Country Star Jason Aldean Faces Backlash Over Controversial Song and Video

American country music icon Jason Aldean is facing intense criticism following the release of his latest song and video, "Try That in a Small Town." The track features lyrics that have been perceived as promoting violence against police protesters, sparking heated debates on social media and beyond.

In the song, Aldean sings provocative lines such as, "Cuss out a cop, spit in his face / Stomp on the flag and light it up / Yeah, you think you’re tough / Well, try that in a small town / See how far you make it down the road / Around here, we take care of our own." These lyrics have alarmed many listeners, leading to accusations that the song condones violence.

Moreover, the music video adds to the controversy by interspersing footage of protesters, some engaging in violent confrontations with law enforcement officers. The filming location, the Maury County courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee, holds a dark history, having been the site of the 1927 lynching of a Black man named Henry Choate.

As a result of the song's contentious content, Country Music Television has taken the decision to remove the video from its channel, though they have not offered any official comments on the matter. However, the video remains available on YouTube and has already garnered over 800,000 views.

The backlash against Aldean has been fierce, with some conservative commentators offering support while others, like singer Sheryl Crow, condemning the song. Crow took to Twitter, writing, "There’s nothing small-town or American about promoting violence. You should know that better than anyone having survived a mass shooting. This is not American or small-town-like. It’s just lame."

Aldean, who himself survived a mass shooting during a performance in Las Vegas in 2017, has defended the song, rejecting claims that it alludes to the Black Lives Matter protest movement. On Twitter, he responded, "These references are not only meritless, but dangerous. There is not a single lyric in the song that references race or points to it."

According to Aldean, "Try That in a Small Town" is intended to convey a sense of community reminiscent of his upbringing, where neighbors took care of each other despite their differences in background or belief. He clarified that the song is not about endorsing violence but rather about the collective desire to return to a sense of normalcy and unity.

Despite the controversy, Jason Aldean remains a prominent figure in the country music scene, having achieved significant success in the past decade with numerous chart-topping albums and singles. However, the debate over his latest song's message and imagery has put him under intense scrutiny and may impact his career trajectory moving forward.