CMT has verified that, after initially broadcasting Jason Aldean’s hugely divisive music video for “Try That in a Small Town,” the network pulled the problematic video from the air on Monday. They took this action before the controversy surrounding ‘Boycott CMT’ grew more intense on Tuesday.
The song has drawn criticism for its “very scary lyrics” as well as for the music video, which was shot in front of the Tennessee courthouse where a Black man was murdered by a mob in 1927.
In the song, Aldean sings about a gun his grandfather gave him, adding that he doesn’t want to give it up, “they say one day they’re gonna round up/Well, that s*** might fly in the city, good luck.”
The lyrics continue: “See how far ya make it down the road/Around here, we take care of our own/You cross that line, it won’t take long/ For you to find out, I recommend you don’t/Try that in a small town.”
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A CMT spokeswoman declined to comment further on the removal of the video. A request for comment was also not answered by BBR Music Group representatives, who are Aldean’s record label. The removal of the video by the network was originally reported by Billboard.
Here are some criticisms of the song on social media:
On Tuesday afternoon, Aldean responded to the song’s widespread critics on social media by adopting a far kinder tone in his posts than he does in the antagonistic song itself.
“In the past 24 hours I have been accused of releasing a pro-lynching song (a song that has been out since May) and was subject to the comparison that I (direct quote) was not too pleased with the nationwide BLM protests. These references are not only meritless, but dangerous,” Aldean wrote.
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He continued, “There is not a single lyric in the song that references race or points to it- and there isn’t a single video clip that isn’t real news footage -and while I can try and respect others to have their own interpretation of a song with music- this one goes too far. As so many pointed out, I was present at Route 91-where so many lost their lives- and our community recently suffered another heartbreaking tragedy. NO ONE, including me, wants to continue to see senseless headlines or families ripped apart.”
