Robert James Ritchie (born January 17, 1971), known professionally as Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, musician, record producer, and actor. In a career spanning over 20 years, Kid Rock's music has encompassed rock, hip hop, and country. A self-taught multi-instrumentalist who can play every instrument in his backing band, Twisted Brown Trucker, Kid Rock has overseen his own production on nine of his eleven studio albums. Kid Rock started his professional music career as a self-taught rapper and DJ, releasing his debut album Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast in 1990 on the major record label Jive; his subsequent independent releases The Polyfuze Method and Early Mornin' Stoned Pimp saw him developing a more distinctive style which was fully realized on his 1998 album Devil Without a Cause; this and his subsequent album Cocky were noted for blending elements of hip hop, country, rock and heavy metal. Starting with his 2010 album Born Free, the country music style has dominated Kid Rock's musical direction, and since 2007's Rock n Roll Jesus until 2017's Sweet Southern Sugar, Kid Rock has not recorded any rap-influenced tracks.