Singer-songwriter and reigning "king of country music" Brad Paisley released his much-anticipated ninth studio album on Tuesday, April 9.
The album was recorded entirely in Paisley's Tennessee home because he wanted to work at all hours to produce the best album possible.
As expected, the album went viral, selling more than 100,000 copies and reaching the number one spot on country music charts. What was not expected was the firestorm of controversy that has swept the nation in regards to Paisley's duet with LL COOL J.
Paisley and COOL J co-wrote the fourteenth track on the album, "Accidental Racist." The two superstars came together to show that if a cowboy from the south can unite with a rapper from New York, then the entire nation should be able to put aside their differences and join together as one.
They have received criticism for some of the lyrical choices in the song, including a line by COOL J saying, "If you don't judge my gold chains/I'll forget the iron chains." Many find this attitude to be careless, saying that slavery is not something that can simply be forgotten.
Paisley and COOL J defend the track by affirming it was not their intention to solve anything, they just wanted to start a conversation.
While a guest on "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno, COOL J defended his intention behind the lyrics.
"I would never ever, ever suggest to anyone that we should just forget slavery and act like that didn't happen. I understand the systemic racism that exists, I get that," COOL J said. " But you know what, if the playing field is unleveled and if you feel it is unfair, then maybe putting down some of that baggage will help you make it up that hill a little easier."
Paisley also paid a visit to "The Tonight Show" to discuss his motives behind "Accidental Racist."
"Really what we're trying to do is explore what happens when two people have a dialogue...We don't expect to get the answers in this song, 'cause it's not perfect. But it is honest and it comes from a good place," he said.
Like most people who have heard this track, UNCW students have been reacting strongly to the controversy.
"The fact that this guy in the song is trying to think about himself as a 'white man' and see another perspective, that's admirable to me," said sophomore George Daniel, a member of the UNCW Black Student Union, after hearing the song.
Freshman Katie Merritt acknowledged this song isn't a solution, but it's the first step to bringing this country together and defeating racism.
"In this song, you're not going to get the answers, but at least it starts somewhere," Merritt said.
This song definitely has people talking, and a conversation has indeed been started about racism in the world today. In his smash hit "This is Country Music," Paisley makes a point that country music is the genre bold enough to touch on subjects other artists are too scared to talk about, and with "Accidental Racist," he has done just that.
