Yahoo News Darius Rucker Thinks Morgan Wallen Has “Become a Better Person” Since Racial Slur Video
Darius Rucker says it’s time to forgive Morgan Wallen.
While speaking on the Rolling Stone Music Now podcast, the country singer reflected on the backlash Wallen received after he was caught using a racial slur in a 2021 video.
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“I think Morgan’s become a better person since that,” Rucker said. “I’ve known Morgan a long time. Since all that happened, Morgan’s tried to really better himself and become a better person and see the world in a much better, better way.”
After the video circulated online, the singer’s recording contract with Big Loud Records was suspended indefinitely at the time. CMT had also announced that they would remove the singer’s appearances from their platforms. Prior to Wallen’s contract suspension, iHeart Media had officially pulled Wallen’s music and content from their stations, as well as SiriusXM and Pandora removing his music from their playlists.
He eventually returned to the 2022 Billboard Music Awards with a performance but made no mention of the incident. He went on to win the award for top country male artist.
Despite Wallen’s album Dangerous: The Double Album winning the 2022 Academy of Country Music Award for album of the year, Rucker argued that Wallen is still “not forgiven.”
“He’s still not out for CMAs and ACMs. They can say what they want, but the fact that Morgan Wallen is not up for entertainer of the year and those things is crazy. No one’s selling more tickets than Morgan.” (It was announced in April that Wallen was among the nominees for entertainer of the year for the 2024 Academy of Country Music Awards.)
Following the 2021 incident in which Wallen is seen on video arriving home with some friends and overheard yelling profanities, including the N-word, Wallen checked himself into a rehab facility.
“The video you saw was me on hour 72 of a bender and that’s not something I’m proud of either,” he said when addressing his behavior shown at the time. “Our actions matter. Our words matter. And I want to encourage anyone that is watching to please learn from my mistake. There’s no reason to downplay what I did.”
After the 2021 controversy, Wallen found himself in more trouble earlier this year. In April, Wallen was arrested and jailed in Nashville after he allegedly threw a chair from the top of Chief’s Bar, which is owned by country music star Eric Church and was celebrating its opening weekend per local news station WSMV-TV. The 30-year-old country star was released on bond, reported to be $15,250.
In his first public statement on the arrest, Wallen said, “I didn’t feel right publicly checking in until I made amends with some folks,” he wrote. “I’ve touched base with Nashville law enforcement, my family, and the good people at Chief’s. I’m not proud of my behavior, and I accept responsibility.”
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