TobyMac
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Toby McKeehan (born Kevin Michael McKeehan; October 22, 1964), better known by his stage name TobyMac (styled tobyMac or TOBYMAC), is an American contemporary Christian music singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He was first known for being a member of the Christian rap and rock trio DC Talk, staying with them from 1987 until they went on hiatus in 2000. He has since continued a successful solo career with the release of eight studio albums: '' Momentum'' (2001), '' Welcome to Diverse City'' (2004), '' Portable Sounds'' (2007), ''
Tonight Tonight may refer to: Television * ''Tonight'' (1957 TV programme), a 1957–1965 British current events television programme hosted by Cliff Michelmore that was broadcast on BBC * ''Tonight'' (1975 TV programme), a 1975–1979 British current ...
'' (2010), '' Eye on It'' (2012), '' This Is Not a Test'' (2015), '' The Elements'' (2018), and '' Life After Death'' (2022) as well as five remixed albums: '' Re:Mix Momentum'' (2003), ''
Renovating Diverse City ''Renovating Diverse City'' (stylized ''Renovating→Diverse City'') is the fourth album released by Christian recording artist tobyMac. All the tracks are remixes of songs from tobyMac's previous CD, '' Welcome to Diverse City'', with the exc ...
'' (2005), '' Dubbed and Freq'd: A Remix Project'' (2012), '' Eye'm All Mixed Up'' (2014) and '' The St. Nemele Collab Sessions'' (2019). He also has two full-length Christmas albums: '' Christmas in Diverse City'' (2011) and ''Light Of Christmas'' (2017). He became the third Christian artist to have a No. 1 debut on ''Billboard'' 200 chart with '' Eye on It''. Between DC Talk and his own solo career, he has sold more than 10 million albums and won seven
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
s. He has had six No. 1 hit CHR singles including " Gone", " Made to Love", and "
Lose My Soul "Lose My Soul" is a song by TobyMac from his third studio album, '' Portable Sounds'' (2007). It features gospel artist Kirk Franklin and contemporary Christian singer Mandisa and was released in 2008 as the fifth single from the album. The song ...
". Six singles have gone to No. 1 on ''Billboard''s Christian Songs chart, making him one of the artists with the most No. 1 hits on that chart. His live concert CD+DVD combo album, '' Alive and Transported'', was released in 2008 and received the
Grammy Award for Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
at the 51st Grammy Awards in 2009. His fifth studio album, ''Eye on It'', received a Grammy for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album at the 2013 Grammys.


Musical career


DC Talk (1987–2001)

TobyMac formed DC Talk with
Michael Tait Michael DeWayne Tait (born May 18, 1966) is an American contemporary Christian music artist. Michael Tait met Toby McKeehan in 1984 when he was in high school. Both Toby and Michael met Kevin Max while attending Liberty University in the late 19 ...
in 1987 at
Liberty University Liberty University (LU) is a private Baptist university in Lynchburg, Virginia. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia ( Southern Baptist Convention). Founded in 1971 by Jerry Falwell Sr. and Elmer L. Towns, Lib ...
. He and Tait released ''Christian Rhymes to a Rhythm'' in 1988 and recruited classmate Kevin Max Smith to join the group. The trio then signed with Forefront Records and set out on tour after they released ''DC Talk'' in 1989. In 1990, they released ''Nu Thang'', their first gold album which was followed with a tour. The follow-up, ''Free at Last'', was certified platinum and the band gained performed on '' The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' and ''
The Arsenio Hall Show ''The Arsenio Hall Show'' is an American syndicated late-night talk show created by and starring comedian Arsenio Hall. There have been two different incarnations of ''The Arsenio Hall Show''. The original series premiered on January 3, 1989, ...
''. They released their next album, ''Jesus Freak'', in 1995, which went multi-platinum and led to the Jesus Freak World Tour and a tour CD, ''Welcome to the Freakshow''. Following the release of "Between You and Me" which reached No. 29 on the Hot 100 in 1996, the group released ''Supernatural'', which would be their last album. The album was certified platinum. DC Talk disbanded in 2001 and its members embarked on solo careers. In 2005, the band performed together at a show in Redmond, Washington, and again in 2010 when he made a surprise guest appearance at Winter Jam in Nashville. In 2011, he joined Tait on the song "Jesus Freak" in Greensboro, North Carolina. DC Talk has recorded several songs together since their hiatus, including 2002's "Let's Roll", a song about the
terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commerc ...
, "Atmosphere (Remix)" on his 2004 album '' Welcome to Diverse City'', "The Cross", a track on Kevin Max's 2007 album ''
The Blood The Blood are an English, London-based punk rock band, formed in 1982. Led by Cardinal Jesus Hate and JJ Bedsore (AKA Colin Smith and Jamie Cantwell), the band formed in the early 1980s under the name "Coming Blood". Their music is a blend of ...
'', "Love Feels Like", a track on TobyMac's 2015 album ''This Is Not a Test'', and "Space" on TobyMac's album ''Life After Death''.


