By C.E. Hanifin
Enquirer staff writer

Kid Rock, once a Southern-fried rapper, is now more of a countrified pop star. Enquirer file

On his 1998 breakthrough album, Devil Without a Cause, Kid Rock declared himself the Bullgod and warned, "I wanna flood the world with my twisted thoughts."

But his ideas - and his image - have changed quite a bit since Devil hit No. 4 on the Billboard charts and went multiplatinum. In the past few years, Rock has transformed himself from a Southern-fried rapper to a countrified pop star.

The 33-year-old Rock, who was known as Bob Ritchie when he was growing up outside Detroit, immersed himself in the Motor City's hip-hop culture for a decade before making it big. He still cops to being a good ol' boy from the 'hood, but his evolving sound and his alliances with pop stars and dalliances with Hollywood pinups seem to belie that assertion.

Here's a rundown of Kid Rock, who will play Riverbend on Thursday, past and present; you can judge whether he's still the Bullgod, presuming you have a clear idea of what a Bullgod is:

IF YOU GO

What: Kid Rock with opening act Puddle of Mudd When: 8 p.m. Thursday Where: Riverbend Music Center, 6295 Kellogg Ave., Anderson Township Cost: $40 reserved seating, $20 general admission. Call Ticketmaster at 562-4949 or go to ticketmaster.com Information: Call 232-6220 or go to riverbend-music.com

Then

Sound: Cocksure, clever rhymes rapped over arena rock-inspired guitar riffs on Devil.

Pal: Diminutive rapper Joe C. (Rock's onstage sidekick, whose full name was Joseph Calleja, died in 2000).

Love interest: Kelley South Russell, a woman who gave birth to Rock's son when they both were teenagers. The two made headlines with their prolonged, heated battle over custody and non-payment of child support (by Russell). Rock chronicled the devastating relationship on the epic-length song, "Black Chick, White Guy."

In 2000, Russell sued him for defamation.

Sang with: Eminem. Rock shared the mike with his fellow white-boy Detroit rapper on a the-world-is-ours anthem, "(Expletive) Off."

Lyric: "I ain't straight outta Compton, I'm straight out the trailer," from "Cowboy"

Now

Sound: Tear-in-my-beer, '70s-style country numbers and resurrections of cornball classic rock hits, including Bad Company's "Feel Like Makin' Love," on last year's self-titled album, and the 2001 release Cocky.

Pal: Big-name country artist Hank Williams Jr., with whom Rock has recorded and performed.

Love interest: According to the gossip columns, Rock rebounded from a busted engagement to blonde Playmate/actress Pamela Anderson by launching a brief relationship with blonde actress Jaime Pressley.

Sang with: Pop singer Sheryl Crow.

Their schmaltzy duet, "Picture," netted Rock a 2003 Country Music Awards nomination for vocal event of the year.

Lyric: "Got more money than Matchbox Twenty," from Cocky.

E-mail chanifin@enquirer.com