Sophia Michaels
Despite Morgan Wallen’s history of racist statements, Jason Isbell chose to critical of him instead of putting him on his pedestal. This was a choice that many, many people made for him.
Morgan Wallen was one of Jason Isbell’s biggest fans, even covering his famous song, “Cover Me Up,” for his 2021 album, “Dangerous: The Double Album.” However, his idol has since become one of his biggest critics. Following Wallen’s use of the N-word, Isbell didn’t hold back in condemning him. “Wallen’s behavior is disgusting and horrifying,” he slammed. “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.” He then took things one step further by revealing his plans for the royalties he earned from Wallen. “I’ve decided to donate everything I’ve made so far from this album to the Nashville chapter of the @NAACP,” he tweeted.
Isbell’s criticism didn’t end there. After Wallen made a surprise appearance at the Grand Ole Opry in 2022, he criticized the iconic venue. “Last night @opry you had a choice — either upset one guy and his ‘team,’ or break the hearts of a legion of aspiring Black country artists,” he wrote. “You chose wrong and I’m real sad for a lot of my friends today.” Speaking with BuzzFeed in December 2021, Isbell shared the consequences he wishes Wallen would have faced. “We’re not calling for the man’s head!” he explained. “We’re just going, ‘This guy is an idiot and he does not deserve to be put on a pedestal, so let’s take him off the pedestal and put him back down on the sidewalk with everybody else.'”
