October 2023: Jason Aldean responds to racism controversy
Throughout an interview with CBS Mornings with Jan Crawford, Aldean mentioned he “stands by” all the alternatives he made in writing the flawed and selecting the placement for the controversial video clip. “I’d do it over once more each time,” he mentioned. “I like the music. I used to be excited to chop it and thought it was truly a music that mentioned one thing for a change, not simply right here’s one other music for radio. I didn’t count on it to get the form of warmth that it bought, and I feel that was due to the video extra so than the precise music.”
He continued: “For anyone that thinks that we picked that constructing particularly for that purpose, as a result of there was a lynching there or no matter,” earlier than Crawford requested if he was conscious of the constructing’s historical past. “No, however I additionally don’t return 100 years and verify on the historical past of a spot earlier than we go shoot it both. It’s additionally the place I get my automotive tags yearly. It’s my county that I reside in,” he mentioned.
“The entire concept behind the video was to point out, you understand, the lawlessness and the disrespect for cops and simply, you understand, trashing cities and burning—I’m simply not cool with that,” Aldean mentioned. “It simply — I don’t know, I really feel just like the narrative bought switched over and have become extra of a racial-type factor. It’s like if that’s what you bought out of the music and the video, I imply, I nearly really feel like that’s on you as a result of that wasn’t our intention.”
July 2023: “Strive That in a Small City” will get pulled from CMT
The music “Strive That in a Small City” is launched in Could 2023 and flew largely beneath the radar till July, with the discharge of its accompanying music video that depicts protestors as violent and lawless. CMT pulled the clip from its rotation and music followers world wide slammed Jason Aldean, claiming he was inciting violence.
Aldean dismissed the criticism, saying in an announcement revealed to Instagram: “Previously 24 hours I’ve been accused of releasing a pro-lynching music (a music that has been out since Could) and was topic to the comparability that I (direct quote) was not too happy with the nationwide BLM protests,” he tweeted. “These references aren’t solely meritless, however harmful. There may be not a single lyric within the music that references race or factors to it – and there isn’t a single clip that isn’t actual information footage – and whereas I can try to respect others to have their very own interpretation of a music with music – this one goes too far.”
He added: “Strive That In A Small City, for me, refers back to the feeling of a group that I had rising up, the place we took care of our neighbors, no matter variations of background or perception. As a result of they have been our neighbors, and that was above any variations. My political beliefs have by no means been one thing I’ve hidden from, and I do know that a whole lot of us on this nation don’t agree on how we get again to a way of normalcy the place we go at the very least in the future and not using a headline that retains us up at evening. However the want for it to – that’s what this music is about.”
This didn’t fly with another music stars, although. “I’m from a small city,” Sheryl Crow wrote on Twitter. “Even individuals in small cities are sick of violence. There’s nothing small-town or American about selling violence. It’s best to know that higher than anybody having survived a mass taking pictures. This isn’t American or small town-like. It’s simply lame.”
Mayor Chaz Molder of Columbia, the place the clip was filmed, instructed native information station FOX 17 that whereas he respects Aldean’s “freedom of his personal lyrics,” he hopes the subsequent music video filmed in his city will “search a extra constructive message.” He continued: “Like many small cities throughout America, Columbia, Tennessee is targeted on bringing individuals collectively. I hadn’t listened to the music previous to right this moment, however I’ve now seen the video.”
