I basically only know of Jason Aldean because he’s married someone Maren Morris referred to as Insurrectionist Barbie. It’s honestly difficult to keep some of these country bros straight, because it feels like they’re all going to end up disappointing everyone. That being said, the cheatsheet is: Chris Stapleton is a good guy, Luke Combs covered Tracy Chapman and Jason Aldean and his wife are MAGA. Well, we can add something new to our country music crib sheet: Jason Aldean wrote an ode to small-town lynchings. I’m not joking. Here are some of the lyrics to Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town.”

Cuss out a cop, spit in his face
Stomp on the flag and light it up
Yeah, ya think you’re tough

Well, try that in a small town
See how far ya make it down the road
Around here, we take care of our own
You cross that line, it won’t take long
For you to find out, I recommend you don’t
Try that in a small town

Got a gun that my granddad gave me
They say one day they’re gonna round up
Well, that sh-t might fly in the city, good luck
Try that in a small town

See how far ya make it down the road
Around here, we take care of our own
You cross that line, it won’t take long
For you to find out, I recommend you don’t
Try that in a small town

Full of good ol’ boys, raised up right
If you’re looking for a fight
Try that in a small town
Try that in a small town

Try that in a small town
See how far ya make it down the road
Around here, we take care of our own
You cross that line, it won’t take long
For you to find out, I recommend you don’t
Try that in a small town

[Lyrics from Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town”]

There’s nothing quite like a white dude in 2023 mythologizing the most despicable parts of American history. Yes, he’s absolutely describing lynchings and their modern equivalent: violent, targeted hate crimes. Sundown towns still exist, there are still many parts of this country where Black and brown people are targeted for harassment and hate crimes simply for their skin color. Check out where Aldean shot his music video too. Despicable.

Jason Aldean shot this at the site where a white lynch mob strung Henry Choate up at the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tenn., after dragging his body through the streets with a car in 1927.

That’s where Aldean chose to sing about murdering people who don’t respect police. https://t.co/gBL7FlaBS2 pic.twitter.com/eGfmMc8HAI

— Ashton Pittman (@ashtonpittman) July 17, 2023

Just a reminder that Jason Aldean grew up in a city (population approx. 160,000) and now lives in Nashville, TN (population 692,000).

He has no idea what “happens in a small town”, he’s just a racist who writes barely concealed lynching songs. https://t.co/5JvfucZ5cN

— Kendall Brown (@kendallybrown) July 17, 2023

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.