Kid Rock's Son Robbie Ritchie's Tragic Real-Life Story

The following article includes discussions of alcohol and drug use.

Celebrity kids are often born with a silver spoon in their mouth, but that wasn’t the case with Kid Rock’s son. Robert James Ritchie Jr. was born before his father made it big in the industry, and since Kid Rock is among the most controversial celebrities out there, he exposed his only son to a lot of his antics — and vices. While he rose to fame thanks to a blend of hip-hop, rock, and country music, Kid Rock’s personal life often outshone his professional accomplishments.

As a single father to Ritchie Jr., he raised his son within his rock and roll lifestyle — and everything that came with it. Drugs, alcohol, and women were a mainstay in the Ritchie household. However, Kid Rock must have done something right, even if by accident, as Ritchie Jr. grew up to be a grounded person with no interest in partying or drugs. He has been with his wife since high school and is a dedicated father to their two children.

Despite his father’s shortcomings, Ritchie Jr. is grateful for the upbringing he had. “You’ve taught me compassion, kindness and gratitude. You’ve taught me how to be confident and humble at the same time. You’ve taught me about faith and how it keeps the spark alive in life,” Ritchie Jr. captioned an Instagram post to mark Father’s Day in 2020. Ritchie Jr. went through quite a bit of hardship throughout his childhood and adolescence, but he’s made the best of it all.

Robert James Ritchie Jr. has a great bond with Kid Rock. Unfortunately, he can’t say the same about his mother. Kid Rock’s relationship with Kelley South Russell, his middle school sweetheart, was always complicated, but it hit rock bottom when he found out he wasn’t the father of one of the three children they were raising together. “There were three kids, he thought two of them were his, and then he found out that one of them wasn’t,” drummer Bob Ebeling told the Detroit Free Press in 2015.

Rock took the news hard, and the couple separated shortly after. “He was really emotionally torn up, going through that deep heartbreak stuff,” said Ebeling, with whom Rock lived after the split. Ritchie Jr. was just months old when Kid Rock became a single father at age 22 after Russell handed the baby over and left with her other two kids. “He was dropped on my doorstep at six months when I had no money and was trying to be a rock star. I didn’t have a clue,” he told The Guardian in 2015.

For years, Ritchie Jr. had minimal contact with his mother, but he had other maternal figures in his life. As he raised his son solo while also experiencing a boom in his career, Kid Rock leaned on his mother, sister, and his son’s godmother. “I had a lot of help,” he said on AXS TV. “I had a great support system.”

Robert James Ritchie Jr. spent most of his childhood isolated from his mother, but Kelley South Russell did try to get closer. It wasn’t easy, though. Because Kid Rock got full custody of the boy when his son was 2, Russell had to challenge her ex in court for increased access to her son. In 2000, she sought to regain custody of Ritchie Jr., arguing that Kid Rock’s newfound fame impacted his ability to dedicate enough time to his upbringing.

Russell stood little chance, given that she originally lost custody to Rock in 1995 after an investigation revealed she had an alcohol addiction and once took a knife to Kid Rock’s leg. When it became clear Kid Rock would retain custody, Russell asked for more time with Ritchie Jr. She argued Kid Rock often prevented her from spending time with him, using the example of his denial to allow her to have the boy over that year’s summer break. After 10 months of back-and-forth, he agreed to increase her time with him.

However, the new agreement stipulated that Russell had to pay Kid Rock $25 a week unless she had Ritchie Jr. for at least six days. In that case, she would have to pay half the amount. “He was absolutely, positively insistent that she pay child support,” Russell’s attorney, Kathy Vogt, told the Detroit Free Press (via ABC News). “His position is that she needs to assume responsibility. My opinion is this is punishment.”

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

When Kid Rock became a single father to Robert James Ritchie Jr. between 1993 and 1994, he was still a struggling musician. His prospects were good early on, with Jive Records producing his debut album “Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast” in 1990, but the label dropped him that same year. Kid Rock released his next two albums with an independent label in 1993 and 1996, though success was still elusive. It wasn’t until 1998 that he had his breakthrough with “Devil Without a Cause” after he secured a deal with Lava Records.

