Country singer Jason Aldean is facing widespread backlash for his new song and music video, which has caused quite a stir on social media. The song, titled “Try That in a Small Town,” features controversial lyrics and imagery that have been deemed offensive by many.
The music video combines news footage from protests by the “Black Lives Matter” movement with lyrics such as, “Cuss out a cop, spit in his face / Stomp on the flag and light it up / Yeah, ya think you’re tough / Well, try that in a small town / See how far ya make it down the road.” These lyrics, along with visuals of peaceful townspeople and families, have sparked outrage.
The video was filmed at a location with historical significance, where an African-American man named Henry Choate was lynched in the 1920s. This further fueled the accusations that the song and video were racist and pro-lynching. As a result, CMT pulled the music video but did not comment on the reasons behind their decision.
In response to the backlash, Jason Aldean defended himself, claiming that he was not a racist. On social media, he stated, “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.” He emphasized that the song and video were never intended to point to race.
Aldean explained that the lyrics were written by a group of songwriters, and there is not a single reference to race in the song. He also clarified that the video features real news footage. According to Aldean, the song simply reflects the feeling of community he experienced while growing up. He believes in taking care of neighbors, regardless of their background or beliefs.
The country singer acknowledged that he doesn’t hide his political views and understands that not everyone agrees on how to address the challenges facing the country. He stated, “My political views have never been something I’ve hidden from, and I know that a lot of us in this country don’t agree on how we get back to a sense of normalcy where we go at least a day without a headline that keeps us up at night. But the desire for it to — that’s what this song is about.”
This is not the first time Jason Aldean has faced criticism. Earlier in 2021, his wife made transphobic comments on Instagram, and he publicly defended her. The backlash comes at a time when Aldean is on his Jason Aldean’s Highway Desperado tour, which had to be rescheduled due to his hospitalization for heatstroke.
