Jason Aldean and country music's culture war
One of country music’s biggest stars faces backlash for a song critics say glorifies vigilantism and its video that was filmed at the site of a lynching. Elamin Abdelmahmoud breaks down the controversy.
Jason Aldean is one of contemporary country radio's most played voices, and he's no stranger to controversy.
He's been accused of misogynist comments, worn blackface at Halloween, taken an anti-mask stance during the pandemic and, last year, his wife's transphobic comments got him dropped by his long-time PR firm.
Now, his latest single, "Try That in a Small Town" is facing backlash. Depending on who you ask, it's either an ode to old-fashioned community values, or a racist dog-whistle.
Today, Elamin Abdelmahmoud, the host of CBC's Commotion, is here to talk about the song, where the controversy is coming from, and how it all connects to a deeper divide that's hounding country music.