Solo career


''Momentum'' (2001–2003)

On November 6, 2001, he released his first solo album: '' Momentum''. He composed and recorded the song "Extreme Days" for the 2001 Truth Builder Productions film '' Extreme Days'', which was featured on the ''Momentum'' album. Momentum, debuted at No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Heatseekers chart in the November 24 issue. The song "Extreme Days" was also used in the movie ''Hangman's Curse'', based on a book by Frank Peretti. His song "Get This Party Started" was featured on an episode of the TV show Roswell. His song "Yours" reached the Top 5 on ChristianRock.net. "Yours", "Extreme Days", "Get This Party Started" and "Momentum" were all featured in the
Xbox 360 The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generati ...
video game '' Crackdown''. "Momentum" earned five Dove Awards and a Grammy nomination. He was nominated for Artist of the Year at the
34th GMA Dove Awards The 34th Annual GMA Dove Awards were held on April 10, 2003 recognizing accomplishments of musicians for the year 2002. The show was held at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee, and was hosted by CeCe Winans and Steven Curtis ...
. In 2002, he performed at the Festival Con Dios. Later that year, he released his first Christmas single, " This Christmas". In 2003, he released '' Re:Mix Momentum'', a remix of the album ''Momentum''. His song "Yours" was used in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) as " Sting's" theme song. He was featured on "Throw Yo Hands Up" on Kirk Franklin's 2002 album ''
The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin ''The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin'' is a live album by Kirk Franklin. ''The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin'' is the seventh album released by Kirk Franklin and is his first album to be considered a solo artist. The U.S. release on GospoCentric Records ...
''.


''Welcome to Diverse City'' (2004–2006)

'' Welcome to Diverse City'' was released in October 2004 and is certified gold. The album debuted and peaked on the ''Billboard'' 200 at No. 54, selling 21,000 copies that week. His "Winter Wonder Slam Tour" played throughout December 2006. The album's song "The Slam" was featured in the film ''
Never Back Down ''Never Back Down'' is a 2008 American martial arts film directed by Jeff Wadlow and starring Sean Faris, Cam Gigandet, Amber Heard and Djimon Hounsou. It tells the story of a frustrated and conflicted teenager who arrives at a new high school ...
'', advertisements for the films '' Transporter 2'', ''
Aeon Flux The word aeon , also spelled eon (in American and Australian English), originally meant "life", "vital force" or "being", "generation" or "a period of time", though it tended to be translated as "age" in the sense of "ages", "forever", "timele ...
'', and '' The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift'', as well as advertisements for the television show '' Prison Break''. The song was also featured in car commercials, men's NCAA clips, NBA Finals (Miami Heat, 2006),
World Wrestling Entertainment World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and var ...
(WWE) programming, NFL Football commercials, and "The Ultimate Highlight" on '' SportsCenter''. Former
Ohio Valley Wrestling Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) is an American professional wrestling promotion and former developmental promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. The company is currently run by Al Snow and Matt Jones and Louisville mayor elect, Craig Greenberg. ...
performer Matt Cappotelli used "The Slam" as his entrance theme. In the movie ''
Never Back Down ''Never Back Down'' is a 2008 American martial arts film directed by Jeff Wadlow and starring Sean Faris, Cam Gigandet, Amber Heard and Djimon Hounsou. It tells the story of a frustrated and conflicted teenager who arrives at a new high school ...
'' Toby's song "The Slam" is featured in the main fight scene. " Diverse City" was featured in the Veronica Mars episode The Wrath of Con, as well as
Konami , is a Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, it also produces and distributes trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, pachinko machines, slot machines, and arcade cabinets. Konami has ca ...
's
Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix 4 The ''Dance Dance Revolution'' series started in 1998 and has grown to a large set of games in the franchise. This list of ''Dance Dance Revolution'' games documents games released, including systems, formats, and regions for which the games were ...
. "Atmosphere" and "Burn For You" were also used on different commercials. The album gave him another Dove Award for Rap/Hip-Hop Album of the Year. A remix version of the album, ''Renovating->Diverse City'', was released in 2005.


