Darius Rucker says country music ‘still’ carries a ‘stigma of rebel flags and racism’

Country star Darius Rucker said in a recent interview that country music still carries a “stigma” of racism today.

Rucker wrote in a 2021 editorial for The Tennessean that country music has a “stigma of rebel flags and racism.”

In the latest installment of CNN’s “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace,” host Chris Wallace asked Rucker whether this stigma still exists in the genre today.

“It’s still around, you know. You still see it some places, and I don’t think it’s — I don’t think it’s ever gonna go away,” the “Beers and Sunshine” singer said.

When pressed further, Rucker said the stigma was “still” a part of the country, adding that he is “pretty sure it’s still there.”

He also touched on Beyoncé’s newest and first country album, “Cowboy Carter.” Beyoncé became the first Black woman earlier this year to hit No. 1 on the Billboard country albums chart.

“I can’t express enough how big what she did was because she brought so many eyes to the genre. You know, one of the things I love about what Beyoncé did is that, when I started making country music and having hits, I have African American women and men come up to me go, ‘I love country music. I just could never say until now, you’re playing and I can say it,’” Rucker said.

“And she brought I think even more eyes to the genre and more people looking at it. And more Black people going, ‘Alright man, I like country music.’ I always say I want country music to look more like America, and I think she did a lot to make it go that way,” he added.