Country music star Morgan Wallen has reportedly failed to follow-up with progressive racial activist group the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or the NAACP, after expressing interest in meeting with the group in relation to a leaked video of Wallen calling his white friend the N-word and other expletives.
According to a TMZ report, a Nashville NAACP branch is claiming Wallen snubbed the group after their teams agreed to a sit-down:
According to NAACP Nashville President Sheryl Guinn … after her branch reached out to the country singer in February, she says his team expressed interest in scheduling a sit-down because they claimed he felt terrible about using a racial slur and wanted to make amends.
Guinn tells us both sides agreed to a meeting that was likely to include multiple Black leaders, as well as several people accompanying Morgan … all they had to do was iron out the details.
However, we’re told Wallen’s team went silent after that initial phone call, and there’s been no effort by Morgan to make it happen … along with no explanation.
“The NAACP Prez says her Nashville chapter never pressured the country star for a face-to-face, but simply wanted to make itself available because he publicly expressed a desire to educate himself,” the TMZ report added. “Guinn tells us her hope was to help Wallen become an advocate for Black equality and enlist his fans to do so as well.”
As highlighted by TMZ, Wallen disclosed to fans via social media posts and videos that he did meet with black activist leaders following the leaked video and learned from the experience. He also took months off from performing, only just recently popping up in a Nashville bar.
The video, which was secretly recorded by a neighbor and released to the tabloids in February, showed Wallen on an alcohol-induced bender calling his friend a “p****-a** n****.”
Wallen was immediately pulled by Cumulus Media’s 400-plus stations, SiriusXM, and Pandora, and disqualified from performing at or receiving any recognition at the Academy of Country Music Awards (CMAs).
In an apology video published in February, Wallen told fans, “The video you saw was me on hour 72 of a bender, and that’s not something I’m proud of either. Obviously, the natural thing to do is to apologize further and continue to apologize because you got caught, and that’s not what I wanted to do.”
“I let so many people down who mean a lot to me, who have given so much to me, it’s just not fair,” he said. “I let my parents down and they’re the furthest thing from the person in that video. I let my son down and I’m not OK with that.”
The 27-year-old said he was offered the opportunity to have “some very real and honest conversations” with leaders of various black organizations, according to Fox News.
“This week I heard firsthand some personal stories from Black people that honestly shook me,” Wallen explained. “And I know what I’m going through this week doesn’t even compare to some of the trials I about from them. I came away from those discussions with a deep appreciation for them and a clearer understanding of the weight of my words.”
Related: The Musicians Supporting Morgan Wallen Following Deplatforming Over Leaked N-Word Video