Kid Rock

By now, you'd think photographers would know not to get too close to Kid Rock.

Apparently, one 26-year-old shooter either didn't get or didn't heed the memo, because according to a Los Angeles Police Department press release titled "Photograph by Paparazzi Leads to Robbery," two bodyguards employed by Rock struck the unnamed photog last week while he tried to snap pictures of the rapper as he was leaving Hollywood's Roosevelt Hotel.

The release states, "The incident unfolded on March 22, 2006, at about 2 a.m., when Los Angeles police officers saw a large crowd of people standing in front of the hotel located at Hollywood Boulevard and Orange Drive. According to investigators, the two bodyguards walked up to a 26-year-old paparazzi and hit him while he was attempting to take a picture of Mr. Ritchie." (Rock's real name is Robert James Ritchie.) "Afterwards, one of the bodyguards grabs and throws the victim's camera to the ground. Mr. Ritchie picked up the camera, put it inside of his vehicle and drove away with both bodyguards."

A spokesperson for Rock had no comment on the incident and at press time, the Los Angeles city attorney's office had not returned calls about whether any charges would be filed.

Rock, who is currently touring in support of his first live album, Live Trucker, has been getting more attention for his non-musical endeavours - such as the leaked footage of a sex tape featuring him and former Creed frontman Scott Stapp cavorting with four groupies - than he has for his music.

An Atlantic Records spokesperson said the singer plans to hit the studio this summer and work on the follow-up to his self-titled 2003 album. (No release date is currently scheduled.)

Rock recently told Newsweek that he's been talking to Rick Rubin about producing the album, and the label rep confirmed that Rock has discussed it but nothing has been finalized.

"We both came from the same place - hip-hop fused with rock and roll," Rock told the magazine. "We've always been friends, but we've never worked together. Now I want to make a really good, timeless rock-and-roll record."

This report is from MTV News.