Darius Rucker has asked for forgiveness for Morgan Wallen.
The Hootie and the Blowfish singer insisted the country star has become a “better person” since his 2021 racism scandal – in which he was caught on camera hurling a racial slur at one of his companions as he returned home after a night of drinking – and believes the time has come for him to receive recognition for his music and huge success.
In the podcast “Rolling Stone Music Now” he said: “I think Morgan has become a better person since then.
“I’ve known Morgan for a long time. Since everything that happened, Morgan has really tried to improve himself, become a better person and see the world in a much better, brighter way.
“And you know, he’s not forgiven. He’s still not nominated for the CMAs and ACMs. They can say what they want, but the fact that Morgan Wallen isn’t nominated for Entertainer of the Year and things like that is crazy. Nobody sells more tickets than Morgan.”
After video footage of the incident circulated online, Morgan was suspended from his record label contract, removed from radio stations, and disqualified from the 2021 Academy of Country Music Awards.
“Last Night” later admitted that there was “no excuse” for using the insult and that he was “angry” at himself for “messing up” so much.
He said: “There is no excuse. I have never sought an excuse. And I will never seek an excuse.”
“I’ve talked to a lot of people and heard stories about things I would never have thought of because I wasn’t the one who went through it.
“And I think in my heart I was never the guy that people made me out to be, so I was kind of like, ‘Damn, I’m actually a little mad about this because I know I shouldn’t have said that, but I’m really not that guy.’
“I put myself in such a shitty position, you know? Like, ‘You really screwed up here, man.’ If I was that guy, I wouldn’t have cared. I wouldn’t have apologized. I wouldn’t have done any of that if I was really the guy people said I was.”
