Kevin Rudolf facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kevin Rudolf
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Rudolf in 2025
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kevin Winston Rudolf |
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| Born | February 17, 1983 New York City, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1996–present |
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Kevin Winston Rudolf (born February 17, 1983) is an American singer, songwriter, and music producer. He is famous for his song "Let It Rock" from 2008. This song featured the rapper Lil Wayne and became a huge hit, reaching number five on the Billboard music chart. It also sold millions of copies, earning a "quadruple platinum" award.
Kevin Rudolf signed with Birdman's Cash Money Records label. He released "Let It Rock" and his album In the City (2008) with them. Before this, he released his first album in 2001 under the name Binocular through Madonna's record label, Maverick. Kevin Rudolf has also produced music for many other artists, including Lifehouse, Cobra Starship, and Selena Gomez & the Scene.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Kevin Winston Rudolf was born in New York City on February 17, 1983. His mother, Ellyn, was a singer, and his father, Stephen, was of British descent. Kevin grew up as an only child on the Upper East Side of New York. His parents divorced when he was very young.
Kevin remembers his first musical moment was listening to "Jump" by Van Halen. He would jump around his apartment while listening to it. His guitar skills quickly got better. His mother gave him good advice, saying, "Whatever you put in, you'll get out." This made him practice a lot.
Rudolf played with local bands, including an alternative rock group called Paint. However, he found it hard to work with other band members. So, he started making his own music and writing his own songs.
Musical Journey
Early Career (2000–2006)
In 2000, Kevin Rudolf started working on songs that would become his first major album, Binocular. He wrote, produced, and engineered the entire album himself. It took him nine months to finish. He signed with Madonna's record label, Maverick, and released the album using the name Binocular.
One song from the album, "You," was used in the TV show Smallville in 2001. Another song, "Maybe You're Gone," was heard at the end of the movie The Girl Next Door in 2004. Even though the album received good reviews, it wasn't widely known in the United States.
In 2003, Kevin Rudolf's solo career changed direction. A recording engineer named Jimmy Douglass introduced him to the famous producer Timbaland. Kevin was invited to watch a recording session. Soon, he was playing guitar on Lil' Kim's 2003 hit song "The Jump Off." Kevin said he learned a lot from Timbaland's strong work ethic. He later worked with Timbaland on songs for artists like The Black Eyed Peas, Justin Timberlake, and Nelly Furtland.
Big Success (2007–2009)
Kevin Rudolf kept working on his own music in 2007 while still collaborating with Timbaland. During one session, he met Bryan "Birdman" Williams and Ronald "Slim" Williams, who run Cash Money Records. Kevin played them some songs he produced and wrote. Then he played his own solo music, and they loved a song called "Coffee and Donuts."
A few months later, Lil Wayne joined Kevin on the song "Let It Rock." Cash Money Records then signed Kevin Rudolf. This was a big deal because he was the first white artist and the first rock artist signed to a label known for rap artists like Lil Wayne. The label owners said they liked unique artists and wanted to take their audience to the "next level."
"Let It Rock" was the first song from Kevin's album In the City. It came out on June 16, 2008. Kevin wrote and produced the song, and it became an instant hit. It reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Music critics praised the song, calling it "near-perfect." The song also became very popular at sports events.
Many people felt there was a "mystery" around Kevin Rudolf because the song became famous so quickly. Kevin explained that the music just "blew up faster than we could catch up with it." He wanted the focus to be on his music, not on himself.
Kevin Rudolf's first album released under his own name, In the City, came out on November 24, 2008. Kevin produced and co-wrote most of the songs. He said the album was about "growing up in New York City when the city was wild." The album was known for mixing rock and hip-hop styles. Kevin explained his style: "It's about taking rock attitude vocally, hip hop drums, synths, and guitars."
Other songs from the album also gained attention. "Welcome to the World (Kevin Rudolf song)", featuring Kid Cudi, sold well and was used in ads for WrestleMania XXVI. His song "N.Y.C." featuring Nas was heard on the TV show CSI: NY. In 2009, Kevin performed songs from In the City live on shows like The Jimmy Kimmel Show and Dancing with the Stars.
To the Sky (2010–2014)
On June 15, 2010, Kevin Rudolf released his next album, To the Sky. It had 11 songs. The first song from the album, "I Made It (Cash Money Heroes)", came out on February 2, 2010. It featured Birdman, Jay Sean, and Lil Wayne. This song became Kevin's second "platinum single," meaning it sold over a million copies.
The next song, "You Make the Rain Fall" featuring Flo Rida, was released on September 14. Critics had mixed reviews for the album. Kevin talked about "making it" in music, saying it happens in stages. He felt successful when his songs were on the radio, but he always set new goals.
On July 2, 2013, Kevin Rudolf's video for his song "Here's to Us" was shown online. People loved its positive message. The song was also included in the video game 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.
Space Rock and Beyond (2015–Present)
On January 13, 2015, Kevin Rudolf announced that he had finished his contract with Cash Money Records. This meant he was now an independent artist. For a few years, he couldn't release music under his own name. So, he started a new project called Space Rock.
In July 2015, Kevin signed with Primary Wave Music. He then went back to using his own name, Kevin Rudolf, and used "Space Rock" as the title for his new album. On May 21, 2015, he released the first song from Space Rock, called "That Other Ship."
On June 22, 2015, Kevin Rudolf released "Blaze Of Glory," which was featured on the WWE Tough Enough soundtrack. He released the song "Nobody Gets Out Alive" on July 7, 2017. More recently, on May 19, 2023, Rudolf released a single titled "That's the Way It's Supposed to Be."
Producing for Others
After making two of his own albums, Kevin Rudolf moved to Los Angeles in September 2009. He wanted to focus on writing and producing songs for other artists. He worked with many artists, including Cobra Starship, Leona Lewis, Lifehouse, Natasha Bedingfield, Selena Gomez, and Weezer.
Kevin said that after writing for others, he felt inspired to create his own music again. He wanted to put something meaningful back into the world. In 2013, he co-wrote a song called "Little Bit of Everything" with country artist Keith Urban. Keith Urban performed this song on the American Idol finale.
Personal Life
Kevin Rudolf grew up in New York City as an only child with divorced parents. He has said that he found more inspiration and a stronger sense of belonging in Miami, his adopted city. He first lived in Miami temporarily while working with producer Timbaland. After moving to Los Angeles for a while, he returned to New York briefly in 2012. He then moved permanently to Miami.
Discography
- Studio albums
- Binocular (2001)
- In the City (2008)
- To the Sky (2010)
- Against the Wall (Vol. 1) (2024)
See also
In Spanish: Kevin Rudolf para niños
