Kid Rock Brings Eminem Onto Christian Album Halfway to Jesus

Kid Rock will share a track with Eminem on his first Christian album, putting two of Detroit's most famous musical opposites on the same record. The rapper guests on "7 Sins," a cut from the seventeen-song set Halfway 2 Jesus, which arrives October 17, 2026 via Top Dog Records. Kid Rock posted the full tracklist on October 1, 2026, ending weeks of speculation about who would join him on the project.

The album's lead single is already out: "James 1:17 (Jesus Is King)" arrived with a video filmed at his Nashville honky tonk, directed by Blake Judd. According to reporting from Blabbermouth, the clip is dedicated to longtime keyboardist Jimmie Bones, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2024, and to Kalvin Lynch, a young fan with an inoperable brain tumor whose Make-A-Wish was to play drums with the singer. Country vocalist Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts and Jimmie Allen join Kid Rock on the title song, rounding out the Christian album's guest list for maximum reach.

An unlikely reunion across the political divide

The framing for the reunion came in an excerpt from the album's foreword, obtained by Complex. In it, Kid Rock calls Eminem an old friend and says his verse addresses something the two have discussed for years: they "differ politically and on other things, but have stayed friends through it all." He adds that he hopes the collaboration shows listeners it is possible to keep a bond with people who think differently. Complex reportedly confirmed with Eminem's camp that the appearance is genuine before publishing the excerpt.

That split is not a branding exercise. Kid Rock has campaigned for Donald Trump and appears at his events, while Eminem appeared at a 2024 rally for Kamala Harris and has spent years publicly criticizing Trump. Yet the friendship has held: in 2024, Kid Rock said he loves Eminem and credits him for standing up for his beliefs, even though he disagrees with his politics.

Their musical history runs just as long. Eminem appeared on "Fuck Off" from Kid Rock's 1998 breakthrough Devil Without a Cause — released six months before The Slim Shady LP turned him into a superstar — and Kid Rock later cameoed in the video for Eminem's 2013 single "Berzerk." The two Michigan artists have orbited each other for nearly thirty years without ever landing on the same album-length statement, which is part of why the Christian album feels bigger than a feature credit. Other long-awaited reunions are filling next year's tour calendars too.

Why a Christian album now

The pivot did not come out of nowhere. Speaking on Fox & Friends in August, Kid Rock said growing up Catholic left him cold: church music felt dull, and the songs he heard at other congregations never carried the energy he wanted. As reported by Consequence, his solution was to write songs that celebrate his faith in the sounds he loves — "rock 'n' roll, country, hip-hop" — a genre-blending promise that runs through the Christian album's track titles, from "Water Into Wine" to "I Don't Drink the Whiskey Anymore."

There is data suggesting the audience is already there. His reimagined version of "'Til You Can't," rewritten with a faith-forward third verse, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Christian Songs chart earlier this year — his first appearance on that chart. He premiered the song at the Turning Point USA All-American Halftime Show in February 2026, according to The Music Universe. If the Christian album converts that crossover energy into a full record, it could land far beyond the usual church crowd.

The early signs point to a record that wears its references openly. The lead single bears more than a passing resemblance to Kenny Rogers' 1978 hit "The Gambler," and the cover art shows the singer midway on a journey heavenward with the devil at his back. The full track run closes with "God Bless the USA," a nod to the Lee Greenwood anthem that fits the Christian album's red-white-and-blue faith themes.

For listeners, the Christian album is a package deal: a faith-driven LP from one of rock's loudest showmen, a rare Eminem guest verse, and a message about holding onto friendships across political lines. More coverage of this week's releases lives on our music topic page. The whole set arrives in mid-October, when the collaboration that started with a foreword finally gets its public hearing.