Vivek Ramaswamy defends country singer canceled for anti-crime, pro-gun anthem: ‘Altar of censorship’

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Jason Aldean talks 50th anniversary of CMA Fest

Jason Aldean shared his excitement about being a part of the 50th CMA Fest with Fox News Digital in June 2023.

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy spoke out in defense of country singer Jason Aldean after his anti-crime, pro-gun song about the 2020 riots sparked outrage online.

"Jason Aldean writes a song defending the values that ALL Americans used to share - faith, family, hard work, patriotism - only to be immediately sacrificed at the altar of censorship & cancellation. These are the same people who cheer songs like ‘Cop Killer’ & the glorification of sex and violence in hip-hop. Stand strong against these hypocrites and opportunist frauds," Ramaswamy told his over 750,000 followers on Twitter. 

"It’d be a real shame if the song hits #1. We’ll do our part & play it at our rallies."

2024 presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy spoke out in defense of country singer Jason Aldean after his anti-crime, pro-gun song about the 2020 riots sparked outrage online. ((LEFT) Jason Kempin // (RIGHT)  Dylan Hollingsworth/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

JASON ALDEAN ADDRESSES CRITICISM OF CONTROVERSIAL COUNTRY MUSIC VIDEO: 'THIS ONE GOES TOO FAR'

Aldean has come under harsh criticism online after his song, "Try That in a Small Town," was accused of being racist.

One particularly viral post with over 43,000 likes on Twitter disparaged Aldean's set choice in the video as the same site that a "white lynch mob" murdered 18-year-old Henry Choate in Columbia, Tenn., in 1927. 

Aldean's video is set in front of the Maury County Courthouse. 

"Jason Aldean shot this at the site where a white lynch mob strung Henry Choate up at the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tenn., after dragging his body through the streets with a car in 1927," Mississippi Free Press editor Ashton Pittman tweeted Monday. "That's where Aldean chose to sing about murdering people who don't respect police."

Aldean pushed back on claims that the song has racial undertones or was in any intended to be racist in messages posted to Instagram and Twitter.

"There is not a single lyric in the song that references race or points to it- and there isn’t a single video clip that isn’t real news footage -and while I can try and respect others to have their own interpretation of a song with music - this one goes too far," he wrote. 

The singer also tweeted that attacks against his song as racist were not supported by evidence. 

"In the past 24 hours I have been accused of releasing a pro-lynching song (a song that has been out since May) and was subject to the comparison that I (direct quote) was not too pleased with the nationwide BLM protests," Aldean shared with his nearly 8 million fans across social media.

"These references are not only meritless, but dangerous."

Brittany Aldean shared a selfie with her husband while on the beach and wrote, "Never apologize for speaking the truth."

COUNTRY SINGER JASON ALDEAN ANGERS LIBERAL ACTIVISTS WITH ANTI-CRIME, PRO-GUN SONG ABOUT 2020 RIOTS

The media coverage against Aldean in wake of his video, originally released in March, has been largely negative. (Monica Murray)

The media coverage against Aldean in wake of his video, originally released in March, has been largely negative.

Variety claimed that the singer was behind the most vile song of this decade, writing, "Jason Aldean Already Had the Most Contemptible Country Song of the Decade. The Video Is Worse." 

CNN called Aldean's song "controversial" in another headline on Wednesday. 

Three days after Aldean's new video was released, CMT pulled the video from rotation.

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Fox News’ Tracy Wright and Kristine Parks contributed to this report.