Morgan Wallen has certainly been facing some serious backlash after his latest controversial display, and it could not have come at a worse time, as the news was released 23 days after his album “Dangerous: The Double Album,” which doubtlessly would have earned many awards from the academy and the music industry.
Now, however, that prediction is uncertain.
Sunday, Jan. 31, Wallen was filmed by a neighbor while he was clearly intoxicated, hyping a friend to rough someone up, throwing in the “n-word” a couple of times, which is inexcusable in any context.
Since then, radio outlets, such as Sirius XM and Pandora, have committed to pulling his music from their stations in order to prove they do not condone this kind of behavior.
Additionally, the independently owned label based in Nashville, Big Loud, has decided to suspend Wallen for now, considering this is his second public scandal. He was banned from performing on the Oct. 10 episode of “Saturday Night Live” after being caught partying in a large group, unmasked, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only did this break SNL COVID-19 protocol, but it also displayed his privilege as a celebrity and his lack of commitment to using his platform to set an example.
Perhaps his fame has come to him too early, as he has not been willing to suspend his party-phase for the benefit of himself, his art and his family.
Very few people seem to be defending Wallen, even within the country music community, which Wallen pleaded fans not to do in his statement released Feb. 10 on Instagram, which he stated was “long overdue.”
Wallen showed extreme remorse in his five-minute video, stating he has let everyone in his life down, including his 7-month-old son, Indie.
He also noted that Black organizations have reached out to him based upon the matter in order to show him grace, forgiveness and educate him on the topic of racism, specifically against the Black community.
This unfortunate series of events has come about once again due to Wallen’s binge-drinking, as he admitted he was in the process of a 72-hour bender when the initial video was recorded.
Perhaps Wallen can learn from his mistakes, which have been monumental to say the least, and move forward trying to rectify his personal problems and use his platform for good, while simultaneously reviving his musical career, which was on a steep incline.
Maybe, he can also serve as a cautionary tale for others, inside the industry and out.

ALI SMITH

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