Well, it looks like Jason Aldean is still facing some backlash for his new song ‘Try That In a Small Town’…
In fact, the hosts of popular daytime talkshow The View have spoken out about the song, which many of them believe has gone a little too far.
Whoopi Goldberg, 67, called out Aldean’s use of imagery in the music video, which showed confrontations between Black Lives Matter activists and police. “He talks about life in a small town, and it’s different, and he chose these images,” Goldberg said.
“He’s got folks from the Black Lives Matter movement, and he’s talking about people taking care of each other, and I find it so interesting that it never occurred to Jason or the writers that that’s what these folks were doing: They were taking care of the people in their town because they didn’t like what they saw.”
The ‘Sister Act‘ actress continued by saying: “You just have to realize that when you make it about Black Lives Matter, people kind of say, ‘Well, are you talking about Black people? What are you talking about here?’”
Sunny Hostin chimed in with her own personal experience, explaining how her mother and father were forced by the KKK to leave South Carolina because they were an interracial couple.
“My father is still scarred from that experience … so don’t tell me that not only was he aware of what he was doing by using that imagery, he embraces that imagery,” she said.
On the other side of the debate, Joy Behar admitted that, while she felt the song was divisive, Aldean had every right to express himself artistically. She also added he had freedom of speech, with Alyssa Farah Griffin saying that Aldean may not have intended to make such a divisive song.
Earlier this week, Aldean was forced to defend himself over the song, taking to Twitter to write:
“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 continued: “There is not a single lyric in the song that references race or points to it – and there isn’t a single video clip that isn’t real news footage – and while I can try and respect others to have their own interpretation of a song with music – this one goes too far.”
The ‘Dirt Road Anthem’ singer then added: “‘Try That In A Small Town‘, for me, refers to the feeling of a community that I had growing up, where we took care of our neighbors, regardless of differences of background or belief. Because they were our neighbors, and that was above any differences.”
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
Fellow country singer Sheryl Crow also hit out at Aldean for the song, expressing her disappointment and concern, saying that she believed he was perpetuating false impressions through the song’s inflammatory lyrics.
“@Jason_Aldean I’m from a small town. 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,” she tweeted.
