How racist is the music being produced today? The music industry seems only to find racism in the presenter, not the songs themselves.
Cancel culture and censorship is alive in the current music industry.
This viewpoint was not lost on podcaster Joe Rogan who made his thoughts known in a recent interview.
In a recent discussion with Canadian academic Gad Saad, popular podcaster Joe Rogan criticized the movement to cancel the latest single by country singer Jason Aldean, “Try That in a Small Town,” for its portrayal of riot culture and crime.
Rogan found the uproar baffling, especially considering many rap tracks’ significantly more explicit content.
Rogan acknowledged that while Aldean’s new song may not be a masterpiece, the outcry against it seems disproportionate given the more controversial lyrics in other genres.
In their conversation, Saad noted that some rap tracks endorse misogyny and extol violence, which Rogan agreed with. Despite acknowledging these issues, Rogan admitted to still being a fan of rap music.
In the face of criticism labeling Aldean’s song as racist or supportive of lynching, Rogan expressed disagreement. He referenced the diverse demographic involved in the Antifa protests during the Black Lives Matter movement, dismissing the notion that the song’s lyrics contained racial undertones.
CMT recently pulled the video for “Try That in a Small Town” from rotation, a track that strongly criticizes the recent surge of riots and unlawful activities in the U.S. The video includes Aldean performing in front of a courthouse, punctuated with visuals of violent protests, vandalism, and theft.
The controversial song, penned by Neil Thrasher, Kelly Lovelace, Tully Kennedy, and Kurt Michael Allison, takes a direct stance against criminal behaviors. In no uncertain terms, the lyrics call out specific actions such as carjacking, armed robbery, and verbal assaults on law enforcement officers.
Contrasting the violent scenes in the video are peaceful images, like a child enjoying a game of hopscotch and the American flag flying high.
Aldean, performing at the Route 91 Festival during the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, responded to the controversy surrounding his song with an extensive message on his Instagram Stories after CMT decided to remove it.