''Portable Sounds'' (2007–2008)

McKeehan's third studio album, '' Portable Sounds'', was released in 2007 and sold 50,645 copies in its first week, debuting at No. 10 on the ''Billboard'' 200, and at No. 1 on the SoundScan Contemporary Christian Overall chart. The album also received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album. He won rock/contemporary album of the year for "Portable Sounds" at the 39th annual GMA Dove Awards. The songs "Made to Love" and "I'm For You" both hit No. 1 and were the second and third most played songs on Christian Hit Radio stations in 2007. "Hype Man (truDog '07)" features his son Truett. "Ignition" is being used by ABC/
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
to promote its coverage of
NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and ...
, and "Boomin'" has also been used to promote a new crime-drama, ''The Women's Murder Club'', on ABC, as well as others. In September 2007, his song "Feelin' So Fly" appeared in the film '' The Game Plan'', starring
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Dwayne Douglas Johnson (born May 2, 1972), also known by his ring name The Rock, is an American actor and former professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he was integral to the developm ...
. "Ignition" received worldwide exposure when it was used as the Arizona Cardinals entrance music during the pre-game of Super Bowl XLIII. He was awarded two Dove Awards for his work on this album, including Artist of the Year. His music video featuring the song "Boomin" was awarded a Dove Award for Short Form Music Video of the Year. Around this time, he wrote his song, "New World" for " The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and co-wrote and recorded the song "What We Gonna Do?" for the VeggieTales film '' The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie''. "Feelin' So Fly" and "I'm for You" appear in Thrillville: Off the Rails.


''Alive and Transported'' (2008–2009)

He released his first live album as a solo artist in 2008. '' Alive and Transported'' was a live recording of the Portable Sounds Tour in Houston, Texas. It included covers of popular DC Talk songs "Jesus Freak" and "In the Light". The album included a DVD of the concert and gained him a GMA Dove and a
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
.


''Tonight'' (2010–2011)

His fourth studio release, ''
Tonight Tonight may refer to: Television * ''Tonight'' (1957 TV programme), a 1957–1965 British current events television programme hosted by Cliff Michelmore that was broadcast on BBC * ''Tonight'' (1975 TV programme), a 1975–1979 British current ...
'', was released on February 9, 2010. The album debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200, selling 79,000 units in its first week. The album's first single, "
City on Our Knees "City on Our Knees" is a song by Christian artist TobyMac from his album, '' Tonight'' (2010). It was released as a radio single in August 2009 and reached No. 1 on ''Billboard''s Hot Christian Songs chart in October 2009. It also reached No. 8 ...
", was released on August 14, 2009. The song reached No. 1 on ''Billboards
Hot Christian Songs Hot Christian Songs is a music chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It ranks the popularity of Christian songs using the same methodology developed for the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, the magazine's flagship songs c ...
and No. 1 on both Christian AC and CHR. Christopher Stevens and Dave Wyatt joined McKeehan in producing the album, as with the production of his 2007 release, '' Portable Sounds''. Truett, aka TruDog, Toby's oldest son, was once again featured on a song as in the previous albums. The album is a mix of
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' ( ...
, rock, hip hop,
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
, and funk, similar to his album ''Portable Sounds''. The album charted No. 6 on the Billboard Top 200 and No. 1 on the Billboard Christian albums chart, selling 79,000 units in its first week. In the same year, he released a DVD, ''TobyMac: Moving Pictures Featuring His Entire Work of Music Videos'', on November 10, 2010. The title track of ''Tonight'' is featured in the intro of MLB Network's TV show 30 Clubs 30 Days. In March, he announced the "Hello Tonight" summer 2010 tour with
Chris Tomlin Christopher Dwayne Tomlin (born May 4, 1972) is an American contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter, and worship leader from Grand Saline, Texas, United States, who has sold over 7 million records. He is a member of Passion Conferences an ...
. The song "City on Our Knees" earned him a Dove Award for Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year. The song "Showstopper" was used to promote World Wrestling Entertainment's (WWE) June 2010 Pay Per View, "Fatal 4-Way", and was used at least once in NCAA Basketball. It was also used as an introduction to Thursday Night Football in 2009–2010. His single "Tonight" was also used as a pregame introduction at home games for the Baltimore Orioles during the 2011 MLB season. The song was also promoted for ESPYS' Best U.S Male Olympian. His "Tonight" was listed best Christian album of 2010 on iTunes and his Christmas single titled "Christmas This Year" (featuring Leigh Nash) was awarded the holiday song of the week on iTunes. He was nominated for Artist of the Year at the 2011 Dove Awards. Additionally, the songs "Get Back Up" and "City on Our Knees" were recognized for being two of the Top 25 most performed songs on Christian radio over 2010. In 2010, McKeehan performed at Revelation Generation. He also toured with
Skillet A frying pan, frypan, or skillet is a flat-bottomed pan used for frying, searing, and browning foods. It is typically in diameter with relatively low sides that flare outwards, a long handle, and no lid. Larger pans may have a small grab han ...
and House of Heroes on the "Awake Tonight Tour". He toured with Third Day, Michael W. Smith, Jason Gray and Max Lucado on the World Vision-sponsored "Make a Difference Tour 2010". ''Tonight'' was nominated for a Grammy for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album for the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards. His first full-length Christmas album, '' Christmas in Diverse City'', was released October 4, 2011. It contains songs from each of the Diverse City members as well as TobyMac. Its other guest artists include: Leigh Nash, Owl City, Jamie Grace, Victor Oquendo, "Superherose nowiki/>sic.html"_;"title="sic.html"_;"title="nowiki/>sic">nowiki/>sic">sic.html"_;"title="nowiki/>sic">nowiki/>sic,_Arch_Nemesiz,_Tim_Rosenau,_Toddiefunk,_and_Mr._TalkBox.html" ;"title="sic">nowiki/> nowiki/>sic">sic.html"_;"title="nowiki/>sic">nowiki/>sic,_Arch_Nemesiz,_Tim_Rosenau,_Toddiefunk,_and_Mr._TalkBox">Byron_"Mr._Talkbox"_Chambers._TobyMac_released_his_third_remix_album,_''_Dubbed_and_Freq'd:_A_Remix_Project'',_on_March_27,_2012,_featuring_remixes_of_songs_from_his_prior_two_studio_albums.


