In the wake of an explosive video which showed Morgan Wallen using the “N word,” the NAACP has offered to extend the country singer some grace. The Nashville branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People says it would help educate the singer on his use of the slur.
First reported by local TV station WSMV-TV, Nashville NAACP president Sheryl Guinn says in order for Wallen to learn from the ugly episode, he needs to understand why it was offensive in the first place.
“Even when you look at the other words that were spoken, that one has a certain venom to it that the words just don’t have,” Guinn says, referencing a video which showed Wallen outside his Nashville home after a night of drinking. “Because he was such a prominent celebrity and an artist here in Nashville, I mean he’s living here, we would love for him to have that conversation with us. We invite him to come and have that conversation with us, the NAACP, as to why that word is so hurtful.”
The video, filmed by neighbors because Wallen and a group of friends were being loud and disruptive, was originally published by TMZ on Wednesday night. Since then, much of the country industry has turned its back on Wallen, with country radio removing his music from playlists and his record label suspending him indefinitely. It was also reported that the Academy of Country Music has removed Wallen from consideration for this year’s award show.
Morgan Wallen was on top of the genre at the time, with his sophomore album Dangerous: The Double Album, leading the all-genre Billboard 200 for a third week, and many more accolades related to the 30+ song project. Wallen issued an apology right after the story broke, but has remained silent ever since.
“I’m embarrassed and sorry,” he said in a statement to TMZ. “I used an unacceptable and inappropriate racial slur that I wish I could take back. There are no excuses to use this type of language, ever. I want to sincerely apologize for using the word. I promise to do better.”