DC Talk

dc Talk is made up of Toby McKeehan (tobyMac), Michael Tait, and Kevin Max. The three met while they were young men at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. They formed the band dc Talk (a reference to Washington D.C., but later marketed as 'decent Christian talk' by their label) and, as of the year 2000, spent twelve solid years together, performing all over the world, recording 6 albums, and earning many awards, including 4 Grammy awards. Their music, aimed at a younger audience, combined hip-hop, rap, and R&B sensibilities and filled a gap in 1980s Christian Music and gave them a unique niche. Their first three albums, dc Talk, Nu Thang, and Free At Last started from their rap/hip-hop roots but increasingly included melodic vocal rock influences. Their 1995 studio album, Jesus Freak, continued this musical evolution by eshewing almost all rap elements and adopting a harder modern rock/grunge sound on many songs, especially the title track. Their most recent studio album, Supernatural, draws on their previous efforts while moving towards mainstream pop stylings. Their signature sound in all albums is their use of the three members' different vocal skills separately and together. They are often lauded for their lyrical sophistication, addressing many themes in Christian theology, faith, and practice. After more than ten years together as a group, they are taking a break in recording together to pursue their own activities outside of the band, and launch solo careers in recording music. Michael Tait formed his own band, Tait, and has most recently served as the frontman for Newsboys. Toby McKeehan has released music under the name tobyMac, and has been the most sucessful of the three. Kevin Max has released two solo albums of his own.