_''Eye_on_It''_(2012–2014)

His_fifth_full-length_studio_album,_''_Eye_on_It'',_was_released_August_28,_2012._The_album_debuted_on_the_Billboard_200_at_No._1,_which_is_a_first_for_a_Christian_album_since_1997,_and_sold_69,000_copies_in_its_first_week._The_album_fell_to_No._8_on_the_second_week_with_26,000_sales. The_first_single,_"Me_Without_You_(TobyMac_song).html" ;"title="sic.html" ;"title="sic.html" ;"title="nowiki/> nowiki/>sic">sic.html"_;"title="nowiki/>sic">nowiki/>sic,_Arch_Nemesiz,_Tim_Rosenau,_Toddiefunk,_and_Mr._TalkBox">Byron_"Mr._Talkbox"_Chambers._TobyMac_released_his_third_remix_album,_''_Dubbed_and_Freq'd:_A_Remix_Project'',_on_March_27,_2012,_featuring_remixes_of_songs_from_his_prior_two_studio_albums.


_''Eye_on_It''_(2012–2014)

His_fifth_full-length_studio_album,_''_Eye_on_It'',_was_released_August_28,_2012._The_album_debuted_on_the_Billboard_200_at_No._1,_which_is_a_first_for_a_Christian_album_since_1997,_and_sold_69,000_copies_in_its_first_week._The_album_fell_to_No._8_on_the_second_week_with_26,000_sales. The_first_single,_"Me_Without_You_(TobyMac_song)">Me_Without_You",_was_released_to_iTunes_and_Amazon_MP3_on_June_12,_2012,_and_went_to_No._1_on_''Billboards__Christian_Songs_chart_on_September_1,_2012,_becoming_the_singer's_fifth_chart-topper._"Family"_was_used_in_a_promotional_advertisement_campaign_for_the_show_''Blue_Bloods_(TV_series).html" ;"title="sic">nowiki/>sic">sic.html" ;"title="nowiki/>sic">nowiki/>sic, Arch Nemesiz, Tim Rosenau, Toddiefunk, and Mr. TalkBox">Byron "Mr. Talkbox" Chambers. TobyMac released his third remix album, '' Dubbed and Freq'd: A Remix Project'', on March 27, 2012, featuring remixes of songs from his prior two studio albums.


