Morgan Wallen is experiencing a major backlash from national radio after a video in which he uses the “n-word” that surfaced on TMZ.
According to a report in Variety, Cumulus Media has managed its more than 400 stations across the country to remove the numbers of Red Light District from rotation. Team, unfortunately country music star Morgan Wallen was videotaped on Sunday evening with a racist slur. Effective immediately, we request that all Morgan Wallen music be removed from our playlists without exception. More to follow, ”the message read. It was signed by Brian Philips, EVP of programming, and John Dimick, Cumulus’s head of programming.
iHeartMedia quickly followed suit. An iHeart spokesperson said Rolling stone, “In light of Morgan Wallen’s recent actions regarding the use of a racist defamation, we made the decision to immediately remove his music and content from our stations.” iHeartMedia owns more than 800 stations.
The video of Wallen is reportedly set in Nashville late Sunday night, capturing the country music streaming star – whose Dangerous: The Double Album has refilled Rolling stone‘s 200 chart from the past three weeks – which appears to be drunk and screaming expletives, including the racial slur, at a group of friends. In response to the video, Wallen released a statement on Tuesday evening saying he was “ashamed and sorry”.
“I used an unacceptable and inappropriate racial slur that I wish I could take back. There are never excuses for using this kind of language. I would like to sincerely apologize for using the word. I promise I’ll do better, ”said Wallen, who also apologized in October when he was shot Saturday Night Live for breaking the sketch set of ‘Covid-19 safety protocols. He went on to create his SNL debut two months later.
The distance to Red Light District in the light of the incident has extended to streaming services. On Wednesday morning, Wallen’s songs were noticeably absent from Apple Music’s flagship country playlist, Today’s Country, and Spotify’s Hot Country Songs. That country radio and streaming services keep, at least temporarily, Wallen’s songs from rotation is a remarkable development given the rise of the Tennessee native as the genre’s next superstar.
The conviction of Wallen’s colleagues quickly hit social media. “The news from Nashville tonight doesn’t represent country music, ”Kelsea Ballerini tweeted, asked Maren Morris to answer“The IS actually IS representative of our city as this isn’t his first ‘scuffle’ and he broke a huge streaming record last month anyway. We all know it wasn’t the first time he used that word. We keep them rich and protected at all costs. “
After a Ballerini supporter tweeted that “if a female performer did 5% of the shit he pulled, she’d be dropped by everyone immediately, ”Morris replied, “JEP. We would be banned, approvals lost, social pariahs on music row.
Mickey Guyton has responded to a news report about Red Light District with ‘The hatred runs deep’, before adding, “How many steps will you keep giving? Asking for a friend. Nobody deserves to be canceled [but] this is not acceptable … This isn’t the first time he’s used that ‘unacceptable’ racial slur, and all of us [know] Which. So what exactly are you going to do about it? Crickets won’t work this time. “
Land radio personalities, who are perennial cheerleaders for the genre and its stars, also voice their displeasure. Elaina Smith, host of Cumulus’ Nights with Elaina, tweeted that she is “done” with Wallen. “After a long night of working in an industry I keep fighting for… I try to contribute to a better, more inclusive space. I wake up to a man who turns everyone’s work back 20 years. I am disgusted. “