Cassadee Pope Fires Back at Jason Aldean's Controversial Song, Urging Him to Engage in Self-Reflection

Cassadee Pope. AFF-USA/Shutterstock

Cassadee Pope recently criticized Brittany Aldean for her transphobic remarks, and now she is turning her attention towards Brittany's husband, Jason Aldean. On Thursday, July 20, the 33-year-old winner of The Voice tweeted, "I believe that if you have repeatedly been called out for being problematic, it might be a good time to introspect. But hey, who am I to say?"

Jason, a 46-year-old artist, has faced criticism for the lyrics in his latest song "Try That in a Small Town."

With lines like "Engage in confrontation with a police officer, disrespectfully spit in their face / Desecrate the flag and ignite it / It seems like you believe you're courageous," he melodiously expresses. "But attempting such deeds in a close-knit community will surely lead to swift consequences / In this locality, we take responsibility for our own / If you dare to cross that boundary, it won't be long before you learn the hard way / My suggestion would be to refrain from doing so."

Social media users and fellow musicians quickly expressed their criticism towards the song, which appeared to take a stance against both gun control legislation and racial equality. Sheryl Crow, a Missouri native, took to Twitter on Tuesday, July 18, addressing Jason Aldean directly. In her tweet, she emphasized that even residents of small towns, like herself, are tired of violence. Crow made it clear that promoting violence is not representative of small-town values or American ideals. Given Aldean's firsthand experience of surviving a mass shooting, Crow believed he should understand the detrimental nature of such promotion. She concluded by dismissing the song as not only un-American but also unimpressive.

Several hours later on Tuesday, Jason responded to the criticism about his songwriting.

Jason Aldean expressed his frustration on Twitter, stating that he has recently been accused of promoting a pro-lynching song and criticizing the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests. He emphasized that these accusations are baseless and harmful. According to him, the song in question does not mention race in any way and the accompanying video solely consists of real news footage. While he understands that individuals may have their own interpretations of music, he believes that these accusations cross a line.

The country singer also mentioned that the song "Try That In A Small Town" aimed to capture the sense of community he felt while growing up in Georgia. He emphasized how people there tended to look after their neighbors, even if they came from different backgrounds or had different beliefs.

Back in August 2022, Pope had a heated exchange with the Aldeans following Brittany's Instagram post about moving on from her childhood "tomboy phase."

Pope tweeted, criticizing celebrities with beauty brands for not recognizing the importance of including LGBTQ+ individuals in their messaging. She expressed her disappointment in someone comparing their "tomboy phase" to wanting to transition. Brittany, 35, addressed Pope's and Maren Morris's condemnation of her beliefs through her Instagram Story. Throughout the online drama, Jason remained supportive of his wife.

“I will forever stand by my children and take every measure to safeguard their innocence. Just the other day, Memphis expressed his desire to transform into a dinosaur, and tomorrow Navy may wish to embody a feline spirit. After all, they are just children," Brittany penned in her August message, referring to their two offspring shared with Jason. "Certain parents wield an overwhelming desire to gain societal approval, to the extent that they are willing to impose life-altering choices upon their young ones, who have yet to grasp the full consequences of such actions. Love lies in shielding your child until they mature into independent adults capable of making their own life choices."