''Eye on It'' (2012–2014)

His fifth full-length studio album, '' Eye on It'', was released August 28, 2012. The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at No. 1, which is a first for a Christian album since 1997, and sold 69,000 copies in its first week. The album fell to No. 8 on the second week with 26,000 sales. The first single, "Me Without You (TobyMac song)">Me Without You", was released to iTunes and Amazon MP3 on June 12, 2012, and went to No. 1 on ''Billboards Christian Songs chart on September 1, 2012, becoming the singer's fifth chart-topper. "Family" was used in a promotional advertisement campaign for the show ''Blue Bloods (TV series)">Blue Bloods''. One showing of this advertisement was during the 2013 Super Bowl. "Forgiveness" is a collaboration with Christian rapper Lecrae. Although not released as a single, "Eye on It" was utilized by the ACC Network on its telecast of the 2013 ACC men's basketball tournament. The song was also used in several commercials by the Fox Sports Networks for NBA and MLB telecasts. He appears in the 2013 film ''
I'm in Love with a Church Girl ''I'm in Love with a Church Girl'' is a 2013 Christian drama film directed by Steve Race. It stars Jeff "Ja Rule" Atkins, Adrienne Bailon, Stephen Baldwin, Vincent Pastore, Toby Mac, T-Bone and Michael Madsen. The film was released in theat ...
''. A remix album, '' Eye'm All Mixed Up'', which features remixes from the album ''Eye on It'', was released on November 4, 2014.


''This Is Not a Test'' (2015–2018)

During his "Worship, Stories, and Songs Tour" in 2014, he performed the first single from his new album, titled "Beyond Me", which was released on January 6, 2015. The single "Beyond Me" also appeared on Hot Shot Debut at No. 34 solely on the strength of radio airplay. His sixth
studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records c ...
, '' This Is Not a Test'', (stylized as "***THIS IS NOT A TEST***") was released on August 7, 2015 and debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. The album appeared on Top Christian Albums at No. 1, selling 35,000 copies in its first week. "Backseat Driver" was released as a promotional single from the album on June 9, 2015, which was later followed by "Til The Day I Die" on July 10, 2015, and "Feel It" on July 24, 2015. On November 3, 2017, he released ''Light of Christmas'', his second compilation of Christmas songs.


''The Elements'' (2018–2021)

In January 2018, he released " I Just Need U", which debuted at No. 1 on the Hot Christian Songs chart, making the song TobyMac's sixth No. 1 single to top the chart. In July 2018, he released " Everything" as a single. In September 2018, he both announced his new album, '' The Elements'', and released "Scars" as a single. The album was released on October 12, 2018, and became his fifth album to top the Christian Albums chart on Billboard. On January 10, 2020, he released a single "21 Years", dedicated to the memory of his son Truett who died on on October 23, 2019. McKeehan released ''The Lost Demos'' on May 8, 2020, an EP of recovered demos. During the pandemic, he released "Separate Altogether Acoustic" music videos featuring the Diverse City band, his daughter, Marlee McKeehan, and Gotee Records colleague Michael Cochren.


''Life After Death'' (2022–present)

On February 19, 2021, McKeehan released " Help Is on the Way (Maybe Midnight)" as a single. On September 17, 2021, McKeehan released "
Promised Land The Promised Land ( he, הארץ המובטחת, translit.: ''ha'aretz hamuvtakhat''; ar, أرض الميعاد, translit.: ''ard al-mi'ad; also known as "The Land of Milk and Honey"'') is the land which, according to the Tanakh (the Hebrew ...
" as a single. On January 7, 2022, he released a new version of "Promised Land" as a collaboration with Sheryl Crow. On June, 2022, he released another single titled "The Goodness" as another collaboration with gospel artist Blessing Offor. On June 10, 2022, he announced on Instagram his album '' Life After Death'' which was then released on August 19, 2022. TobyMac announced his Hits Deep Tour for 2023, with supporting acts Crowder, Cochren & Co., Tasha Layton, Jon Reddick, and Terrian.


