Dc Talk
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- The title of this article is incorrect because of technical limitations. The correct title is dc Talk.
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dc Talk is a Christian rock band formed in the late 1980s in Lynchburg, Virginia by Toby Mac, Kevin Max, and Michael Tait. They began as a hip hop act, but in the mid-90s they reinvented themselves as a pop/rock group. In both instances, they found immense critical and commercial success in the both the Christian music industry as well as the general market.
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History
The band's roots trace back to the late 1980s, when rapper/vocalist Toby McKeehan (Toby Mac) started writing Christian hip hop under the moniker Caucatalk. While attending Liberty University, he formed dc Talk by joining up with vocalists Kevin Max Smith (Kevin Max) and Michael Tait. Some sources suggest that the name is short for Decent Christian Talk and the name is likely a phonetics play on ZZ Top.
In 1989, the group released their self-titled debut album on Forefront Records. They gained some crossover success when the "Heavenbound" music video received airplay on the BET network. Their follow-up album, Nu Thang (1990), also received attention for it's hip hop/pop stylings (a'la M.C. Hammer and Fresh Prince).
Their third release, 1992's Free at Last, was a tremendous success, producing six Christian radio hits. It was notable for its innovative blending of musical genres, combining hip hop with pop, rock, and gospel.
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The group's best-known achievement, however, was their fourth album, 1995's Jesus Freak. This time, dc Talk had reinvented themselves as a pop-rock act, with little to no hip hop to be found. Now their music was much more similar to Nirvana or the Red Hot Chili Peppers than M.C. Hammer. The album also produced several radio hits. In fact, many music critics point to the title track, "Jesus Freak," as being an important moment in rock history, linking grunge and rapcore for the first time.
Their latest album, Supernatural (1998), was not nearly the critical or commercial success as the previous two albums, but it also churned out its share of hits. The songs "Consume Me" & "My Friend So Long" received their fair share of radio play on Modern Rock, Contemporary Christian and Alternative outlets.
dc Talk has been awarded three Grammy Awards, as well as numerous Dove Awards. The group is notable for its stances concerning racism, as well as the uncompromised Christian message in its music. "We're very open about our Christian faith," says Toby McKeehan, "but when we make our records we want to create a musical experience that anyone can immerse themselves in." But still, he says, "one of our goals is to encourage listeners to question themselves and to seek out truth."
Solo Efforts
In 2000, the trio announced that they would be producing solo projects. Since that time, each members has released two solo records (Michael Tait with his band, Tait.)
In September 2002, dc Talk reunited to record and release a single about September 11th, entitled "Let's Roll." At present, there are no known plans for a dc Talk reunion or new album.
Members
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Discography
- DC Talk, 1989 (ForeFront/EMD)
- Nu Thang, 1990 (ForeFront/EMD)
- Free at Last, 1992 (ForeFront/EMD)
- Jesus Freak, 1995 (ForeFront/Chordant)
- Welcome to the Freak Show, 1997 (ForeFront/EMD)
- Supernatural, 1998 (Virgin)
- Intermission: the Greatest Hits, 2000 (ForeFront/EMD)
Videography
- Welcome to the Freak Show, 1997
- The Supernatural Experience, 1999
- Free at Last: the Movie, 2002
External links
- dcTalk.com (http://www.dctalk.com/)
- ForeFront Records (http://www.forefrontrecords.com/)
- dc Talk Solo (http://www.dctalksolo.com/)
- dc Talk Experience (http://www.geocities.com/dctalkexp)
- dc Talk Freaks (http://www.dctalkfreaks.tk/)
- dc Talk Unite (http://www.dctalkunite.com/)