Jason Aldean is dealing with backlash for his music “Attempt That in a Small City,” which options pro-gun messaging.
The monitor shortly raised eyebrows following its launch on Friday, July 14, as fans parsed through the controversial lyrics.
“Cuss out a cop, spit in his face / Stomp on the flag and light-weight it up / Yeah, ya assume you’re robust,” Aldean, 46, sings. “Nicely, strive that in a small city / See how far ya make it down the highway / Round right here, we maintain our personal / You cross that line, it gained’t take lengthy / So that you can discover out, I like to recommend you don’t.”
Aldean makes references to gun management proposals, noting, “Obtained a gun that my granddad gave me / They are saying someday they’re gonna spherical up / Nicely, that s—t may fly within the metropolis, good luck.”
Listeners have since taken to social media to call out Aldean’s songwriting, particularly in gentle of his personal expertise with mass shootings. In 2017, a gunman opened hearth within the viewers of a Las Vegas live performance whereas Aldean was acting on stage, leaving 58 folks useless and 546 others injured.
“Uvalde? Small city. VA Tech? Small school city. Newtown? Small New England city. Parkland? Small city that had simply been voted Florida’s *most secure* city. Most mass shootings happen in *small cities* @Jason_Aldean. Your listeners are dying,” a social media consumer tweeted on Monday, July 17.
Jason Aldean. Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock
Aldean, for his half, has not publicly addressed the backlash, however he shed light on the song’s inspiration on Friday. “When u develop up in a small city, it’s that unstated rule of ‘all of us have one another’s backs and we glance out for one another,’” he tweeted. “It seems like someplace alongside the way in which, that sense of neighborhood and respect has gotten misplaced. Deep down we’re all able to get again to that. I hope my new music video helps y’all know that u should not alone in feeling that means.”
Following the Vegas incident, Aldean confessed on the In the present day present that he initially didn’t register what was taking place within the crowd.
“We put on in-ear displays once we’re on stage. And actually all you possibly can hear is the music and, , possibly your guys that may speak to you on microphones which are on side-stage or no matter,” he defined in November 2017. “So when it first occurred, I believed a speaker had blown. It simply appeared like a crackling one thing. And so, I’m form of wanting round like, ‘What’s that?’ [and] attempting to determine what it’s. After which it stopped, so I used to be like, they should have bought it mounted, so I saved doing my factor.”
Aldean honored these affected by the taking pictures throughout a separate efficiency that very same month.
“I do know I don’t must inform you guys this, but it surely’s been a tough couple of months for us up right here and it’s quite a lot of enjoyable to get again out and play for the people who matter, which is you guys,” he advised the viewers on the time. “I spent quite a lot of time and a very long time attempting to make it on this enterprise and doing one thing that I actually get pleasure from. I’ll be damned if anyone is ever going to cease me from doing that.”
Aldean’s small-town anthem isn’t the primary time he’s raised eyebrows. In August 2022, Jason confirmed assist for spouse Brittany Aldean after she made alleged transphobic comments.
“I’d actually prefer to thank my dad and mom for not altering my gender once I went by way of my tomboy section. I really like this girly life,” Brittany, 34, wrote through Instagram on the time.
In response, Marren Morris known as out Brittany by referring to the January 6th attack on america Capitol constructing. “It’s really easy to, like, not be a scumbag human? Promote your clip-ins and zip it, Rebellion Barbie,” she tweeted.
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Jason, for his half, weighed in on the drama by calling Brittany “MY Barbie” in an Instagram remark.