Other work

He has written two books with
Michael Tait Michael DeWayne Tait (born May 18, 1966) is an American contemporary Christian music artist. Michael Tait met Toby McKeehan in 1984 when he was in high school. Both Toby and Michael met Kevin Max while attending Liberty University in the late 19 ...
and Kevin Max: ''Jesus Freaks: DC Talk and The Voice of the Martyrs – Stories of Those Who Stood for Jesus, the Ultimate Jesus Freaks'' and ''Jesus Freaks: Revolutionaries: Stories of Revolutionaries Who Changed Their World: Fearing GOD, Not Man''. These books are mainly focused on Christian martyrs. He has also written two more books with Michael Tait, one titled, ''Under God'', containing stories of America's spiritual battles, and another book called ''Living Under God: Discovering Your Part in God's Plan''. He has written a fifth book called ''City on Our Knees''. The book is about how Christians past and present have set aside differences, come together in unity, and stepped forward in action and prayer. He is the president of the
record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the pr ...
Gotee Records. He created the label with Todd Collins and
Joey Elwood Joey Elwood is one of the co-founders of Gotee Records, along with the other Gotee Brothers, Toby McKeehan and Todd Collins. The record label was created when, after failing to find a label willing to sign the group Out of Eden, Elwood, McKeehan, ...
in order to produce
Out of Eden Out of Eden was an American gospel music group often identified with R&B and contemporary Christian music. It featured sisters Lisa Kimmey, Andrea Kimmey-Baca, and Danielle Kimmey. The group was active from 1994 to 2006, producing seven album ...
's ''
Lovin' the Day ''Lovin' the Day'' is the debut album of the Dove Award-winning American urban gospel group Out of Eden, released in 1994.Akins, Debra. Hip-Pop.' February 27, 2004. CCM Magazine. Accessed on July 12, 2010. It features sisters Lisa, Andrea, and Dan ...
'' after efforts to sign the group to an established label proved unsuccessful.Geil, Mark (April 14, 2008).
About Gotee
''. Originally posted on Christianitytoday.com. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
"We all collectively said, 'Let's just give this a shot'", Elwood recalls; "Three naïve guys, a willing band, and some really good songs." Gotee features artists such as Relient K, House of Heroes, Jamie Grace,
Capital Kings Capital Kings was an American pop, EDM and Christian pop act. The group went on indefinite hiatus on January 3, 2018. The group originally consisted of producer and rapper Cole Walowac and singer Jon White, who was later replaced by Dylan House ...
, and Abandon Kansas. However, as a recording artist, he is under contract with ForeFront Records. TobyMac has also helped establish a camp, called Camp Electric, located near Nashville, Tennessee, for young musicians who want to have pop and rock skills.


Personal life

McKeehan and his wife Amanda were married in 1994. Amanda, who comes from Jamaica, is the daughter of Judy and Robert Levy (chairman of the agribusiness firm Jamaica Broilers Group), and the family regularly visits the island. His father died from dementia in 2015 after a degenerative phase, an experience which McKeehan cited as inspiration for some of his newest songwriting as of 2017. They have had five children: Truett (September 4, 1998 – October 23, 2019), known as TruDog or Tru (stylized as TRU); twins Moses and Marlee, adopted at birth on April 30, 2002; Leo, born on November 2, 2004; and Judah, born March 24, 2006. McKeehan's son Moses suffers from muscular dystrophy. Truett Foster McKeehan appeared on dc Talk's ''Solo EP'' and TobyMac's albums, ''Momentum'', ''Re:Mix Momentum'', ''Welcome to Diverse City'', ''Renovating Diverse City'', ''Portable Sounds'', ''Tonight'', ''Christmas in Diverse City'', ''Eye on It'' and ''Eye'm All Mixed Up'' as the artist "TruDog" while on ''This is not a Test'' he is credited as "TRU". Judah McKeehan has appeared on the albums ''Tonight'' and ''Eye on It'' with Truett. Truett is featured on the song "Backseat Driver" from ''This Is Not a Test'', as well as on "Alone" from
Hollyn Holly Marie Wilson (née Miller; born January 3, 1997), known by her stage name Hollyn, is an American Christian music singer and songwriter. Hollyn sings a mixture of pop, R&B, and Christian music. She was a contestant on ''American Idol'' dur ...
's self-titled EP, as "TRU". Truett was an aspiring rapper and waited until he was 21 to start a solo career as Truett Foster. He was found dead at his home in Nashville on October 23, 2019, at age 21 of an accidental drug overdose of
fentanyl Fentanyl, also spelled fentanil, is a very potent synthetic opioid used as a pain medication. Together with other drugs, fentanyl is used for anesthesia. It is also used illicitly as a recreational drug, sometimes mixed with heroin, cocain ...
and
amphetamines Substituted amphetamines are a class of compounds based upon the amphetamine structure; it includes all derivative compounds which are formed by replacing, or substituting, one or more hydrogen atoms in the amphetamine core structure with sub ...
. On January 10, 2020, after a hiatus from touring to be with family, TobyMac released "21 Years" as a tribute to his son.


