DC Talk

Christian (R&B / Rap/ Rock) Gospel Group

DC Talk (styled as dc Talk), was a Christian rap and rock trio. The group was formed in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1987 by Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait, and Kevin Max Smith. They have 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 2000, the group released an EP titled 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 have each led solo careers. They have 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 their career. Their first two releases, DC Talk and Nu Thang, were of the hip hop genre. DC Talk's third album, Free at Last, also mainly took influence from the hip hop style, although their music began taking on a rock sound. The trio's last two albums, Jesus Freak and Supernatural, were predominantly pop rock.
"DC Talk" was a nickname that Toby Michael McKeehan, later "TobyMac", (1964- ), who was born in Falls Church, Virginia, was given for being from the Washington D.C., area, and it also stands for Decent Christian Rap (talk). While attending Liberty University, McKeehan met Michael DeWayne Tait (1966- ), and the two began to perform together. Tait had been featured singing on Jerry Falwell’s The Old Time Gospel Hour and recorded with the Falwell Singers. He also performed solo, what TobyMac later described his "kind of an R&B / church-oriented music."

The two joined forces to record a song that McKeehan had written, "Heavenbound". They performed the song before an audience of 8,000 Liberty students with McKeehan rapping and Tait singing the chorus. The song was well received, selling out the approximately 3,000 copies of their demo tape, Christian Rhymes to a Rhythm. The tape included "Heavenbound" and was distributed by the group in the Washington D.C. area. The group’s demo tape eventually led to a recording contract with Forefront Records in 1988. Kevin Max Smith, later "Kevin Max", (1967- ) came from a campus rock band to join the group, and the trio called themselves "DC Talk and the One Way Crew". The name was later simplified to "DC Talk", which came to stand for "decent Christian talk".