Iconic 90s rock star waves gun in journalist’s face during shocking interview-Brooke Ivey Johnson-Entertainment – Metro

Kid Rock waved a gun in the face of a journalist during a recent interview (Picture: Getty Images)

Kid Rock, once known as a pioneer in the country rap genre, is now better known as an erratic mouthpiece for the American far right.

A vocal supporter of Donald Trump and all things MAGA, the musician (real name Robert James Ritchie) regularly makes headlines for what seem to be intentionally inflammatory comments on everything from vaccinations to Taylor Swift.

While many have long suspected that his sudden political outspokenness is nothing more than bids for publicity, it seems that the All Summer Long singer may have finally crossed the line from eccentric to dangerous.

In a new shocking interview with Rolling Stone magazine’s David Peisner, the 53 year old singer ranted about conspiracy theories, drank excessively, and even waved a gun at the interviewer, shouting: ‘And I got a f***ing goddamn gun right here if I need it! I got them everywhere!’

He also repeatedly said the N word and bragged about the butler being named Uncle Tom (a literary caricature of a subservient Black person), among other troubling moments in the profile.

As expected, much of the interview is the singer ranting about political correctness going too far, equating patriotism to blind support of American imperialism, and generally regurgitating right wing talking points – but there’s also a surprising vulnerability that emerges.

Kid Rock has pivoted from rap to country rock over the years (Picture: J. Shearer/WireImage)

Ultimately, the piece reads less like an exploration of a genuinely passionate political activist, and far more like a sad reminder of how addicting and isolating fame can be.

The insecurity behind Kid Rock’s facade began to show around his fifth whiskey and Coke, according to Peisner, and it quickly became evident that the rhetoric itself means little to the singer.

This is around the same time that the singer pulled a gun from behind his armchair and waved it at the interviewer, according to the profile.

At one point in the interview Kid Rock calls Trump his ‘bestie’ (Picture: Getty Images)

The singer, who first rose to fame in the 90s on the heels of the hip hop revolution, was an unorthodox and genre bending musical presence. Born and raised in Detroit amidst a burgeoning rap scene, Kid Rock rapped with a country twang and helped to bridge the gap between rock and roll, hip hop, and country music.

His first hits came with the release of his breakthrough album Devil Without a Cause in 1998, and throughout his tumultuous years in the spotlight (which included his heavily publicised marriage to Pamela Anderson, various instances of legal trouble, and a general sense of free spirited hooliganism) the singer remained relatively apolitical.

That began to change in the 2000s as his sound became more country rock, which, unfortunately, can go hand in hand with a kind of Southern pride that often overlaps with racism.

But it wasn’t until Donald Trump took the spotlight that Kid Rock’s political views began to overshadow his musical contributions.

Kid Rock is also known for his tumultuous marriage to Pamela Anderson (Picture: Peter Brooker/REX/Shutterstock)

In the interview he seemed eager to discuss the now infamous video in which he shot cans of the beer Bud Light with a semi-automatic rifle in order to protest the brand collaborating with a trans woman.

But he assured the interviewer he’s made amends with the beer company, explaining, ‘I don’t want to hurt people’s jobs and stuff like that when they don’t have any dog in the fight, but there’s a whole lot of other companies we should be going after.’

At one point during the interview, he even attempted to call Trump and referred to him as a ‘bestie.’

Many wonder if Kid Rock’s political opinions are genuine or just bids for attention (Picture: Shutterstock)

When asked about his past musical collaborators and friends taking offense to things like his insistence on using slurs, he insisted that he didn’t ‘give a f***.’

But the end of the interview, which is decidedly heartbreaking, reveals a man desperate for relevance and connection. He repeatedly insisted the interviewer stay the night, calling him names when he refused.

Finally, when the interviewer is able to leave, Kid Rock whispered, ‘Would you do me a favor? Just write the most horrific article about me. Do it. It helps me.’

But he seemingly changed his mind an instant later: ‘Will you tell everyone that I was halfway cool?’

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