According to Darius Rucker, it is time to forgive Morgan Wallen

Is there anyone in society more persecuted than a celebrity canceled three years ago? Never mind that Morgan Wallen is the biggest star in country music and one of the most successful current working musicians, period. According to Darius Rucker (a.k.a. Mr. Hootie & the Blowfish), more of us should open our hearts and minds to the guy following his getting caught saying a racial slur on camera in 2021.

“I think Morgan’s become a better person since that,” Rucker states on a recent episode of Rolling Stone’s Music Now podcast (via Entertainment Weekly). “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, better way.”

Wallen did face career consequences after the N-word controversy, including suspension from his record label contract and being disqualified from the 2021 Academy of Country Music Awards. Wallen apologized for the incident and his career has continued apace. His albums have topped the charts, he’s broken Billboard records, and he currently has a hit song with Post Malone. In Rucker’s own words, “No one’s selling more tickets than Morgan,” and yet somehow “he’s not forgiven” by the country music establishment.

For example, “He’s still not out for CMAs and ACMs,” Rucker says. Wait, hasn’t he been nominated for multiple awards at both ceremonies since the scandal, and in fact won Album of the Year at the ACMs 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 asserts. Uhh, Wallen was up for entertainer of the year at both ceremonies for the past two years. He even won Male Artist of the Year at the 2023 ACMs. What gives, dude?

“That’s society. What I think doesn’t matter,” Rucker concludes. “People are gonna make their own opinions and stay with it.” That’s true! Some people even make their own realities, wherein poor canceled musicians languish in scorned obscurity rather than being the—wait, let’s check our notes here—“most nominated artist at the 2024 Academy of Country Music Awards ceremony.” Huh. That can’t be the same unforgiven Morgan Wallen to whom Darius Rucker refers, right? Right?