Kid Rock arrested on charges of assaulting DJ at Nashville strip club

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) _ Kid Rock was arrested Wednesday by Nashville police on charges that he punched a disc jockey at a strip club. <br/><br/>The 34-year-old rapper was released after posting a $3,000

Wednesday, February 16th 2005, 10:00 am

By: News On 6

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) _ Kid Rock was arrested Wednesday by Nashville police on charges that he punched a disc jockey at a strip club.

The 34-year-old rapper was released after posting a $3,000 bond on a charge of simple assault, a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail.

``Everything is wonderful. It was a beautiful night,'' Kid Rock said as he left the Criminal Justice Center.

He had appeared a few hours earlier before Night Court Commissioner Howard Taradash. Kid Rock laughed and joked with the two officers who arrested him and two others there for the hearing as he stood in the dock _ a small room with a large glass window that separates defendants from the commissioner and observers.

Authorities said he was charged after a 3 a.m. altercation at Christie's Cabaret near downtown Nashville.

``Inside the establishment there was a squabble concerning, I guess, the selection of music,'' Nashville police Sgt. James Smith told reporters. ``Again there are no major injuries but an assault did take place.''

Television footage from outside the club showed the DJ, identified as Jay Campos, with a red mark on his face and holding his broken eyeglasses.

Arresting officer Lt. Calvin Hullett said Kid Rock surrendered at an apartment where he had been staying. He was in town to perform at a memorial service for songwriter Merle Kilgore Tuesday at Ryman Auditorium.

Hullett described Kid Rock as ``very cooperative,'' despite giving officers the slip earlier. Hullett said the rapper left through a back door of another strip club when authorities showed up to arrest him.

When officers caught up with him, Kid Rock said he had dodged them because he wanted to sober up before being booked, Hullett said.

Born Bob Ritchie, Kid Rock was a Detroit-area hip-hop DJ when he broke through with 1998's ``Devil Without a Cause,'' which successfully married hard rock beats with rap lyrics.