Country music star Jason Aldean’s new hit single “Try That In A Small Town” has attracted significant attention in recent days.
Some critics on the left believe the song’s anti-crime message is somehow racist, but many Americans have resonated with its lyrics after seeing the destruction and violence that has dominated the streets of big cities across the United States in recent years.
One supporter of Aldean’s message is 2024 Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, who played a clip of the song during a recent town hall event.
You all know I love music… tonight in Greenville we added a new song to the playlist: Jason Aldean's "Try That in a Small Town." pic.twitter.com/1qzlORFXpm
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) July 20, 2023
Haley’s endorsement of the song followed similar praise by other GOP White House hopefuls including former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Republican South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem also weighed in, expressing her dismay over the backlash Aldean’s song and accompanying music video have received.
“I am shocked by what I’m seeing in this country with people attempting to cancel this song and cancel Jason and his beliefs,” she said in a social media video posted on Wednesday. “Him and Brittany are outspoken about their love for law and order and for their love of this country and I’m just grateful for them.”
Despite the widespread popularity of the track, CMT decided to stop airing the video in response to criticism from a segment of society that chose to defend rioters over Aldean’s message of law and order.
The singer released a statement in defense of his motivation amid mounting backlash earlier this week.
“In the past 24 hour 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,” he wrote on Tuesday. “These references are not only meritless, but dangerous.”
Aldean went on to assert: “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 to their own interpretation of a song with music — this one goes too far.”