Discography

* '' Momentum'' (2001) * '' Welcome to Diverse City'' (2004) * '' Portable Sounds'' (2007) * ''
Tonight Tonight may refer to: Television * ''Tonight'' (1957 TV programme), a 1957–1965 British current events television programme hosted by Cliff Michelmore that was broadcast on BBC * ''Tonight'' (1975 TV programme), a 1975–1979 British current ...
'' (2010) * '' Christmas in Diverse City'' (2011) * '' Eye on It'' (2012) * '' This Is Not a Test'' (2015) * '' The Elements'' (2018) * '' Life After Death'' (2022)


Awards and nominations


American Music Awards

, - , 2007 , , TobyMac , , Favorite Contemporary Inspirational Artist , , , - , 2010 , , TobyMac , , Favorite Contemporary Inspirational Artist , , , - , 2011 , , TobyMac , , Favorite Contemporary Inspirational Artist , , , - , 2012 , , TobyMac , , Favorite Contemporary Inspirational Artist , , , - ,
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
, , TobyMac , , Favorite Contemporary Inspirational Artist , , , -


Billboard Music Awards

, - , rowspan="3", 2011 , , TobyMac , , Top Christian Artist , , , - , " Get Back Up" , , Top Christian Song , , , - , ''
Tonight Tonight may refer to: Television * ''Tonight'' (1957 TV programme), a 1957–1965 British current events television programme hosted by Cliff Michelmore that was broadcast on BBC * ''Tonight'' (1975 TV programme), a 1975–1979 British current ...
'' , , Top Christian Album , , , - , rowspan="3",
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
, , TobyMac , , Top Christian Artist , , , - , " Me Without You" , , Top Christian Song , , , - , '' Eye on It'' , , Top Christian Album , , , - , rowspan=1,
2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wa ...
, rowspan=1, TobyMac , Top Christian Artist ,


Grammys

, - , 2003 , , '' Momentum'' , , Best Rock Gospel Album , , , - , 2005 , , '' Welcome to Diverse City'' , , Best Rock Gospel Album , , , - , rowspan="2",
2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
, , " Made to Love" , ,
Best Gospel Song The Grammy Award for Best Gospel Song is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the gospel music genre. Honors in seve ...
, , , - , '' Portable Sounds'' , , Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album , , , - , 2009 , , '' Alive and Transported'' , , Best Rock Gospel Album , , , - , 2010 , , "
City on Our Knees "City on Our Knees" is a song by Christian artist TobyMac from his album, '' Tonight'' (2010). It was released as a radio single in August 2009 and reached No. 1 on ''Billboard''s Hot Christian Songs chart in October 2009. It also reached No. 8 ...
" , , Best Gospel Song , , , - , 2011 , , ''
Tonight Tonight may refer to: Television * ''Tonight'' (1957 TV programme), a 1957–1965 British current events television programme hosted by Cliff Michelmore that was broadcast on BBC * ''Tonight'' (1975 TV programme), a 1975–1979 British current ...
'' , , Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album , , , - ,
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
, , '' Eye on It'' , , Best Contemporary Christian Music Album , , , - ,
2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wa ...
, , "Speak Life" , , Best Contemporary Christian Music Song , , , - , rowspan="2", 2016 , , "Feel It" , , Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song , , , - , '' This Is Not a Test'' , , Best Contemporary Christian Music Album , , , - , 2020 , , '' The Elements'' , , Best Contemporary Christian Music Album , , , -


GMA Covenant Awards

, - , rowspan="2", 2013 , , " Me Without You" , , International Song of the Year , , , - , '' Eye on It'' , , International Album of the Year , ,