But for Ritchie Jr.’s first years of life, money was tight. “He was also kind of disenfranchised from his dad at that point. There wasn’t a lot of financial support coming from the family,” Bob Ebeling said in the Detroit Free Press profile. After he was dropped by Jive Records, Kid Rock used the remaining $2,200 from his contract to buy music equipment. “I was broke again and moved back in with my parents,” he said in the AXS TV interview.

Even though Kid Rock had his big break when his son was 5 and big money started pouring in, he still consciously made professional choices that kept his career from going to the next level. “I toured the last so many years, I only toured Thursday, Friday, Saturday. And I have only done America because I wanted to be there for my son,” he said in the “Larry King Live” conversation. 

Kelley South Russel’s alcohol consumption was deemed an obstacle in her ability to raise Robert James Ritchie Jr., but Kid Rock’s many vices seemed to have been just fine in the eyes of the law. However, even he knows he crossed the line plenty of times and exposed his son to detrimental experiences. As a performing artist, there was no shortage of times when he got home drunk or under the influence of drugs. “I passed out in my bathroom, dead weight. My son comes in, he’s like, ‘Grandma, something’s wrong with Dad!'” he told Esquire in 2011. That was on Christmas, and Ritchie Jr. was 7. 

Drugs and alcohol weren’t the only age-inappropriate behavior the boy witnessed. His dad also made little effort to hide his philandering ways. “There have been a lot of women. I could have set a better example for my son. When he was a teenager I’d bring home girls that he had more in common with than I did,” he admitted in The Guardian interview. However, knowing he should do better wasn’t motivation enough for him to actually do better. 

In fact, he believes he was justified in his actions because, well, he’s a guy. “He saw girls come in and out, which probably wasn’t the healthiest thing. I tried not to do it too much, but f***, I had a d*** and I was famous at that time, you know?” Kid Rock told Rolling Stone in 2015.

Kid Rock’s relationship with Pamela Anderson was marked by breakups and makeups from the beginning. After dating on and off since 2001, they finally tied the knot in the summer of 2006. However, the legal union was short-lived. Before the year was out, the pair filed for divorce. The reason Kid Rock and Anderson’s marriage failed just four months into it is up for debate, and each has given different motivations. For Kid Rock’s part, he claimed he divorced Anderson to protect Robert James Ritchie Jr.

They had been having issues for some time relating to their prenup and postnup and also what Kid Rock described as lies Anderson had spread about miscarrying a pregnancy and other issues. But what sealed the deal was Anderson’s attitude toward his family in front of Ritchie Jr. “When I saw it starting to affect my son, when — when she would talk down about my mother and about my sister — two people who were very instrumental in raising my son with me, when these things started to go on … that’s when I stepped back,” he said on CNN‘s “Larry King Live” in 2007.

However, sources after the split claimed that “Borat” ended Kid Rock and Anderson’s marriage. Kid Rock reportedly threw a jealous fit after watching his then-wife’s participation in the movie, something director and actor Sacha Baron Cohen confirmed in 2019. “I think they were a fantastic couple, so it’s a shame,” he told The Daily Beast. 

Kid Rock was never a fan of Pamela Anderson’s ex-husband Tommy Lee. Anyone who tuned in to watch Alicia Keys’ performance at the 2007 VMAs learned that firsthand. During the event, Kid Rock infamously punched the Mötley Crüe drummer in the face, resulting in both being escorted out. Kid Rock was cited for misdemeanor battery and said he later regretted his action, but not because of the commotion he caused or because he caused bodily injury.

Instead, he regretted not thinking of the consequences it would have for Robert James Ritchie Jr. and also Lee and Anderson’s two sons, Brandon and Dylan. “You’ve got to remember, too, there’s kids involved here … the only thing I was thinking about was my son and his two kids, and how does this affect them?” he said in the “Larry King Live” interview. “They’re the ones — my son is 14. He has to go to school. He’s the one that’s got to deal with these antics, you know? Let’s face it, high school kids can be a little unforgiving.”

The brawl also had an impact on Anderson, who was mortified that her two exes made a fool of themselves for the world to see. “Tommy and Bob dove at each other. Fists were flying, and the whole thing ended up on live TV,” she wrote in her 2023 memoir “Love, Pamela.” “I walked out.” Anderson and Kid Rock haven’t spoken since that 2007 night.