Just In It For The Music: Thoughts on Kid Rock’s “Bawitda”-brawl

Kid Rock might be the most badass American Badass ever. Or he might be an idiot. Or both…. Kid Rock might be the most badass American Badass ever. Or he might be an idiot. Or both. I’m not sure.

Here’s a little background: At around 5 a.m. last Sunday, Kid Rock was arrested. Not too surprising, right? Well, the context in which he was arrested is what makes this story a bit more noteworthy.

After performing what was, no doubt, a fantastic and captivating show in Atlanta Saturday night – in support of his new album, the subtly titled Rock and Roll Jesus – Kid Rock and his crew, along with a clan of (probably) totally hot babes sat down for a nice meal at the local Waffle House.

Shortly thereafter, a man named Harlen Atkins entered the restaurant, recognized one of the ladies in Kid Rock’s crew and began to speak with her.

Clearly offended that someone would dare talk to, let alone look at, one of his many (probably) totally hot babes, Kid Rock engaged Atkins in an argument that escalated into a good, scrappy, ol’ fashioned parking lot brawl.

After roughing up Atkins, Rock and his five posse members fled in their tour bus. Atkins was later treated in a hospital for lacerations and bruises. Bummer. Kid Rock, on the other hand, was quickly picked up by the cops and charged with misdemeanor battery. Real bummer. Rock was released on $1,000 bail later that day.

Now, I’m not really one for Kid Rock. Sure, I think “Bawitdaba” was a pretty sweet song in middle school, and that tune he did with Sheryl Crow was catchy, but overall, I think he shamelessly self-promotes his sub par rap-rock and sad attempts at a classic rock revival to the point of nausea.

Plus, when he played at the Petersen Events Center a few years back, I counted no fewer than a dozen business-in-the-front, party-in-the-back mullets and more Nascar T-shirts than there are grains of sand in the Indian Ocean, while sitting at the Pasta Bar.

And this is exactly why I can’t decide how I feel about Rock’s scuffle at the Waffle. Let me explain. Kid Rock puts forth a certain image of being – how shall we say, a hillbilly – just as 50 Cent showcases himself as a gangster, Snoop Dogg plays a stoner and that Soulja Boy fellow appears devoid of any intelligent thought, whatsoever. But that’s another gripe for another column.

That said, I find it somehow commendable when these people who buy so much into their own image actually back it up with some action. When Mr. Dogg gets busted with drugs, half of myself thinks it’s a shame that he’s so irresponsible, but half of myself thinks at least he’s not just posing to be someone he’s not.

Same goes for Kid Rock. While I don’t really think his image is all that cool, but rather, laughable, I must say that he certainly isn’t a poser. So, Kid Rock wears the rock ‘n’ roll, bad-boy hick hat, and, I must say, he ain’t lying.

In recent memory, Kid Rock got married to white trash fantasy girl Pamela Anderson, later divorced her and, in September, fought Pam’s other ex, Tommy Lee, at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Now, on top of all that, he’s been arrested for fighting some dude at a Waffle House – the mecca of all that is greasy, fried and Southern. Also, Rolling Stone’s recent cover story on Rock revealed that, hell, he isn’t kidding about the wild lifestyle.

So while I certainly condemn Kid Rock’s actions – no one deserves to get a beating when all they want is a waffle – I can’t help but grin at the thought that all of his lyrical boasts like, “I got queens holdin’ keys to my zipper / F–k a real good girl / I got the baddest b—h in the world,” or “You got a Bentley? Wow! / I got jets with web bars and trucks with gold plows / B—h bow when I pimp through” aren’t so far from the truth.

And in a way, folks like Kid Rock, who clearly live it as well as sing it, play into some dark fantasy that we have to be a badass, to get crazy and drop a grand to get out of jail with no real consequences, to truly do what we want, when we want, regardless of what anyone thinks. Especially Tommy Lee.

So while people like us remain in the world of classes, taxes, stress and work, rock stars, rappers and Paris Hilton get to live the wild life, which makes their words – with the obvious exception of Paris – at least mildly interesting. But only if they can back the words up with actual lifestyle, because when Kid Rock settles into the suburbs or Snoop Dogg decides that he’s at a serious risk for cancer and quits, I’ll get a lot less interested in their subsequently false boasts.

In this way, their art supports their lifestyle while their lifestyle reinforces their art. Who knew Kid Rock was so deep?