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Slicing and dicing for his hometown chum, the mainstream rap hero Kid Rock, Uncle Kracker (born Matt Shafer) stepped out from behind the turntables to release his debut solo album, Double Wide, on Kid Rock's own Top Dog/Atlantic/Lava label. Yet another Detroit combination of funky post-grunge rock and hip-hop aesthetic, Uncle Kracker makes his predecessor proud.br /br /Kid Rock and Uncle Kracker are practically family. The two met in Clawson, MI, in 1987, where Rock was spinning in an all-ages DJ contest at a popular night spot called Daytona's. The two had similar musical tastes (The Commodores, Run D.M.C., Lynyrd Skynyrd, and George Jones) and became fast friends. Kracker's first musical contribution was on Rock's 1991 debut, Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast, and he also co-wrote and performed on Rock's multi-platinum Devil Without A Cause. It was just a matter of time for Kracker to do his own thing.br /br /It's neither surprising that the media has tagged Double Wide as more radio friendly than Devil Without A Cause, nor that Rock and his band, Twisted Brown Trucker, come together to bang things up on Double Wide. Like his pal, Uncle Kracker wanted a maddening country growl woven into mainstream modern rock to create a mindblowing rap excursion; Double Wide was just that, released in summer 2000. "Follow Me" was a popular single among radio and MTV's TRL. Two years later, Uncle Kracker returned with No Stranger to Shame. It yielded chart hits such as "In a Little While" and "Drift Away." Uncle Kracker wasted no time making a follow up record. Taking much from the inspiration of early-'70s rock, Uncle Kracker issued Seventy Two & Sunny in late June 2004. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide
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