Photo Credit: Country Music Street Team Instagram
Morgan Wallen is excluded from the ACM Awards. Now, protest billboards are popping up all over Nashville.
Fans are banding together to rent out billboards all around the city. The billboard declares the singer “fan’s choice for entertainer of the year.” The billboards include a silhouette of Wallen’s mullet and the hashtag of his signature phrase, #Gaht. The Morgan Wallen billboards also include a reference to the Bible verse, Mark 11:25. The verse tells Christians to forgive those who trespass, as God would forgive them their own sins.
The verse is in response to the massive backlash sparked online when a video of Wallen uttering a racial slur went viral. Wallen has since apologized for the gaffe, asking friends and fans to support his decision to stay out of the limelight for now.
“We have spoken and you can ban him from every awards show, label, and all the events you can,” writes one Instagram account documenting the Morgan Wallen billboards around Nashville. “But just know the people have spoken, and we love our boy from East TN.”
The ACM Awards will be broadcast Sunday night on CBS. It was one of numerous award ceremonies to put Wallen on the ban list, saying he would not appear on preliminary ballots that were going out. There appear to be six billboards in total now supporting Morgan Wallen in Nashville.
“This idea was really our way of trying to ‘right the wrong’ of cancel culture,” one supporter told Music Mayhem in an interview. “We just wanted to ‘Wallen-Paper’ Nashville during the week of the ACMs to show our support for Morgan. He is an incredibly talented young man and doesn’t deserve what he’s going through right now.”
Neither Morgan Wallen nor his reps were responsible for the campaign now blanketing Nashville. They now all include a line that reads, “Paid for by Darleen Ingram and 824 loyal fans.” Wallen’s streams and sales since the incident sparked online have made him one of the most popular music figures of 2021.
Wallen may not have been in the running for Entertainer of the Year anyway – not yet. He was still scheduled to open for Luke Bryan later this year before pulling out. He hasn’t graduated to headliner status himself, though.
In a statement on Instagram Tuesday, Wallen spoke directly to his fans. “I wanted to let you guys know that I’ve taken a couple of months away and feel like I’ve really worked on myself. I’m proud of the work I’ve put in, and in many ways, thankful to have had the time to do it. I’ve needed this time off. Not only has this time revealed to me the ways in which I want to improve, but it’s also reminded me that I am still very proud of who I am and the man I am becoming.”
“I’ve found this time away to be very valuable to me in many ways, but I feel like I need a little more of it, and therefore will not be performing tour dates this summer. It means I won’t be playing festivals or the Luke Bryan tour dates.”
How come those don’t also have racist words on them? Oh yeah, he’s not a racist, but only says racist stuff. Ok, got it.
It’s official. God doesn’t listen to rap.
It’s official. You’re an idiot.
I am an idiot.
I’m your kid, and you let the Romans kill me.
People pray to you every day, and you sit there doing nothing.
You think because you made the heavens and the earth in 7 days that you can just coast on that forever.
I may be dead for nearly 2000 years, but people still believe that I’m coming back.
You become more foolish looking and sounding with every word you post. Keep em coming, idiot.
“Paid for by Darleen Ingram and 824 loyal fans.”
Including Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny.
Thank You All For The Support You All Have Given Morgan Wallen ❣️
I support him, and everyone who backs him, going to jail for their ugly, racist views.
Blacks are the most racist people in the US.
Why are blacks allowed to use the N word and call women beotches and hoes all day long without repercussion?
Says a true racist. yeah, you’re a reliable source.
You are right. The world would be a much better place without those scums.
So, they restored the Internet in your mom’s basement, huh? You’re an idiot.
Al Jolson, You took the words right out of my mouth.
Morgan Wallen Is The Best Country Music Singer l have ever heard.
So happy l Bought The Dangerous CD 2nd day it came out.
He should be entertainer of the Year.
Al It’s Not Fair How They Treater Morgan Wallen.
You should wash your dirty mouth out with soap.
It’s not fair how racists treat people who aren’t white. you’re a numbskull.
Southern Girl,
I need to get serious and record my album so I can find
dedicated fans such as yourself.
I won’t say I am the best singer around, but I can hold my own.
I should post some links and have you take a listen.
Cheers