After receiving criticism for a new track and music video, Jason Aldean has spoken out against the “cancel culture” trend.
The country musician, now 46 years old, has been criticized “for his song “Try That in a Small Town,” which” incorporates footage of him singing at a place in Tennessee where people were lynched in the past.
Critics have claimed that the song’s lyrics warn individuals who cause disturbance in the narrator’s area and also take aim at “the Black Lives Matter riots that erupted across America after the police assassination of George Floyd in” 2020.
“Sucker punch somebody on a sidewalk / Carjack an old lady at a red light / Pull a gun on the owner of a liquor store,” Aldean sings, before challenging the offender to “Well, try that in a small town / See how far ya make it down the road / Around here, we take care of our own.”
According to Billboard and Deadline, CMT has pulled the music video from rotation as a result of the widespread criticism it received online and from other artists including Sheryl Crow.
In the past 24 hours I have been accused of releasing a pro-lynching song (a song that has been out since May) and was subject to the comparison that I (direct quote) was not too pleased with the nationwide BLM protests. These references are not only meritless, but dangerous.…
— Jason Aldean (@Jason_Aldean) July 18, 2023
Aldean took to Twitter on July 18 to defend the song and express his outrage: “”In the past 24 hours I have been accused of releasing a pro-lynching song (a song that has been out since May) and was subjected to the comparison that I (direct quote) was not too pleased with the nationwide BLM protests.
These references are not only unwarranted but” also potentially harmful. “While I can try to respect others’ right to their own interpretation of a song with music, this one goes too far because there is not a” “single word in the song that addresses or points to race and” every video clip is actual news footage.
The artist said, “Our community recently suffered another heartbreaking tragedy” in reference “to the 2017 Las Vegas shooting that took place at the Route 91 Harvest music festival”. Neither I nor anyone else wants to keep reading about meaningless headlines or the destruction of families.
He went on to say that the lyrics reflect “the feeling of a community that I had growing up, where we took care of our neighbors, regardless of differences in background or belief”
I’ve never tried to hide the fact that I have strong political opinions, and I’m well aware that many Americans have different ideas on how to restore peace and quiet to the news cycle so that at least one day passes without a headline that makes us lose sleep. But the hope that it will is the subject of this song, he said.
The ‘Dirt Road Anthem’ singer has now spoken out about the backlash in Cincinnati’s Riverbend Center.
Jason Aldean BROUGHT THE 🔥🔥🔥
YOU CAN NOT CANCEL THIS MAN!!! pic.twitter.com/1lkrjWL6Ip
— Graham Allen (@GrahamAllen_1) July 22, 2023
Aldean admitted that he had a “long a** week” before asserting that “everyone is entitled to their opinion” as he expressed his patriotic fervor.
I care about this country and want to see it back to the way it was before all this nonsense started happening. Before a huge “USA” shout erupted during the concert, Aldean added, “I love my country, I love my family, and I will do anything to protect that, I can tell you that right now.”
He continued by saying of cancel culture, “That’s something that if people don’t like what you say they try to make sure they can cancel you, which means try to ruin your life, try to ruin everything.”
I’ve met some country music lovers this week who are able to see through a lot of the BS. I’ve never seen anything like the massive rally of country music enthusiasts I witnessed. Really appreciate it.
The ‘Got What I Got’ singer elaborated on the beliefs of his audience, saying that they want to be able to take their children to the movies without fear of a mass massacre. Next, he played “Try That in a Small Town” for the delirious throng.