“These ‘Country Boys’ Been Singing Over Trap Beats For Years” – Charley Crockett Goes Scorched Earth On Country Music’s “Bro Country Era,” Calls Out Morgan Wallen While Defending Beyonce

Charley Crockett evidently felt like preaching today.

The Texas native is coming off the release of his new album Dollar A Day, which happens to be the fifth album that he’s dropped in just a matter of two years. That’s just another example of Crockett doing things his own way, and every project that he puts out being a melting pot of country, blues and his Gulf country sound.

And you know what he pairs with his signature sound? Lyrics that often aren’t afraid to call out the Nashville Music Machine and the current state of country music. Charley Crockett has no issue at all crafting songs that are inspired by his real life business dealings in the Nashville area (see “Music City U.S.A.,” or “Game I Can’t Win.”)

With his mind always thinking about the inner workings of the music industry, and Charley himself dealing with plenty of bad apples in Music City, he mostly lets the world know how he feels through his music. However, he changed things up today when he sent out a post on his Instagram account that set out to do a number of different things.

First off, he defended Beyonce’s recent presence in the country music genre and sorta called out Morgan Wallen without actually mentioning him by name:

“Hey country folks. Beyonce ain’t the source of your discontent. It was 25 years of bro country. The number one country artist on Earth listen’s to nothing but rap. Openly says he doesn’t really know any country music. Gotta respect his honesty.

The machine points to a black woman who’s making a statement about marginalized people being removed from the conversation altogether, and somehow we all act like the entire pop industry didn’t just ambush roots music. These ‘country boys’ been singing over trap beats for years.”

Morgan Wallen did, in fact, admit that he doesn’t listen to country music all that much.

Charley wasn’t done there, though… he was actually just getting started. The “Man From Waco” singer went to pull back the curtain a bit on how the Nashville Music Machine works (as he often does), and said that “business folks” tried to just get him to put his face and voice on albums that were already made:

“So what’s different now? Authenticity. Many of those business folks called me early on. They had whole albums pre-written and recorded ready to just plug me in. I have receipts. It’s harder than ever to keep the public’s attention. They said and I quote, ‘We wanna get into country music where you have audience loyalty.’ Hot today, forgot tomorrow. I don’t need to put down a black woman to advance my music. That’s just embarrassing to the idea of America and I got no respect for it.”

That last part right there could be a possible shot at Gavin Adcock, since he’s been an artist that has more recently put down Beyonce and likely benefited (at least streaming wise) from doing so.

Charley Crockett then stuck his landing by defending another black artist that has recently dipped into the country music scene: Texas rapper BigXThaPlug. And to be fair, BigXThaPlug isn’t trying to “go country” per se, he’s still rapping. He’s just collaborating with a bunch of country artists, who are singing on the choruses of this upcoming project. Similar to how Diplo and other EDM DJs have done in the past.

Charley explained why he likes listening to the rapper’s music, and then finished his post off by once again saying he doesn’t like to be put in a box, so to speak, by the music industry:

“Somebody asked me why I listen to BigXThaPlug the other day. Easy. He’s genuine. A true story teller. The best hip hop sound to come out of Texas in this century. The challenges country music faces aren’t unique. It’s an issue in every genre.

I don’t have a problem with Americana. I have a problem with being compartmentalized by the music business. Outlaw as a sub genre of country was artists standing up for their rights against a rigid system. Ain’t no reason to imitate Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson if you ain’t about the fight. Texas forever.”

Would you say that Charley Crockett covered all the bases that he wanted to with that social media post?

It was a lot to take in all at once, and it’ll be interesting to see the response that the 41-year-old artist get to the thoughts that he shared. I mean… going after Morgan Wallen, “Bro Country,” and potentially Gavin Adcock all at once? While defending Beyonce’s place in country music? I think some traditional country fans look to Charley, as a mixed-race man, to defend the integrity of country music from the likes of Beyonce (who said herself that Cowboy Carter isn’t a country album), and other pop acts like Shaboozey, in an effort to prove that it’s not about race. But that just blew up in their face. Charley certainly isn’t wrong about the hip hop presence that has been all over the country charts for years now, but at the same time, does that mean anyone and everyone gets a pass? I’d argue it’s a little more nuanced than that.

Either way, if Crockett was trying to get his point across and challenge the viewpoints of country music fans, I’d say he successfully accomplished both. Good thing he’s used to ruffling feathers. But at the end of the day, Charley isn’t going to play anyone’s game… not the genre game, not the Music Row game, and certainly not the “choose a side” game when it comes to conversations about the boundaries of traditional country music.