Mocking people who took the idea seriously, Kid Rock said Tuesday morning he's not running for U.S. Senate.
"F_no, I'm not running for Senate. Are you kidding me?" Rock said on Howard Stern's SiriusXM show. "Who couldn't figure that out? I'm releasing a new album. I'm going on tour too. Are you f___ s___ me?"
Rock's new album, "Sweet Southern Sugar," will be released Nov. 3, Stern said at the start of a wide-ranging interview that tackled Rock's wealth, his distaste for the music business and his 2018 tour plans.
Rock said the Senate idea _ which he publicly toyed with for months _ was a mixed blessing.
"It's the worst advice I ever gave myself, but it's been the most creative thing I've ever done," he said. "And I've gotten to see everyone's true colors."
Rock said he talked with Eminem's manager, Paul Rosenberg, at last week's Detroit Pistons opener at Little Caesars Arena. Right-leaning Rock and left-leaning Eminem have been become high-profile political lightning rods.
"Let's not let this divide us," Rock said he told Rosenberg. Eminem, on the heels of a viral rap blasting President Donald Trump, was loudly cheered at the start of the game. Rock, shown onscreen in the arena, drew boos from some in the crowd.
Rock said as public hype grew around the Senate talk this year, even people in his circle who were "in on the joke" started to take it seriously.
"No, we're not doing it," he said he'd tell them, "but let's roll with it for a while."
Rock's tour will start Jan. 19 in Nashville, with dates scheduled through March 24 in Las Vegas. No Michigan shows are on the schedule at the moment, following his six-show run at Little Caesars Arena last month.
