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{{short description|American Christian rapper (born 1964)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = TobyMac | image = tobyMac in Concert.jpg | caption = TobyMac performing in 2015 | birth_name = Kevin Michael McKeehan | alias = Toby McKeehan | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1964|10|22}} | birth_place = [[Fairfax, Virginia]], U.S. | spouse = {{marriage|Amanda Levy|1994}} | genre = {{flatlist| * [[Christian hip-hop|Christian hip hop]] * [[Christian rock]] }} | occupation = {{flatlist| * Rapper * singer * songwriter * record producer }} | discography = [[tobyMac discography]] | years_active = 1987โpresent<ref name="jfh profile" /> | label = {{flatlist| * [[ForeFront Records|ForeFront]] * [[Capitol CMG]] * [[Essential Records (Christian)|Essential Music Publishing]] * [[Provident Label Group]]}} | current_member_of = [[DC Talk]] | website = {{URL|tobymac.com}} }} <!-- Please do NOT change his name to "Toby". Kevin Michael is his correct birth name; see reference. --> '''Kevin Michael McKeehan'''<ref>{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Preston |date=May 15, 2008 |title=Giving Up Sports Has Never Sounded So Good |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/13/AR2008051302829.html |access-date=December 7, 2009 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> (born October 22, 1964), better known by his stage name '''TobyMac''' (styled '''tobyMac'''), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. His road band is known as Diverse City. Widely regarded as one of the most influential Christian artists of all time, he was as a member of the [[Christian hip-hop|Christian rap]]-[[Christian rock|rock]] trio [[DC Talk]], staying with them from 1987 until they went on hiatus in 2000. He has since continued a successful solo career with the release of ten studio albums: ''[[Momentum (TobyMac album)|Momentum]]'' (2001), ''[[Welcome to Diverse City]]'' (2004), ''[[Portable Sounds]]'' (2007), ''[[Tonight (TobyMac album)|Tonight]]'' (2010), ''[[Christmas in Diverse City]]'' (2011), ''[[Eye on It]]'' (2012), ''[[This Is Not a Test (album)|This Is Not a Test]]'' (2015), ''[[The Elements (TobyMac album)|The Elements]]'' (2018), ''[[Life After Death (TobyMac album)|Life After Death]] (2022)'', ''[[Heaven On My Mind (album)|Heaven On My Mind]] (2025)'' as well as five remixed albums: ''[[Re:Mix Momentum]]'' (2003), ''[[Renovating Diverse City]]'' (2005), ''[[Dubbed and Freq'd: A Remix Project]]'' (2012), ''[[Eye'm All Mixed Up]]'' (2014) and ''[[The St. Nemele Collab Sessions]]'' (2019). He became the third Christian artist to have a No. 1 debut on [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] chart<ref>Caulfield, Keith. "Toby Mac Brings Christian Music Back To No. 1." ''Billboard'' 124.32 (2012): 49. ''Music Index''. Web. October 4, 2015.</ref> with ''Eye on It''.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Christian Music, Christian Music Video, Christian Music News |url=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/record-labels/tobymac-earns-first-no-1-christian-album-1007930352.story |access-date=September 6, 2012 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Sisario |first=Ben |date=September 6, 2012 |title=A Christian Album Tops the Chart |page=1 |work=[[The New York Times]] |via=<!-- ProQuest --><!-- needs URL -->}}</ref> Between DC Talk and his own solo career, he has sold more than 10 million albums<ref>{{Cite web |title=Christian Music, Christian Music Video, Christian Music News |url=http://www.hearitfirst.com/artisthome.aspx?f=artisthome&artist_id=1097 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711161821/http://www.hearitfirst.com/artisthome.aspx?f=artisthome&artist_id=1097 |archive-date=July 11, 2011 |access-date=December 24, 2010 |publisher=Hear It First}}</ref> and won seven [[Grammy Award]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GRAMMY Award Results for TobyMac |url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/tobymac |access-date=January 10, 2017 |publisher=National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences}}</ref> He has had six No. 1 hit [[contemporary hit radio|CHR]] singles<ref name="battistelli">{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Richard O. |date=January 23, 2009 |title=Francesca Battistelli brings theater perspective to Christian music |url=http://www.middletownjournal.com/e/content/oh/story/entertainment/music/2009/01/23/go012309winterjam.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716091013/http://www.middletownjournal.com/e/content/oh/story/entertainment/music/2009/01/23/go012309winterjam.html |archive-date=July 16, 2011 |access-date=February 19, 2009 |website=[[The Middletown Journal]]}}</ref> including "[[Gone (TobyMac song)|Gone]]", "[[Made to Love]]", and "[[Lose My Soul]]". Six singles have gone to No. 1 on ''Billboard''{{'}}s [[Christian Songs]] chart, making him one of the artists with the most No. 1 hits on that chart.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=tobyMac |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/tobymac/ |access-date=April 9, 2023 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> His live concert CD+DVD combo album, ''[[Alive and Transported]]'', was released in 2008 and received the [[Grammy Award for Best Rock Gospel Album|Grammy Award for Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album]] at the [[51st Grammy Awards]] in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The 51st Annual Grammy Awards Winners List |url=http://www.grammy.com/grammy_awards/51st_show/list.aspx#11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204185746/http://www.grammy.com/Grammy_Awards/51st_show/list.aspx |archive-date=December 4, 2008 |access-date=February 19, 2009 |publisher=[[National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences]]}}</ref> His fifth studio album, ''Eye on It'', received a [[Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album|Grammy for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album]] at the [[2013 Grammys]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jesusfreakhideout.com Music News, February 2013: TobyMac Wins Grammy For Best Contemporary Christian Music Album EYE ON IT |url=https://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/news/2013/02/11.TobyMac%20Wins%20GRAMMY%20For%20Best%20Contemporary%20Christian%20Music%20Album%20EYE%20ON%20IT.asp |access-date=April 9, 2023 |website=www.jesusfreakhideout.com}}</ref> along with his sixth album, ''This Is Not a Test'' winning the same award at the [[58th Annual Grammy Awards|2016 Grammys.]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=premprod |title=TobyMac Wins Seventh Grammy for 'This is Not a Test' โ Premier Productions LLC |url=https://premierproductions.com/tobymac-wins-seventh-grammy-for-this-is-not-a-test/ |access-date=April 9, 2023}}</ref>
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