Kane Brown Breaks Silence On Morgan Wallen Controversy
“This is the first time I’ve ever even talked about this…”
Kane Brown; Photo by Getty Images for CMT, Morgan Wallen; Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for ACM
Kane Brown opened up about the 2021 Morgan Wallen controversy for the first time during a recent interview with The New York Times.
While discussing his much-anticipated new album, Different Man, Brown shared his thoughts on Wallen’s use of the N-word in early 2021.
“This is the first time I’ve ever even talked about this, but I personally know Morgan. I texted him that day. I told him he shouldn’t have said it, but also knowing Morgan, I knew that he didn’t mean it in the way that the world thought that he meant it,” Brown revealed.
The “Like I Love Country Music” singer also added that he would have reacted differently if he felt Wallen used the slur in a racist or malicious way.
“I think if it was in a different context, I probably would have been fighting.”
Brown went on to explain how he feels when being asked about the situation as a Black artist in country music.
“I guarantee you every artist probably got asked about it,” he told the publication and said he feels like when he, Jimmie Allen, or Mickey Guyton were asked about the situation “was completely different than when they asked somebody else.”
“It’s like, they want an answer,” he added.
Brown and Wallen have previously worked together. Wallen co-wrote “Rockstars,” a track on the deluxe edition of Kane Brown’s self-titled debut album.
During the conversation, Brown also discussed how he’s impacted by racism and revealed that he’s previously been mistaken for a fellow Black country artist.
“Even today, I walked in somewhere and they were like, ‘Oh, my God, you did so good on ‘Dancing With the Stars,’” he explained. “I’m like, ‘That wasn’t me; that was Jimmie Allen. That’s the other Black guy.’”
Brown, a father of two, is hopeful about country music becoming more inclusive. He recently signed Levon Gray, a Black songwriter, to his publishing company, Verse 2 Music. Gray was a co-writer on Brown’s chart-topping hit, “One Mississippi.”
“One Mississippi” will appear on Brown’s forthcoming third studio album, Different Man, which is set to arrive on Friday, September 9.
The project will feature a whopping 17 songs, including a duet with his wife as well as a collaboration with country superstar Blake Shelton. The album will also include his latest single, “Like I Love Country Music,” plus previously released tracks “Grand,” “One Mississippi,” “Whiskey Sour,” and “Leave You Alone.”
“I’m most excited, when it comes to releasing this new project, for people to see how much I’ve grown as an artist,” Brown said of the album.
Different Man follows Brown’s second studio album, 2018’s Experiment. In August of 2020, Brown released his ACM-nominated EP, Mixtape Vol. 1, which included several hit singles such as “Cool Again,” “Worldwide Beautiful” “Worship You” and his Top 40 radio single, “Be Like That” featuring Khalid and Swae Lee.
Later this month, Brown will embark on a massive international tour, dubbed the Drunk or Dreaming Tour.
The trek will feature special guests Restless Road, Jessie James Decker, Blanco Brown and Chris Lane on select dates. Kicking off on September 17 in Melbourne, Australia, the tour will continue through Australia, New Zealand, Canada, UK, and Europe.
The international leg of the Drunk or Dreaming Tour marks Brown’s first time touring in Australia and New Zealand, and his long-awaited return to Canada and Europe.
In addition, Brown recently announced the U.S. leg of his Drunk or Dreaming Tour, which features support from Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett and LOCASH.
The U.S. leg of the tour will kick off in Grand Rapids, MI on March 16, 2023, and will visit 23 cities throughout the United States before wrapping up in Greenwood Village, CO at Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre on Saturday, June 10, 2023.
While embarking on the massive headlining trek, Brown will headline Bridgestone Arena in Nashville for the first time ever on March 31.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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