Brittany Aldean speaks.
The wife of country star Jason Aldean, who has found himself in some very hot water with the mainstream media over the last few days after releasing the music video for his single “Try That In A Small Town,” shared a very clear post on her Instagram stories earlier about her take on what’s transpired.
And in case you somehow missed it, the video features imagery of riots and looting from around the world, while Aldean sings in front of the Maury County courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee.
Many online have accused the outspoken country singer of featuring racist lyrics and imagery in both the song and video, with one viral tweet even connecting the music video to a 1927 lynching that took place at the courthouse where the video was filmed:
Others have cried foul on a pro-gun anthem coming from the headliner of the Route 91 Harvest Festival, after Aldean was on stage when the massacre broke out in Las Vegas in 2017.
Earlier today, CMT even pulled the music video from air and provided no explanation as to why (though I’m sure you can probably guess), with Jason putting out a lengthy statement saying, in part, that the accusations are “meritless” and “dangerous”:
“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. 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.
As so many pointed out, I was present at Route, 91-where so many lost their lives- and our community recently suffered another heartbreaking tragedy. NO ONE, including me, wants to continue to see senseless headlines or families ripped apart.
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.
My political views have never been something I’ve hidden from, and I know that a lot of us in this Country don’t agree on how we get back to a sense of normalcy where we go at least a day without a headline that keeps us up at night. But the desire for it to that’s what this song is about.”
And his wife Brittany, who is no stranger to controversy herself, shared a simple message in light of everything surrounding her husband right now on Instagram, saying that the media twists “everything… to fit your repulsive narrative,” adding that they should focus on “real” stories, like “child trafficking.”
Clearly, she’s not one to mince words:
“Media… it’s the same song and dance. Twist everything you can to fit your repulsive narrative.
How about instead of creating stories, we focus on the REAL ones such as CHILD TRAFFICKING? Food for thought.”
The music video is still up on Jason’s Youtube channel, and it remains to be seen if YouTube, who has a history of removing content they deem offense, will take it down:
