues that pattern. The song “7 Sins” brings the two together again, this time with the added complication of Kid Rock’s new religious identity.
The Single and the Release Date
Kid Rock has already released the first single from Halfway to Jesus. “James 1:17 (Jesus Is King)” is out now, and the official video premiered TONIGHT.
The album is due October 17th.
Foreword Text
Kid Rock wrote about the guests who joined the album, singling out his old friend Eminem. His message was aimed directly at anyone who might doubt the sincerity of the pairing.
“We differ politically and on other things, but we’ve stayed friends through it all.”
The quote is a blunt admission that the two disagree on almost everything — except friendship.
Album Details
The tracklist for Halfway to Jesus is out, and the video for “James 1:17 (Jesus Is King)” premiered tonight. All the information is available online.
The album cover and tracklist for Kid Rock’s soon-to-be-released album HALFWAY 2 JESUS is available online, along with the single and video details.
What This Means
The collaboration is a statement about friendship. Kid Rock is saying that friendship is stronger than politics, and he is using Eminem as proof.
The record is out in two weeks.
See the video the story is built around at Consequence.
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