Wallen suspended by label after using racist slur
Morgan Wallen, country music’s hottest recording artist, has been banned from the nation’s two largest radio networks and a TV network and suspended by his record label after he was recorded shouting a racist slur outside his Nashville home after a night out with friends.
The 27-year-old singer, who courted controversy last year with his canceled and rescheduled “Saturday Night Live” appearances, was taped Sunday night by a neighbor after Wallen’s group made a lot of noise honking and hollering.
“Take care of this p— ass mother—,” he says in the video, published by TMZ, and then utters the N-word.
Wallen told the outlet that he wanted to apologize and to “do better.”
“I’m embarrassed and sorry. I used an unacceptable and inappropriate racial slur that I wish I could take back. There are no excuses to use this type of language, ever,” he said.
The backlash was sudden. Wallen’s label announced Wednesday via social media that it was taking a step back from the “7 Summers” singer, who was named the Country Music Assn.’s new artist of the year in 2019.
“In the wake of recent events, Big Loud Records has made the decision to suspend Morgan Wallen’s recording contract indefinitely,” the company tweeted. “Republic Records fully supports Big Loud’s decision and agrees such behavior will not be tolerated.”
Meanwhile, Cumulus Media — the nation’s second largest radio network, with more than 400 stations — removed Wallen’s music nationwide as of midnight Tuesday, according to Variety. That’s despite the singer’s newest effort, the 30-song “Dangerous: The Double Album,” topping the charts for weeks now.
“Team, unfortunately country music star Morgan Wallen was captured on video Sunday evening using a racial slur,” a staff memo reportedly said. “Effective immediately we request that all of Morgan Wallen’s music be removed from our playlists without exception. More to follow.”