Darius Rucker Says Morgan Wallen Improved After Racial Slur Incident

Darius Rucker recently spoke about Morgan Wallen’s efforts to improve himself more than three years after Wallen was recorded using a racial slur.

In an episode of the “Rolling Stone Music Now” podcast, Rucker emphasized that you don’t have to like an artist to enjoy their music. When asked if Wallen should be “forgiven,” Rucker shared his views on Wallen’s growth as a person.

“I think Morgan’s become a better person since that,” Rucker told host Brian Hiatt. “I’ve known Morgan a long time. Since all that happened, Morgan’s tried to really better himself and become a better person and see the world in a much better way.”

Wallen was recorded using a racial epithet in 2021, which led to his music being temporarily removed from several radio stations. The Academy of Country Music Awards also declared him ineligible for trophies at the 2021 ceremony. While Wallen apologized following the scandal, his sales numbers surged almost immediately. His most recent album saw three dozen tracks appear on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Rucker told Hiatt that Wallen, who was arrested earlier this year for tossing a chair off a Nashville bar’s roof, has not yet been forgiven for the controversy. He stated that Wallen still isn’t being considered for major awards such as the Country Music Awards and ACM Awards, although he did win Album of the Year at the latter ceremony in 2022.

“They can say what they want, but the fact that Morgan Wallen is not up for entertainer of the year and those things is crazy,” Rucker said, adding that no one in the country world is selling more tickets than Wallen.

Rucker concluded, “But that’s society and what I think doesn’t matter. People are gonna make their own opinion and go with it, so it is what it is.”

Source: Rolling Stone Music Now, Billboard