NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF/AP) — Big Loud Records has announced it's suspending Morgan Wallen's recording contract indefinitely after a video surfaced showing him shouting a racial slur.
— Big Loud (@BigLoud) February 3, 2021
Additionally, CMT said the network is in the process of removing his appearances from their platforms, saying: "We do not tolerate or condone words and actions that are in direct opposition to our core values that celebrate diversity, equity & inclusion."
After learning of Morgan Wallen’s racial slur late last night, we are in the process of removing his appearances from all our platforms. We do not tolerate or condone words and actions that are in direct opposition to our core values that celebrate diversity, equity & inclusion.
— CMT (@CMT) February 3, 2021
The Country Music Association (CMA) said it's also removing his digital content from their platforms and will meet with its board of directors to "review additional measures and will continue to examine our industry's inclusivity efforts."
— CMA Country Music (@CountryMusic) February 3, 2021
The video, which was first published by TMZ on Tuesday night, showed him yelling profanities outside a home in Nashville.
"I’m embarrassed and sorry," Wallen said in a statement after the video was posted Tuesday by TMZ. "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. I want to sincerely apologize for using the word. I promise to do better.”
As a couple, Samantha Tolbert and DJ Hoskins have experienced racism first hand. Samantha is a country music fan, and she said she will no longer listen to Wallen's music. "When you’re in a public format you have to watch what you do and what you say even more, he should have known better," Tolbert said.
"People’s true colors show on or off camera it doesn’t matter," Hoskins said, "It just happened to be on camera this time."
Maren Morris also voiced her concerns on the lack of diversity and inclusion in country music in Nashville.
It actually IS representative of our town because this isn’t his first “scuffle” and he just demolished a huge streaming record last month regardless. We all know it wasn’t his first time using that word. We keep them rich and protected at all costs with no recourse.
— MAREN MORRIS (@MarenMorris) February 3, 2021
The Academy of Country Music has halted his eligibility for this year's awards cycle.
According to Variety, Cumulus has told radio stations to take his songs off the air. Meanwhile, many country music fans want racist incidents like this to stop. Tolbert said, "Considering everything that’s been going on in the country, especially in the last year, there’s not room for any more hatred in the country, and that just leads to more division."
Wallen's new record has topped the Billboard 200 chart for three weeks and his hits include “Whiskey Glasses.” At the Country Music Awards, Morgan Wallen won best new artist.
This is not his first time in trouble. Wallen recently faced criticism when he was out partying during the pandemic. He was seen kissing random girls who posted the videos to TikTok. That's when Saturday Night Live uninvited him on their show because he was violating COVID-19 protocols.
