Country singer Jason Aldean recently dedicated a performance of his hit song “Try That in a Small Town” to former President Donald Trump during a concert, following an alleged assassination attempt on Trump at a rally. Aldean, currently on his Highway Desperado Tour, made the tribute during his show in Holmdel, New Jersey, on Saturday.
“President Trump’s a friend of mine so I want to send this next song out to him,” Aldean said to the audience, according to social media footage. “We all know what’s going to happen come November, so it’s all good. Just goes to show you there’s a lot of (expletive) in the world, and that’s kind of what this song right here was about, so this one goes out to the pres.”
“Try That in a Small Town,” released in May 2023, quickly rose to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 but also sparked significant controversy. The song’s lyrics and music video, which features graphic footage from recent protests, led to heated debates and the video’s removal from CMT. Critics labeled the song a “dog whistle” and “pro-lynching,” accusations Aldean strongly refuted.
“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,” Aldean wrote in a July 2023 post on X. “While I can try and respect others to have their own interpretation of a song with music, this one goes too far.”
Despite the backlash, Aldean remains steadfast in his defense of the song and its message, using his platform to voice his support for Trump amidst ongoing political tensions.
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