DC Talk
- Joel Caballero
- Apr 11, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 15
DC Talk (stylized as dc Talk) is a Christian rap and rock trio. The group was formed at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1987 by Toby McKeehan (TobyMac), Michael Tait (former lead singer of Newsboys from 2010 to 2025) and Kevin Max Smith (Kevin Max) (briefly was the lead singer of Audio Adrenaline from 2012 to 2014). They released five major studio albums together: DC Talk (1989), Nu Thang (1990), Free at Last (1992), Jesus Freak (1995), and Supernatural (1998). In 2002, the Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music called DC Talk "the most popular overtly Christian act of all time."
In 2001, the group released an EP, Solo, which contained two solo songs from each member. Since that time, DC Talk has been on an indefinite hiatus, and the three band members all have led solo careers and two have joined other groups. They performed and recorded individual songs together several times during the 2000s, although the group never officially reunited or disbanded.
The group's musical style evolved significantly throughout its career. Its first two releases, DC Talk and Nu Thang, were predominantly hip hop. Their third album, Free at Last, also mainly took influence from hip hop while the group's music began to incorporate rock and other influences. The trio's last two albums, Jesus Freak and Supernatural, were predominantly pop rock. They are currently on hiatus and no announcements of new albums have been made. In 2017, the band reunited for a cruise, and did so again in 2019.
On January 16, 2025, Tait released a statement on social media saying he will be stepping down as lead singer of Newsboys, after more than 15 years.
In June 2025, it was reported that Tait was alleged to have engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with three different men in 2004, 2010, and 2014. The remaining members of the band issued a statement saying that while Tait had confessed to "living a double life" as a reason for leaving the band, they were unaware of the allegations made against him prior to the reports. Furthermore, they expressed support to the victims involved and encouraged others to come forth. Later on, the band confessed that they heard rumors of Tait's behavior, which he denied when initially confronted about it.
Following allegations of sexual assault made against Tait, many Christian radio stations removed DC Talk and Newsboys from circulation until further notice.
More information on DC Talk at Wikipedia:
Discography
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