GMA Dove Awards

, - , rowspan="5", 2002 , , '' Momentum'' , , Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year , , , - , "Somebody's Watching Me" , , Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song , , , - , TobyMac , , Producer of the Year , , , - , "Extreme Days" , , Rock Recorded Song of the Year , , , - , "Extreme Days" , , Short Form Music Video of the Year , , , - , rowspan="6", 2003 , , "Irene" , , Short Form Music Video of the Year , , , - , TobyMac , , Artist of the Year , , , - , "Irene" , , Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year , , , - , "J-Train" (featuring Kirk Franklin) , , Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year , , , - , "Get This Party Started" , , Modern Rock/Alternative Recorded Song of the Year , , , - , '' Momentum DVD'' , , Long Form Music Video , , , - , rowspan="2", 2004 , , "Get This Party Started" , , Rock Recorded Song of the Year , , , - , "Love Is in the House" , , Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year , , , - , 2005 , , '' Welcome to Diverse City'' , , Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year , , , - , rowspan="2", 2006 , , "The Slam" (featuring
T-Bone The T-bone and porterhouse are steaks of beef cut from the short loin (called the sirloin in Commonwealth countries and Ireland). Both steaks include a "T"-shaped lumbar vertebra with sections of abdominal internal oblique muscle on each side ...
)
, , Rock Recorded Song of the Year , , , - , '' Music Inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'' , , Special Event Album of the Year , , , - , 2007 , , TobyMac , , Artist of the Year , , , - , rowspan="5",
2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
, , TobyMac , , Artist of the Year , , , - , TobyMac , , Male Vocalist of the Year , , , - , " Made to Love" , , Song of the Year , , , - , '' Portable Sounds'' , , Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year , , , - , "Boomin'" , , Short Form Music Video of the Year , , , - , rowspan="2", 2009 , , TobyMac , , Artist of the Year , , , - , '' Alive and Transported'' , , Long Form Music Video of the Year , , , - , rowspan="3", 2010 , , TobyMac , , Artist of the Year , , , - , "
City on Our Knees "City on Our Knees" is a song by Christian artist TobyMac from his album, '' Tonight'' (2010). It was released as a radio single in August 2009 and reached No. 1 on ''Billboard''s Hot Christian Songs chart in October 2009. It also reached No. 8 ...
" , , Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year , , , - , "
Lose My Soul "Lose My Soul" is a song by TobyMac from his third studio album, '' Portable Sounds'' (2007). It features gospel artist Kirk Franklin and contemporary Christian singer Mandisa and was released in 2008 as the fifth single from the album. The song ...
" (featuring Kirk Franklin & Mandisa) , , Short Form Music Video of the Year , , , - , rowspan="6", 2011 , , TobyMac , , Artist of the Year , , , - , " Get Back Up" , , Song of the Year , , , - , " Get Back Up" , , Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year , , , - , " Showstopper" , , Rock Recorded Song of the Year , , , - , "Tonight" (featuring John Cooper of
Skillet A frying pan, frypan, or skillet is a flat-bottomed pan used for frying, searing, and browning foods. It is typically in diameter with relatively low sides that flare outwards, a long handle, and no lid. Larger pans may have a small grab han ...
)
, , Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year , , , - , ''
Tonight Tonight may refer to: Television * ''Tonight'' (1957 TV programme), a 1957–1965 British current events television programme hosted by Cliff Michelmore that was broadcast on BBC * ''Tonight'' (1975 TV programme), a 1975–1979 British current ...
'' , , Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year , , , - , rowspan="2", 2012 , , '' Christmas in Diverse City'' , , Christmas Album of the Year , , , - , '' Christmas in Diverse City'' , , Recorded Music Packaging of the Year , , , - , rowspan="5",
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
, , TobyMac , , Songwriter of the Year , , , - , TobyMac , , Artist of the Year , , , - , '' Eye On It'' , , Pop/ Contemporary Album of the Year , , , - , ''Eye on It'' , , Recorded Music Packaging of the Year , , , - , "Eye On It" (featuring Britt Nicole) , , Short Form Video of the Year , , , - , 2016 , , "This is Not a Test" , , Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year , , , - , rowspan="3", 2017 , , TobyMac , , Artist of the Year , , , - , ''Bring on the Holidays'' , , Short Form Video of the Year , , , - , ''Hits Deep Live'' , , Long Form Video of the Year , , , - , rowspan="5",
2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, , TobyMac , , Songwriter of the Year , , , - , TobyMac , , Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year, , , - , "I Just Need U." , , Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year , , , - , "I Just Need U." , , Short Form Video of the Year , , , - , ''Light of Christmas'' , , Christmas / Special Event Album of the Year , , , - , rowspan="4", 2019 , , TobyMac , , Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year , , , - , TobyMac , , Artist of the Year , , , - , "Everything" , , Song of the Year , , , - , ''The Elements'' , , Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year , , , - , 2020 , , TobyMac , , Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year , , , - , 2021 , , "Help Is on the Way (Maybe Midnight)" , , Short Form Video of the Year , , , - , rowspan="3" , 2022 , , "
Promised Land The Promised Land ( he, הארץ המובטחת, translit.: ''ha'aretz hamuvtakhat''; ar, أرض الميعاد, translit.: ''ard al-mi'ad; also known as "The Land of Milk and Honey"'') is the land which, according to the Tanakh (the Hebrew ...
" , , Short Form Video of the Year (Concept) , , , - , ''Live In Denver'' , , Long Form Video of the Year , , , -


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Tobymac 1964 births Living people American male rappers American performers of Christian hip hop music Performers of Christian electronic dance music DC Talk members Liberty University alumni ForeFront Records artists 21st-century American rappers