Jason Aldean has some of his fellow country music stars fighting!
As you know, the 46-year-old dropped the song Try That In a Small Town back in May. But it blew up this past week when he released a brand new music video for the track – as it was shocking and controversial, to say the least. Social media users blasted the visuals, saying it was basically three minutes and nine seconds of him inciting violence and glorifying fascism.
The song has had a lot of people talking. And it’s even sparked an online war of words between two musicians! The feud began on Thursday when singer-songwriter Jason Isbell called out Aldean for defending the content of the controversial single when he didn’t even write it:
“Dare Aldean to write his next single himself. That’s what we try in my small town. Ok here ya go @Jason_Aldean I’m challenging you to write a song yourself. All alone. If you’re a recording artist, make some art. I want to hear it.”
Related: Sheryl Crow Has Amazing Response To Jason Aldean’s ‘Lame’ New Song!
He added:
“Seriously how do you defend the content of a song you weren’t even in the room for? You just got it from your producer. If you’d been there when it was written, you’d be listed as a writer. We all know how this works.”
Apparently, Jason’s comments didn’t fly with fellow artist Jake Owen! He clapped back at the 44-year-old for dissing Aldean through a tweet rather than to his face:
“Jason, you’re always the first to get behind your keyboard and spout off with this stupid s**t. In ‘my small town’ you just walk up to the guy and be a man to his face if you want the smoke … not tweet it at him … Tough guy.”
Is this guy really defending Aldean? Isbell wasn’t standing for the criticism! He later slammed the 41-year-old’s comments, saying:
“What really gets me about this is that it’s saying, ‘If you don’t believe you can physically overpower me, you aren’t allowed to publicly disagree with me.’ What does that say to the people in your life who aren’t big strong boys? They just have to shut up?”
And their heated argument didn’t end there! Jake then issued a lengthy response clarifying why he was heated over the songwriting dig:
“I’ve spent my entire career trying to promote positivity. At my shows, off the stage, wherever I am. I don’t like division or hate. That’s why I responded to the previous tweet. Being crass, I replied bc I was offended by @JasonIsbell insinuation that ‘if you don’t write your own songs, you’re less than or not a real artist …’
The singer pointed out that although he’s written and recorded “a lot of songs” over the years, he doesn’t “write everything in order to prove to myself or anyone that I’m a ‘real artist.’” Jake noted he’s “grateful for the many songwriters” he’s worked with over the years and most likely “wouldn’t have had the career I have had” without them. He continued:
“I bet @JasonIsbell is grateful @MorganWallen recorded his song ‘Cover Me Up’… I am a @JasonIsbell music fan. Always have been. I understand his takes on things can be polarizing. I chime in when I feel like there’s a low blow being thrown. The ‘write your own songs’ dagger cuts me deep because I think that is the wrong way to encourage artists trying to make it, and quite frankly Jason Isbell has a large voice. He IS respected. I know I’ve made a great living and have been fortunate enough to support my family NOT because I am better than anyone.. I’m lucky…and, I’ve just tried to record the best songs that I Iove. I think most artists do that. I came in hot on the conversation because I’m passionate about it. I listen to @JasonIsbell and @Jason_Aldean In retrospect, I should of clarified from the jump, but my human emotions got in the way.”
Look…
He is missing part of Isbell’s point. How can Aldean defend the song when he potentially wasn’t in the room with the writers who wrote it? Because let’s be real, the people who say the music video and lyrics are clearly pro-lynching, threatening people, promoting vigilante violence, and giving anti-Black Lives Matter messages — well, they make a lot of great points about it! You just can’t deny it’s some really dangerous and messed up content.
But what do YOU think about the matter, Perezcious readers? Let us know in the comments below.
[Image via MEGA/WENN, Joe Leonard/WENN]
