The Untold Truth Of Uncle Kracker

At the start of the new millennium, Matt Shafer found massive success with the help of a simple chorus. He sang the words "follow me" long before it became a social media invitation years later. And his stage name, Uncle Kracker, would forever evoke an era of good vibes thanks to that 2001 crossover country hit of the same phrasing. The single stayed true to the artist's personal philosophy (via his official website): "I really subscribe to this mindset of just having fun. ...The way I feel is if I'm enjoying it, it's really worth doing." 

Shafer's career has been full of highs and lows. For example, his big breakout came thanks to a famous childhood friend. And you'll never guess what his first role in the music industry was. But one thing that has stayed consistent over the years is his signature look. Fashion wise, Uncle Kracker keeps it casual, and loves rocking a trucker hat slightly tilted to the side.

It's time to find out what he's been up to since the most famous song of his career. Early aughts music fans, grab your first generation iPod and headphones for a closer listen to the untold truth of Uncle Kracker.

When he was only 15 years old, Uncle Kracker had a taste of the music stardom to come. He told Pop Culture that as a teenager, he "signed [his] first record deal" and "made a rap record." But, sadly for the young man, "It didn't come out. The label folded." Luckily, his buddy Kid Rock was starting to grow in popularity, sometimes for controversial reasons. And once Kid Rock hit the big time, Uncle Kracker felt his solo career could "piggyback" off his friend's career. "And it proved to be a little tougher than we thought it was gonna be, 'cause he sold, like, 16 million [records]," he explained. But the associative effect worked. And while Uncle Kracker admitted he didn't quite reach the heights of his friend, his career was "spawn[ed] it off of [Kid Rock's] thing."

At that point, Uncle Kracker had established himself as a songwriter with a gift to create hits. According to the artist, his writing credits for Kid Rock caught the attention of a record company. This was enough to land Uncle Kracker his own contract for a solo record in 2000. After his first solo record, Uncle Kracker's career took many twists and turns, including "the indie route for an album in 2009," according to Buzzfeed. But in an amazing full circle moment in 2014, he was re-signed by "the guy that signed me and Kid Rock 15 years ago," he told the outlet. 

For a guy that subscribes to an easy-going vibe and other comforting country music themes, it's hardly surprising how Uncle Kracker relaxes. In an interview with SW News Media, Uncle Kracker revealed that while touring, if possible during his days off, he seeks a mix of adventures and culture. "If there's an ocean, I'll put my toe in it. If there's a casino, I might put some money down on a table. If there's a museum, I'll go see it. I try to soak up a little bit of everything," the "Drift Away" singer told the outlet. Uncle Kracker's love of the water is a common theme in his leisure activities, as Pop Culture also noted in 2019 that "in his downtime ... he likes to spend his time out on the lake in his boat with his fiance and some friends." 

Uncle Kracker also enjoys his adult beverages. He admitted that beer isn't his favorite drink of choice. Instead, the singer revealed that he likes to keep plenty of tequila and whiskey stocked up for fun times. And while much of the world was under lockdown due to COVID-19 restrictions, Uncle Kracker released a song to show fans how he likely spent part of his days. In his song, "No Time To Be Sober," the artist sings about going to the store to "stock up on spirits."

While Uncle Kracker may be associated with Kid Rock, the artist also has plenty of other kids in his life. He spoke with Buzzfeed in 2014 about what it's like to be a proud father of three girls. "It's nerve-racking, and annoying and it's everything. It's like they're the biggest blessing and the biggest nuisance all at the same time," he admitted. The singer also explained how his daughters all had wildly different musical interests. One loved rap at the time, including Lil Wayne and Drake. Another preferred boy bands One Direction and 5 Seconds of Summer. And his youngest, was into Sam Smith and John Legend. "Once in awhile I'll catch them playing my songs," Uncle Kracker added.

He also explained that his children helped influence his music career. As he told Chicago Music Guide, "It's pretty bad when your own kids won't listen to your records. Your own kids!" The singer explained that his daughter didn't appreciate that most of his songs were too relaxed and slow. "I can't really dance to any of your songs," he remembered her saying. As a result, he worked on "more upbeat and positive" songs, which "ended up" on his album Happy Hour.

After his three girls, Uncle Kracker continued to grow his family, adding two boys. And while he was excited to welcome his newest kin, Uncle Kracker confessed in a June 2020 interview with Sam Alex that after kid number five, "the kitchen's closed."

Everything was not alright when Uncle Kracker aka Matthew Shafer found himself in trouble with the law and made national news. In 2007, the singer pleaded guilty "to misdemeanor assault on a female" at a nightclub in Raleigh, North Carolina, via WRAL. The unnamed victim claimed that after Shafer allegedly groped her under her skirt, she "turned around, Mr. Shafer was standing behind her, they exchanged some words, and she slapped him, at which point, he slapped her back." Originally "charged with felony second-degree forcible sex offense," Shafer copped what is known as "an Alford plea," or what WRAL says "allows a defendant to plead guilty while still maintaining his innocence. It acknowledges that there is evidence against him for a judge or jury possibly to convict him." Shafer ended up with a sentence of one year of probation, with his attorney explaining "that he didn't do anything intentionally" and ultimately "regrets the entire situation."

Looking back at the arrest, Uncle Kracker remembered the "absolute nightmare" situation, he told Buzzfeed. He explained how relieved he was that the entire fiasco ended because of the strain it put on his wife, kids, and "everybody involved." The singer also discussed how years later, he still feels restricted in what he can and cannot say about the incident. According to Uncle Kracker, he never got to fully explain his side of the story and "it definitely wasn't what everyone thought it was, that's for sure."

How did Uncle Kracker get his name? The singer earned the moniker at age 13 from his childhood pal, Kid Rock, before both men became famous musical artists. Matt Shafer said that when the two were teenagers, "somebody wanted to call Kid Rock" by the nickname "Kracker." Shafer recalled to Rolling Stone that while his occasionally shady buddy Kid Rock knew what the derogatory term meant, "I didn't, so that's when it started."

Shafer's friend and others started referring to the teenager as Kracker and the name stuck with him for years. But as his popularity grew in the music industry, at least one group objected to the name. According to the article, there was already a rock band at the time with the name Cracker. Unsurprisingly, the group "objected" to Shafer's version, so to avoid any issues, Shafer added the label "Uncle" in front of his nickname.