Kevin Rudolf facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kevin Rudolf
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Rudolf performing in 2009
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| Birth name | Kevin Winston Rudolf |
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| Born | February 17, 1983 New York City, U.S. |
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| Years active | 2000–present |
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Kevin Winston Rudolf (born February 17, 1983) is an American singer, songwriter, and music producer. He is best known for his 2008 hit song "Let It Rock." This song featured the famous rapper Lil Wayne. It became very popular, reaching number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song also sold over four million copies, earning a "quadruple platinum" award. This award means it was certified by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Kevin Rudolf signed with Birdman's Cash Money Records. This record label helped him release "Let It Rock" and his first album, In the City (2008). Before this, he released an album in 2001 called Binocular under the name Binocular. This album was released through Madonna's record label, Maverick.
Besides his own music, Rudolf has produced songs for many other artists. These include Lifehouse, Cobra Starship, Selena Gomez & The Scene, and Keith Urban.
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Early Life and Musical Start
Kevin Winston Rudolf was born in New York City on February 17, 1983. His mother, Ellyn, was a singer, and his father, Stephen, was a disc jockey.
Kevin's first musical memory was listening to the Van Halen song "Jump." He loved jumping around his apartment to the music. He quickly became good at playing instruments. His mother gave him good advice: "Whatever you put in, you'll get out." This made him practice a lot.
Rudolf played in local bands, like an alternative rock group called 'Paint'. But he found it hard to work with other band members. So, he started making his own music and writing his own songs.
Musical Career Highlights
Early Career: 2000–2006
In 2000, Kevin Rudolf started working on songs for his first major album. He wrote, produced, and engineered the whole album himself. It took him nine months to finish. He signed with Madonna's record label, Maverick Records. They released the album under the name Binocular.
One song from the album, "You," was used in the TV show Smallville. Another song, "Maybe You're Gone," was used in the movie "The Girl Next Door." Even though the album got good reviews, it wasn't widely known in the United States.
In 2003, Kevin Rudolf met famous producer Timbaland. Rudolf was invited to watch a recording session. Soon, he was playing guitar on Lil' Kim's hit song "The Jump Off." Kevin learned a lot from Timbaland. He said Timbaland's strong work ethic inspired him. Rudolf later worked with Timbaland on songs for artists like The Black Eyed Peas and Justin Timberlake.
Major Success: 2007–2009
Kevin Rudolf kept working on his own music while also working with Timbaland. In 2007, he met Bryan "Birdman" Williams and Ronald "Slim" Williams. They are brothers and leaders of Cash Money Records. Kevin played them some of his songs. They loved his solo music, especially a song called "Coffee and Donuts."
A few months later, Lil Wayne added his rap to a song called "Let It Rock." Cash Money Records then signed Kevin Rudolf. This was a big deal because he was the first white artist and first rock artist signed to a label known for rap music. Slim Williams said they liked unique artists like Kevin.
"Let It Rock" was released on June 16, 2008. Kevin Rudolf wrote and produced the song. It quickly became a huge hit, reaching number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song was often played at sports events.
Kevin Rudolf's first studio album, In the City, came out on November 24, 2008. He produced and co-wrote most of the songs. The album was about growing up in New York City when it felt wild and free. The album was known for mixing rock and hip-hop music. Kevin said he combined "rock attitude vocally, hip hop drums, synths, and guitars."
Other songs from the album also became popular. "Welcome to the World" sold well and was used in ads for WrestleMania XXVI. "NYC" was featured on an episode of CSI: NY. In 2009, Kevin performed songs from In the City on TV shows like The Jimmy Kimmel Show and Dancing with the Stars.
New Albums: 2010–Present
On June 15, 2010, Kevin Rudolf released his second album, To the Sky. The first song from this album, "I Made It (Cash Money Heroes)", came out on February 2, 2010. It became his second "platinum single," meaning it sold over one million copies. He later released another single, "You Make the Rain Fall."
In 2013, Kevin Rudolf released a video for his song "Here's to Us." This song was the main single from his third album. It also appeared on the soundtrack for the video game 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.
In January 2015, Kevin Rudolf finished his contract with Cash Money Records. He became an independent artist. For a few years, he couldn't release music under his own name. So, he created a new project called Space Rock. Later, he went back to using his own name, Kevin Rudolf, and used Space Rock as an album title. He released new songs like "That Other Ship" and "Blaze Of Glory." In 2017, he released "Nobody Gets Out Alive," and in 2023, "That's the Way It's Supposed to Be."
Producing for Other Artists
After his first two albums, Kevin Rudolf moved to Los Angeles. He focused on writing and producing songs for other artists. He worked with many musicians, including Cobra Starship, Lifehouse, Selena Gomez, and Weezer.
He said he wanted to put something back into the world that inspires people. In 2013, he co-wrote a song called "Little Bit of Everything" with country artist Keith Urban. Keith Urban performed this song on the TV show American Idol.
Discography
- Studio albums
- Binocular (2001)
- In the City (2008)
- To the Sky (2010)
- Against the Wall (Vol. 1) (2024)
Images for kids
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Kevin Rudolf in Miami, 2013
See also
In Spanish: Kevin Rudolf para niños
