Morgan Wallen Apologizes For Yelling Racial Slur, Country Radio Pulls Him From Rotation

Taylor Hill/Getty Images

Morgan Wallen Apologizes For Yelling Racial Slur, Country Radio Pulls Him From Rotation

Taylor Hill/Getty Images

Morgan Wallen is a total fucking idiot. That is the only available conclusion. Wallen is the biggest country star to come along in years, and his slick data-dump Dangerous: The Double Album has been the #1 album in America for the past three weeks. But now there’s video of Wallen drunkenly screaming the N-word outside his house earlier this week. Wallen has already apologized, but Jesus Christ.

TMZ reports that Wallen returned to his house with friends on Sunday after going out and partying in Nashville. (Wallen’s night out reportedly included an improptu performance at Luke Bryan’s restaurant 32 Bridge.) One neighbor, woken up late at night by Wallen and his friends talking loud and honking horns, caught video of Wallen dropping the N-bomb. Talking about one drunk friend, Wallen reportedly said, “Take care of this pussy-ass motherfucker. Take care of this pussy-ass n…a.” TMZ has video, though I couldn’t make out the audio myself.

In a statement to TMZ, Wallen says, “I’m embarrassed and sorry. 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.”

But as Variety reports, the fallout is already beginning. Cumulus Media, the nation’s second largest radio chain, directed its 400 stations to remove Wallen’s music from rotation immediately. A note under the header “MORGAN WALLEN — EXTREMELY IMPORTANT” reads, “Team, unfortunately country music star Morgan Wallen was captured on video Sunday evening using a racial slur. Effective immediately we request that all of Morgan Wallen’s music be removed from our playlists without exception. More to follow.” Other radio networks are expected to follow suit, and Wallen’s music has apparently been scrubbed from playlists and landing pages on Spotify and Apple Music. UPDATE: iHeartRadio, America’s largest radio chain, has also barred Wallen’s music from its 1,000 stations. “In light of Morgan Wallen’s recent actions involving the use of a racial slur, we have made the decision to remove his music and content from our stations effective immediately,” a rep for the company tells TMZ.

A few months ago, Wallen’s performance on Saturday Night Live was cancelled because he spent the previous weekend in Alabama, partying with maskless strangers and making out with random girls. Wallen apologized for that, too, and SNL brought him back to perform a few weeks later.

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