Anthony Kiedis (pronounced /ˈkiːdɪs/; KEE-diss) (born November 1, 1962) is an American musician and occasional actor best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. Kiedis spent his youth in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his mother before moving to Hollywood, California at the age of eleven to be with his father. Shortly after high school, Kiedis embarked on a short stint at UCLA, but dropped out after losing interest because of substance abuse. After dropping out, Kiedis received an offer to be the opening act for a local band, and enlisted friends Flea, Hillel Slovak, and Jack Irons to assist, a line-up which eventually became the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Anthony Kiedis was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on November 1, 1962 to John Kiedis, a son of Lithuanian immigrants, and Margaret "Peggy" Idema of Greek, Dutch, English, Irish, French, and Mohican Native American ancestry. He was never given a middle name, as per his birth certificate. His parents divorced in 1965 when he was three. He has two half-sisters, Julie and Jenny and a half-brother James. Kiedis lived with his mother in Grand Rapids until he was eleven years old, when he moved to Los Angeles to live with his father. He most notably attended Fairfax High School (Los Angeles) with future band-mates Michael Balzary, Hillel Slovak, and Jack Irons.

Kiedis spent much of his youth listening to Sly & the Family Stone, Iggy Pop, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith and Stevie Wonder - artists who would influence the Red Hot Chili Peppers' sound.