Country singer Morgan Wallen has “promised to do better” after being under fire again for saying a racial slur during a night out in Nashville.
“I’m embarrassed and sorry,” the Tennessee native said in a statement to TMZ on Tuesday. “I used an unacceptable and inappropriate racial slur that I wish I could take back. There are no excuses to use this type of language, ever. I want to sincerely apologize for using the word.”
His apology came two days after one of his neighbors recorded him shouting the slur, as well as other expletives, outside his home. In the video, obtained by TMZ, the singer can be seen walking up his driveway and saying a profane goodbye that includes the slur.
The repercussions came hard and fast — the broadcasting company Cumulus Media sent an order to the 400-plus radio stations it owns in the U.S. to immediately remove Wallen’s music from all playlists.
“Team, unfortunately country music star Morgan Wallen was captured on video Sunday evening using a racial slur,” Cumulus wrote in its “extremely important” message to program directors, Variety reported. “Effective immediately we request that all of Morgan Wallen’s music be removed from our playlists without exception.”
iHeartMedia and other outlets, including Country Music Television, were quick to follow suit. And as of Tuesday night, Wallen was no longer featured on Apple Music and Spotify’s country pages or playlists.
Several of Wallen’s fellow country music stars have slammed his behavior.
“It actually IS representative of our town because this isn’t his first ‘scuffle’ and he just demolished a huge streaming record last month regardless. We all know it wasn’t his first time using that word,” Maren Morris tweeted. “We keep them rich and protected at all costs with no recourse.”
It actually IS representative of our town because this isn’t his first “scuffle” and he just demolished a huge streaming record last month regardless. We all know it wasn’t his first time using that word. We keep them rich and protected at all costs with no recourse.
— MAREN MORRIS (@MarenMorris) February 3, 2021
Mickey Guyton tweeted, “The hate runs deep. Smfh. How many passes will you continue to give? Asking for a friend. No one deserves to be canceled bu [sic] this is unacceptable.”
Promises to do better don’t mean sh*t.
— Mickey Guyton (@MickeyGuyton) February 3, 2021
Justin Fabus, the Pittsburgh native responsible for “Shelter from the Storm,” also tweeted his censure.
If you condone or try to justify @MorganWallen’s latest behavior, there is NO place for you in the Country Music community or ANY community.
— Justin Fabus (@TheJustinFabus) February 3, 2021
And Jason Isbell, whose song “Cover Me Up” was covered by Wallen, pointed out that Wallen’s place in the country music industry could easily to go a Black artist who deserves a shot.
Wallen’s behavior is disgusting and horrifying. I think this is an opportunity for the country music industry to give that spot to somebody who deserves it, and there are lots of black artists who deserve it. https://t.co/14B77zLgMR
— Jason Isbell (@JasonIsbell) February 3, 2021
It’s not the first time Wallen has faced backlash for his actions. He was cut from “Saturday Night Live” in October 2020 after several TikTok videos showed him partying without a face mask and making out with women at Alabama college bars during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I apologize to SNL, to my fans, to my team for bringing me these opportunities, and I let them down,” Wallen said in an Instagram video at the time (it appears to have been taken down), as reported by Us Magazine. “On a personal note, I think I have some growing up to do. I think I’ve lost myself a little, but I’ve tried to find joy in the wrong places, and it’s left me with less joy. So I’m gonna go try to work on that.”
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