Kid Rock makes surprising confession about Eminem ahead of his album

Kid Rock reveals why he asked Eminem to write verse for him

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Published October 16, 2026
Kid Rock makes surprising confession about Eminem ahead of his album

Kid Rock revealed the story behind his collaboration with Eminem.

The longtime pals are said to be reuniting for Rock’s upcoming album Halfway 2 Jesus with Eminem featured on a track Heal My Faith.

Recently speaking with Billboard, Rock opened up about the stress behind his new album, “It’s a lot of stress and a lot of anxiety, but it’s so good.”

He went on to explain, “It’s giving me the exact record I wanted. 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.”

The latest release comes after his 2022 album Bad Reputation which was known for its political themes. However, Halfway 2 Jesus takes a slightly different direction with themes of faith, forgiveness and reconciliation.

The rocker further revealed that the experience reminded him of his 1998 Breakthrough album, which also underwent lots of last minute adjustments, saying, “There was a lot of last minute [stuff] on that record, too.”

“I didn’t scream ‘My name is Kid!’ until we were mixing the song [‘Bawitaba’], ’til we were in the mix room,” he recalled.

Speaking about his friendship with the Detroit rapper, Rock shared, “We’ve been friends for, like, 40 years.”

“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,” the musician acknowledged.

Rock formerly known as Robert Ritchie jokingly added, “We agreed we didn’t need two songs together… people are going to think we’re dating.”

However, Eminem reconsidered his decision after the tracklist was shown, “He’s like, ‘Hey man, when’s the last time you listened to that first song we were working on?’ I’m like, ‘It’s been a minute… I’ve been so focused on this record.’ I know I always loved it… and he listens to it and goes, ‘I think we should switch songs.’ Which is a blessing. I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is unbelievable,’” Rock recalled.

Notably, he added a new verse in the track which reflected on their long friendship, their time living together and Rock’s support before his rise to fame, “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. He nails the line, ‘He’s my brother, not my political enemy,’ and it just sent these chills. I’m like, ‘Man, this is so important.’ I heard the [finished] mix, and grandpa was crying,” Rock said.

The star also opened up about the deeper meaning behind his new record, stating, “This [album] is about forgiveness and second chances.”

“trying to heal some of the divisions 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,” he added.

Syeda Waniya
Syeda Waniya is a reporter with one year of experience, covering films, streaming platforms, and celebrity culture. She analyses content trends and audience reception, providing thoughtful insights into what drives popularity in entertainment while presenting stories in a clear, engaging, and accessible format.
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