Artist

The son of Motown founder Berry Gordy, Rockwell is a synth-funk artist who scored a massive hit with the iconic 1984 single “Somebody’s Watching Me.” ∙ Born Kennedy Gordy, he adopted the name Rockwell in an effort to avoid charges of nepotism, and he signed a deal with Motown without his father’s knowledge. ∙ Pop superstar Michael Jackson, one of his childhood friends, sang the chorus of “Somebody’s Watching Me” and Jermaine Jackson provided backup vocals. ∙ Propelled by the success of “Somebody’s Watching Me,” which hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, his 1994 debut album went Gold. ∙ His second single, “Obscene Phone Caller,” spent 14 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and cracked the Top 40. ∙ Rockwell released two additional albums, 1985’s Captured and 1986’s The Genie, before leaving the music industry behind.