Kid Rock Says He Used AI on Upcoming Album 'Halfway 2 Jesus' as He Defends It as 'Another Tool'

Kid Rock says Suno AI helped generate choir and orchestral sounds for his upcoming album Halfway 2 Jesus, due Saturday, 17 October. Speaking to Billboard, he said he recorded most of the record with Nashville musicians and members of Twisted Brown Trucker at his Dixie Ridge Studio, while Suno produced specific passages. He also pointed to a prior Christian shift, including a cover of Cody Johnson’s 2021 song “’Til You Can’t,” featuring a new Jesus-devotion verse, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart. Whiskey Riff reported the single reached 3.7 million-plus streams and 51,000 units sold. Rock defended AI as “another tool,” arguing it supports particular sounds without replacing his writing process. The album’s guest list includes Eminem, Lil Wayne, Gary LeVox and Jimmie Allen, and he addressed controversy around collaborations, including noting Lil Wayne replaced Eminem on “7 Sins,” while Eminem appears on “Heal My Faith.” Separate criticism highlighted concerns that AI music could divert attention and revenue from human performers.