Over the weekend, the Billboard Music Awards took over social media. Fans were impressed by Megan Thee Stallion’s performance and Silk Sonic’s mesmerizing throwback left everyone in awe. But maybe the most talked-about part of the show, other than Sean “Diddy” Combs’ job as a host, was the inclusion of country music star Morgan Wallen at the show.
In February 2021, Wallen was caught on video hurling the n-word like he was Kendrick Lamar and Taylour Paige on “We Cry Together” for crying out loud.
Surprisingly, country music’s response was swift, his music stopped being played on radio stations and his record deal with Big Loud Label was suspended (although fans still supported him as his album sales catapulted after the controversy).
He apparently was educated by the NAACP and BeBe Winans on why the n-word is bad, which is weird in itself, but we really have no idea if that really accomplished anything.
But over the weekend, Wallen returned to the awards show stage and many fans noticed the BBMA’s efforts to “un-cancel” him.
Diddy said days before the award show, according to Billboard, “one of the things I’m doing directly is un-canceling the canceled.”
Fans weren’t only frustrated because Wallen performed multiple songs and also won an award, but during the same award show, they were remembering the victims of the Buffalo, New York mass shooting. The terrorist act left 10 people dead and is being called a hate crime because a majority of the victims were Black.
Also during the show, Black social justice activist Tamika Mallory was honored with the REVOLT Black Excellence Award.
People on social media were not happy and called out the award show for being tone-deaf.
One Twitter user wrote, “diddy “uncanceling” morgan wallen and having him perform at the show while awarding tamika mallory an award for her dedication to activism makes no sense.”
Another person tweeted, “Morgan Wallen just accepted the Billboard Award for best male country artist like no one even cares that he throw around the N-word like it’s no big deal. This country really dgaf about combating white supremacy.”
Another Twitter user questioned, “yall letting mr racist win??”
Despite some of the backlash, the BBMA’s and Diddy have not come out acknowledging their tone-deafness and maybe they don’t care. Maybe they just wanted to put on a good show.