Kid Rock had actually been around for years already, even if nobody outside the Detroit methadone clinics had ever heard of him. His early albums are clever ("I like bean burritos from Taco Bell/I like trippin' on acid with Dick Vitale"), but unformed. 

 Kid Rock had actually been around for years already, even if nobody outside the Detroit methadone clinics had ever heard of him. His early albums are clever ("I like bean burritos from Taco Bell/I like trippin' on acid with Dick Vitale"), but unformed. 

 Devil Without a Cause is a trailer trash triumph of metal guitars, hip-hop beats, and I'm-an-American-band egomania.  

 Kid Rock celebrated his breakthrough with The History of Rock, a collection of odds and sods from his past, most either remixed or rerecorded entirely. The material wasn't quite dope enough to sell his new fans. 

 Cocky was a weak followup, playing down the hip-hop and taking the Southern-rock ballads way too seriously.  

 Kid Rock went further into country-style guitar rock than Cocky, but with better songs, including the Hank Williams Jr. duet "Cadillac Pussy" and a cover of Bad Company's "Feel Like Makin' Love."  

 Live Trucker was full of no-frills live versions of hits like "Bawitdaba," "Cowboy" and the countrified coke ballad "Picture" (with Gretchyn Wilson filling in for Cheryl Crow).  

 Rock N Roll Jesus was another solidly written, balls-out rock record. Kid howls over giant AC/DC riffs on songs like the stripper's anthem "So Hot."