Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump have lent support to country music star Jason Aldean regarding his latest music video, “Try That in a Small Town.”
Aldean’s video was criticized for depicting urban riots and violence that erupted following the death of George Floyd in 2020, according to a report from The Daily Wire.
Critics were also quick to point out the video’s filming location, the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee, a site with a dark history linked to racial violence and lynching.
“As Tennessee lawmakers, we have an obligation to condemn Jason Aldean’s heinous song calling for racist violence,” declared Tennessee State Rep. Justin Jones in a Twitter post.
“What a shameful vision of gun extremism and vigilantism,” he added.
Singer Sheryl Crow also lit into Aldean in a post to Twitter.
“@Jason_Aldean I’m from a small town,” Crow began. “Even people in small towns are sick of violence.There’s nothing small-town or American about promoting violence.”
“You should know that better than anyone having survived a mass shooting,” Crow continued. Her comments appeared above a retweet from author Shannon Watts.
Watts noted in her tweet that Aldean was on-stage during a 2017 mass shooting at a Las Vegas concert when 60 people were killed and more than 400 were wounded. She included lyrics of Aldean’s song below her remark.
Following these criticisms, Country Music Television (CMT) pulled Aldean’s music video from their platform, without explanation the Daily Wire report noted.
Aldean has maintained his stance that his video has no connection to promoting lynching.
“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,” Aldean said in a lengthy Tuesday Twitter post.
“These references are not only meritless, but dangerous.”
The singer has led Billboard’s Country Airplay chart a whopping 25 times in fewer than 20 years. Aldean relishes the role of metaphorical “bomb-throwing right-wing culture warrior,” according to a Los Angeles Times report.
The report notes each attempted cancellation of Aldean by music industry and media elitists only boosts his appeal among those who’ve stuck with him.
“When the media attacks you, you’re doing something right.” DeSantis declared in a Twitter post. “@Jason_Aldean has nothing to apologize for.” His post received nearly 800,000 views by Thursday.
Similarly, former President Donald Trump spoke out in defense of the beleaguered country music star.
“Jason Aldean is a fantastic guy who just came out with a great new song,” Trump wrote in a Truth post. “Support Jason all the way. MAGA!!!”