Morgan Wallen apologizes for racial slur; singer’s contract suspended, dropped from radio

Country singer Morgan Wallen apologized after a video showing him using racial slurs and profanities surfaced.

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A video obtained by TMZ on Tuesday shows Morgan, 27, being dropped off at a house in Nashville, Tennessee, and telling a friend to “take care of this ... (slur),” an apparent reference to another person in his group, The Tennessean reported.

TMZ reported that one of Wallen’s neighbors recorded the exchange outside Wallen’s home.

“I’m embarrassed and sorry,” Wallen said in a statement. “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.”

The backlash was immediate after the video, which was reportedly recorded outside Wallen’s home in Nashville, Tennessee.

Wallen’s label, Big Loud Records, announced Wednesday it was suspending his recording contract, The Tennessean reported.

“In the wake of recent events, Big Loud Records has made the decision to suspend Morgan Wallen’s recording contract indefinitely,” the label said in a statement.

Republic Records, distributors of Wallen’s latest release, “Dangerous” -- “fully supports Big Loud’s Decision and agrees such behavior will not be tolerated,” Variety reported.

In addition to the suspension, Wallen’s music was been pulled from the top radio chains, including Cumulus Media, iHeartRadio, Entercom, the cable network CMT, the satellite service SiriusXM and the streaming service Pandora, according to Variety. Wallen’s music also has been removed from Spotify’s premier country playlist, “Hot Country,” and Apple Music’s “Today’s Country,” The Tennessean reported.

“We do not tolerate or condone words and actions that are in direct opposition to our core values that celebrate diversity, equity & inclusion,” CMT tweeted.

Wallen is one of country music’s hottest stars. He won the Country Music Association Awards new artist of the year award and best new country artist at the iHeartRadio Music Awards, CNN reported.

Wallen’s latest album, “Dangerous: The Double Album” is soon to have a fourth week at the top of the Billboard album charts, Variety reported. That will set a record for consecutive weeks at No. 1 that has not occurred since Garth Brooks during the late 1990s, the website reported.

He also has five of the Top 10 songs on Billboard’s “Hot Country Songs” chart, The Tennessean reported.

Some country stars reacted to the video, People reported.

“The hate runs deep. Smfh,” singer Mickey Guyton tweeted. “This is not his first time using that ‘unacceptable’ racial slur and we all known that. So what exactly are y’all going to do about it? Crickets won’t work this time. How many passes will you continue to give? Asking for a friend. No one deserves to be canceled (but) this is unacceptable.”

Kelsea Ballerini tweeted that “the news out of Nashville tonight does not represent country music.”

In May 2020, Wallen was arrested for public intoxication and disorderly conduct outside of Kid Rock’s honky-tonk in downtown Nashville, The Tennessean reported. He also was removed from performing on “Saturday Night Live” after partying maskless with strangers in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He was invited back two months later, the newspaper reported.

Cox Media Group