Kid Rock says that he received 100 cases of Bud Light from manufacturer Anheuser-Busch for his birthday this past year
It might seem peculiar that Kid Rock‘s escapade of firing off cases of Bud Light with a machine gun last year became one of the standout viral moments of 2023. However, it’s just one episode in the musician’s winding journey, which now finds him urging fans to move past the dustup from last year regarding the beer company’s use of trans activist Dylan Mulvaney in a promotional campaign.
Interestingly, Kid Rock now claims to have forged a friendship with the CEO of Anheuser-Busch. Kid Rock recently made an appearance on the Joe Rogan podcast and revealed that the folks at the company, whom he once dubbed as “smart asses,” replenished his Bud Light stash as a birthday gesture.
Regarding his relationship with Bud Light, Kid Rock clarified on Sean Hannity‘s Fox News show last fall that he never actually called for a boycott of the brand despite the uproar surrounding his viral video. He revealed that he had spoken directly with CEO Brendan Ball Whitworth about the initial incident, which sparked some backlash against the company.
Kid Rock explained that he first met Whitworth at a UFC event and that their encounter led to a positive conversation. On Rogan‘s podcast, he elaborated further, indicating that their rapport has since grown, and they’ve even partied together. Rock believes his message got through and expressed his desire to see no further harm befall the company.
“I met that dude, the CEO. We’ve become friends,” Rock said.
“He’s a great guy,” continued the Michigan-born musician, adding that he was encouraged by Donald Trump to speak to him while they were at the UFC fight. “So we go over and talk and actually have a great conversation. And at some point he was telling me how he got the video, and he was actually somewhere down in Texas doing some hunting.
“And we talk and talk and I’m not going to share all the conversation as that would probably be inappropriate, but I’m like, ‘Dude, you seem like someone I’d fucking be friends with and want to hang out with.’ And he’s like, ‘I would, that’s what I’m saying.’ So I’m like, ‘Come to Nashville. Come visit me.’ He fucking did.”
“He came with his top team. We broke bread. Got fucked up on Bud Light and fucking bowled and all this fun shit,” said Rock. They also spoke about opportunities for Rock to work with the company, but the musician says ultimately he didn’t feel right taking a corporate deal, especially one that might change how people might view him.
Kid Rock went n to add that he’s remained friendly with Whitworth and found it humourous when an Anheuser-Busch truck rolled up with 100 cases for his birthday.
“It’s fucking hilarious. Cause my friends have been bringing it over, shoving it in my golf bag ever since I did what we call Machine Gun Gate. They’re fucking with me at everything I go to. Someone is always doing, ‘Bud Light this, Bud Light that,'” says Rock.
“You want to see fucking confused people? We get done playing pickelball or something, and I’m like, ‘Hey, you guys take a couple of cases of Bud Light if you want.’ And they take them in this room and they’re fucking stacked [sky high] and they’re like, ‘What the fuck, dude?’ And I’m like, ‘It’s a long fucking story, man.'”
Kid Rock also addressed the now famous video, admitting to Joe Rogan, “Man I was just having fun, to be honest with ya. I was pissed, but it wasn’t like it was going to wreck my day yet alone my life. I was just kind of like, ‘What the fuck are they doing?'”
He later added, “Honest to god, I was having a lot of fucking fun. I don’t get to pull my machine gun out and film myself doing cool shit too often. I’m just not that type of person. I was just like, ‘THIS WARRANTS IT RIGHT HERE.’ Get all the Bud Light on property. That was actually all the beer on property. I kept more of that shit around than I thought.”
Kid Rock went on to say that he’s ready to see the backlash against Bud Light fade.
“I go from the outside looking in guys, as a friend and someone who doesn’t want to see this brand hurt and destroyed anymore, you got smacked in the ass. You got a pretty hard spanking, but I don’t want to hold your head underwater and drown this fucking company and put people out of work and that shit,” says Rock. “You got the message. And I wish people knew these guys running the company cause they’re great fucking guys.”
He goes on to add, “But I said if just a percentage of these fucking trolls – on the left and on the right – like, I’m so empowered by the Internet. I’m going to piss and bitch and moan and I have a voice …. go fuck yourself. Cut it out. For anyone still spending time on this, you’re clearly fucking bored. Go find something better to do.”