Kevin Rudolf

Emerging from New York City with rock leanings amid rap environments, singer-songwriter-producer Kevin Rudolf contributed to numerous successful tracks before launching his own career as the first rock performer signed to the Cash Money roster. His guitar-driven material combined dense percussion and expansive pop melodies, yielding a breakthrough via the single "Let It Rock" on his 2008 debut album In the City, which benefited from Lil Wayne's featured appearance.

Born and raised in New York City, Rudolf gained early immersion in nightclub settings through his mother's work as a vocalist. By age twelve, when he acquired his first guitar, he had already absorbed sounds from varied bands and genres. Teenage years involved typical rehearsals in basements and gigs with local groups, yet purchasing a keyboard and computer allowed him to operate independently, crafting blended-genre recordings while developing production and engineering abilities.

Under the pseudonym Binocular, he joined Madonna’s Maverick label and issued a self-titled album with eighties influences in 2001 that received favorable notices yet failed to gain traction. After ending that project, an unexpected encounter with engineer Jimmy Douglass led to an introduction with superstar producer Timbaland. Originally planning only to observe a session, Rudolf was asked to contribute guitar after demonstrating his skills, resulting in work on Lil' Kim's 2003 hit "The Jumpoff." This initiated ongoing partnerships that soon encompassed the Black Eyed Peas, Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado, and David Banner.

Rudolf began his solo phase on Cash Money in late September 2008 by releasing the rock-rap track "Let It Rock" with Lil Wayne, previewing his debut album In the City that arrived late that year. He became both the label's first non-rap artist and its first white signee. The multi-platinum performance of "Let It Rock" opened doors to placements in advertisements and television spots. Two years afterward he delivered To the Sky, featuring Flo Rida, Three 6 Mafia, and Rivers Cuomo of Weezer, which included his second major single "I Made It (Cash Money Heroes)" and achieved solid sales.

Released from his Cash Money contract in 2015, he briefly issued music under the name Space Rock before resuming use of his given name. Now based in Los Angeles, he spent ensuing years writing and producing for other artists while issuing occasional singles of his own, such as "That Other Ship" in 2015, followed by "Nobody Gets Out Alive" in 2017 and "I Will Not Break" in 2019. He ultimately returned to Miami to continue developing a third album.