Did you know that Kid Rock, sometimes affectionately dubbed the king of "white trash" in American music, actually came from a wealthy family? His relationship with his father was strained, but his luxurious home was far from the tough city streets that seem to have inspired his fiery brand of modern rock.

Did you know that hip-hop diva Lil' Kim once was engaged to a man in prison, that she spent years on the streets hanging out among drug dealers and that she aborted a child fathered by her late mentor and sometimes lover, Notorious B.I.G.?

How about the fact that Motley Crue's bad-boy drummer Tommy Lee took ballet lessons as a child, that bassist Nikki Sixx was considered a dreadful musician well into the band's career and that after the group's performance at the 1983 U.S. Festival, Lee was seen sobbing because he felt their performance was so terrible?

These interesting rock facts and dozens of others have been revealed on "Driven," a fast-paced, behind-the-scenes style documentary program that airs Sunday nights on VH1. The show offers old photos, home video clips and interviews with those who knew the stars before they were stars. Executive producer Suzanne Ross says VH1 simply looks for good stories when deciding whom to profile.

"We tend to look at which artists the public looks at and says 'Where on earth did they come from?,'" Ross says. "That was an early criteria, with people like Marilyn Manson and Weird Al, who you look at and wonder what they were like growing up. We try to focus on people who have somehow transcended mainstream popularity and have really exploded into the national consciousness."

The program first aired 18 months ago. Shows have included profiles of artists such as Pink, Jennifer Lopez, The Dixie Chicks, Christina Aguilera and Enrique Iglesias. "Driven" often dispels the notions that such artists were overnight successes, and through the eyes of those who knew them best, it explains pivotal moments in their development. Like the episode on Kid Rock, they are always honest.

"Everybody enjoys your typical rags-to-riches story, but the fact of the matter is that not all of these artists were rags-to-riches," Ross says. "What's interesting is that people assume that someone is driven because they were poor and they wanted to be rich, but the reasons people are driven are so much more intricate. What we're trying to get at is the artists' real rosebud. We ask `What are driving forces in their life that drove them to be famous?'"

Sources for painting such pictures include childhood and high-school friends, former teachers, business managers and family members. The artist is never interviewed.

"These are people you never heard from, and these are the people that know the real deal and who haven't been interviewed in the past, so they don't have their `stock answers,'" Ross says. "What's fascinating is that these people often become very emotional when they get in the chair to be interviewed. It's kind of like therapy for them, because they're often taken back to a place or a time that they haven't thought about in a while, and it stirs up a lot of old emotions. Those, to me, are the most powerful moments on the show because they're so real."

Although there is a direct correlation between VH1 programming and increased album sales and the network easily could land an interview with any pop artist it chooses, "Driven" - unlike "Behind The Music - opts not to speak with the artists directly.

"We feel that in some way, it may taint the story," Ross says. "An artist may become self-conscious or try and control the direction of things for fear of how they'll be perceived. We decided that to really try and tell a genuine story, it's better not to have any ulterior motives involved, which is also why we've decided not to write scripts or have them navigate the flow."

Stylistically, "Driven" flows quickly. A new sound bite comes every few seconds, which Ross says helps take the viewer into the artist's psyche and allows time for more interviews.

"We're really trying to bring the artist into the viewers' world," she says. "Sometimes it's frenetic, and sometimes it slows down. Just like the way a person is multilayered, we want to create that kind of vibe in the cutting style. We want to layer it, and we want to evoke emotion. When you cut fast and you move, you're drawn in much more."

Ross says whenever VH1 decides to profile someone with an episode of "Driven," they do inform the artist. She says the network is not out to produce tabloid-style "unauthorized biographies" and adds that it would be impossible to interview so many family members and friends without the artist knowing.

Despite the candor of the show, they usually like what they see.

"At first, they were really terrified to sign on," she says. "And who wouldn't be? Imagine 40 of your closest family and friends gathering to discuss who you are as a person. It's frightening. But on the other hand, I think it's an outlet for them. Of all the feedback we've ever received, there has never been any negative backlash from the talent once the show has aired. They're always dying to see what's going to come out, and every single artist we've done has responded positively.

"Pink's father, Halle Berry's mother, The Rock's wife ... they've all written us letters saying `Finally, someone is telling the story and telling it right.' And the reason is that they're telling it."

"Driven" airs at 8 p.m. Sundays on VH1. Repeat episodes are shown at various times throughout the week. A new season will begin in late April. This week's episode will profile Kurt Cobain.