Morgan Wallen’s label responded to allegations the singer hadn’t followed through with his promise to donate $500,000 to black-led groups after video surfaced of him using the N-word.
The CEO of Wallen’s label Big Loud, Seth England, said that the label (and not Wallen) had donated the $500,000, Rolling Stone magazine reported in a piece published Tuesday. (RELATED: CMT Scrubs Morgan Wallen’s ‘Appearances,’ Record Label Says He’s ‘Suspended Indefinitely’ After Appearing To Use N-Word On Video)
‘Exceptionally misleading’: Morgan Wallen pledged $500k to Black-led groups, but the money seems largely M.I.A. https://t.co/HrTqJB0Rdc
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) September 21, 2021
The outlet reported that England said the alleged $500,000 sum reportedly included “$100,000 earmarked and promised for further donations by year end locally.”
England told the magazine part of Big Loud’s donations, $100,000, was given to an outfit called “Rock Against Racism,” which is a project of 5B Artists + Media, the managers of rock acts like Slipknot and Megadeth. (RELATED: Country Music Legend Reacts To Video Of Morgan Wallen Using The N-Word: ‘It Doesn’t Have A Place’)
The “Rock Against Racism” website said the organization is a “fiscally sponsored project of The Giving Back Fund, a 501(c)(3),” the report noted.
England also claimed that “$300,000” was sent to “BMAC & Other Black Leader’s [sic] organizations of choice,” Rolling Stone reported. The money was reportedly given via the Entertainment Industry Foundation, a Los Angeles nonprofit co-founded by Humphrey Bogart.
The Black Music Action Coalition ( BMAC) said it had only received $165,000 from the singer, calling his promise “exceptionally misleading.”
The group also shared it was “disappointed” in the “Whiskey Glasses” hitmaker because he had allegedly “not used his platform to support any anti-racism endeavors.”
Rolling Stone reported that it reached out to 56 other black charities to ask if they had received any money from Wallen. None responded that they had received a donation from the singer, according to the outlet.
A backlash ensued against the country superstar in January after a video surfaced of him telling his friends to “take care of this p–y-ass n—a” when he had returned home from a night of partying. Wallen has admitted that he was “clearly drunk” during the exchange.
Country Music Television announced in February it was removing the singer’s appearances and music from their stations because of the slur, TMZ reported at the time.
Wallen later posted a video for fans apologizing for using the N-word and explained how he didn’t want fans to defend his “wrong” behavior.