The correct title of this article is dc Talk. The initial letter is capitalized due to technical restrictions.

dc Talk is a Christian rock band formed in the late 1980s in Lynchburg, Virginia by Toby McKeehan, 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.

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. The name is short for Decent Christian Talk; the explanation can be found in the lyrics of the song "Time Ta Jam" which is on their self-titled debut album.

In 1989, the group released their self-titled debut album on Forefront Records. They

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.

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. This album has been cited as one of the milestones in combining rap and rock music within the same song. This album has sold over 2 million copies.

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 also participated in Rocketown Records's Exodus album in 1998 with the song "My Will."

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

Solo Efforts

In 2000, the trio announced that they would be producing solo projects. Since that time, each member 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."

Rumors are circulating about a possible reunion tour in 2006, though as of September 2005, Kevin Max denies the rumors. He writes on his official website's message board, "DC Talk is something of the past. In order for DC Talk to be anything of the future, it will be up to each individual member to come together to create something that is lasting and substantial. There is an audience out there interested in seeing DC Talk back together as a group and as an entertaining and creative force, but I feel that the spirit of the thing is dead. I appreciated the time that we had together those many years, and I thank God many times over for allowing me to be a part of something that was so far reaching and helped so many people, but to be honest, just doing a show to do a show is not interesting to me. It must be thought out, creative and passionate."

In 2005, dc Talk reunited for a remix of Tobymac's "Atmosphere" as the final track of the Welcome to Diverse City album.

On January 12, 2006, Gotee Records (founded by dc Talk's Tobymac) announced the production of a 10th anniversary Jesus Freak tribute album. This album, to be released in June 2006, will feature songs from such Gotee Records artists as Relient K, Sarah Kelly, House of Heroes, Verbs, Liquid, and Family Force 5. It also features a reunion of the Gotee Brothers.

Members

• Toby McKeehan
• Kevin Max
• Michael Tait

Discography

Literature

Videography

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