ABC/Image Group LAAfter video footage surfaced Tuesday night showing Morgan Wallen shouting racial slurs, including the N-word, during a night of partying, Mickey Guyton called on the industry to hold Morgan accountable for his actions.
After the footage surfaced, Morgan apologized for his behavior, but for many, including Mickey, that apology fell flat. “Promises to do better don’t mean s***,” she stated on Twitter.
“This is not his first time using that ‘unacceptable’ racial slur and we all know that,” Mickey pointed out. “So what exactly are y’all going to do about it. Crickets won’t work this time.”
With songs like “Black Me” and “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?,” Mickey has been open about her experience as a Black woman in country music both in music and in sharing the instances of hate and racism she routinely encounters.
On social media, she reflected on “why I continue to fight to be in an industry that seems to hate me so much,” saying that she draws inspiration from young artists of color entering the industry.
“This artist might not have the strength to fight for themselves. But I do. And I will be that artist’s warrior as they pursue their dream of singing country music, because their dreams are valid, too,” the singer continued. She then named a number of artists who have supported her and her fellow Black performers, including Kacey Musgraves, Maren Morris, Keith Urban and many more.
Finally, while she stressed that Morgan should face repercussions for his actions, Mickey cautioned her followers against cancel culture.
“Watching anyone fall from grace is a terrible thing to see,” she said. “People must all be given a chance to change. Morgan must feel the weight of his words but completely throwing someone away is detrimental to anyone’s mental health.”
Morgan has already faced serious repercussions for his actions. His record label has “indefinitely” suspended his contract several national radio station chains have pulled his music from their playlists, and CMT announced they’re “in the process of removing his appearances from all of our platforms.”
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.
— Mickey Guyton (@MickeyGuyton) February 3, 2021
By Carena Liptak
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