Rising star Adeem the Artist sings message to Jason Aldean for 'profiting off bigotry'

Before Adeem the Artist pressed "publish" on their satirical social media cover of Jason Aldean's new controversial song, the acclaimed Knoxville singer-songwriter took upwards of 45 minutes to decide if this strategy was best.

"In some ways, it's just Jason Aldean profiting off of bigotry," Adeem the Artist, whose real name is Adeem Bingham, told Knox News. "Could I have tried to host a dialogue in a different way that invited conversation rather than snarky criticism? Yes. Would it have gotten more than 100 impressions on social media? No."

It was a conflicting moment for Bingham, a nonbinary musician who uses they/them pronouns and has taken the queer country movement by storm in the past year.

On one hand, a strong message is only as effective as the number of people who hear it. On the other hand, the approach admittedly could be viewed as cheap − though not as cheap as creating a provocative song that leans more into divisive politics than musicianship, they said.

Jason Aldean's 'Try That in A Small Town' becomes 'Sundown Town'

Aldean's "Try That In A Small Town" tells the story of "good ol' boys" taking matters in their own hands in response to actions that include cussing out cops or stomping on the American flag − both expressions of free speech, Bingham noted, and certainly not acts that should be punishable by violence.

Country Music Television is no longer airing the music video for "Try That In A Small Town," which sparked criticism after its release July 14.

Bingham is not afraid to equate Aldean's lyrics to lynching, which simply is defined as a mob killing without legal permission.

Their cover shared to Twitter had 452,000 views, nearly 5,000 likes and nearly 250 comments as of noon July 21. Bingham titled the NSFW song "Sundown Town" in reference to towns that exclude nonwhite people through segregation, intimidation and violence.

The song is not a direct cover of Aldean's tune − that is, the chords, cadence and lyrics are different. But the message, though told from a different perspective, resembles the original.

"We all wear boots and we love to shoot, and we root for the cops to stop people like you," Bingham sings. "This is a sundown town. Oh baby, it's a sundown town. You better never let the sun go down on you here, brother, or the guns come out."

Bingham also calls out country singers who do not write their own songs, with the lyrics: "I just read the words and say, 'Yeah, that one's good.' As long as it implies a gown and a hood."

Viewers also noted that scenes in Aldean's video were shot at the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee, where a Black man named Henry Choate, 18, was lynched in 1927. The site is also where the Columbia Race Riot occurred in 1946.

Standing up for country music as the 'genre of our nation'

This isn't the first time Bingham has called out country stars and their belief systems through song.

Bingham's song "I Wish You Would've Been a Cowboy" from the 2021 release "Cast Iron Pansexual" directly references how they believe Toby Keith's legacy has left a stain on country music.

Bingham has worked to show the world that country music − the "genre of our nation" − is far more diverse in its artists and its stories than what's commonly heard on the radio. Their efforts have been working, as Bingham recently graced the Grand Ole Opry stage after receiving critical acclaim for their most recent album, "White Trash Revelry."

This recognition led to Bingham being invited to open for the likes of Jason Isbell, Josh Ritter, American Aquarium and The Mountain Goats.

"I think in a lot of ways, it’s a moment where there’s a lot of work that needs to be done within the culture of country music that a lot of people are paying attention to for the first time," Bingham told Knox News podcast "The Scruffy Stuff" earlier this year. "And I’m addressing a lot of those issues and addressing a lot of that work, I would say, in a way that is not patronizing.

"I didn’t make a record to paint myself as one of the woke whites who’s gonna save the country or anything like that. I made a record to try and, as compassionately as possible, really reflect on, 'Where have I come from?'"

Adeem the Artist looks outside Knoxville for a place to call home

But the truth is, where Bingham came from is changing in ways that are too big to ignore.

"Dismantling white supremacy, for me, is a major part of honoring my ancestors," Bingham said. "It is the work of honoring the people who did dishonorable things out of ignorance or out of spite or whatever. Its my birthright. It's my inheritance.”

Bingham believes enough progress is being made in country music that the Aldean controversy shouldn't be a step back. But their home state of Tennessee − the epicenter of the genre − seems to be retreating, they said.

The Tennessean reported in June that state officials are considering appealing a ruling that declared unconstitutional Tennessee’s controversial new law restricting sexually explicit performances with male and female impersonators – including some traditional drag shows – where children are present.

Bingham has been floating the idea of moving to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for a while now. It's getting to the point where they don't see a way around it.

"I've got a kid that uses different pronouns," Bingham said. "There's no way we can stay here. ... There are so many things about this place that I'm enamored with, and it breaks my heart to think I will have to go find a new place to call home. But it's a town that has not made any deliberate actions toward fostering a safer space for queer people or for artists."

But with a break in their touring schedule, Knoxville soon will have an opportunity to see Bingham in their hometown with a performance at Barley's Taproom & Pizzeria on July 28.

Starting Sept. 29 through Oct. 21, they embark on their headlining "White Trash Revelry" tour.

Journalists with USA TODAY and The Tennessean contributed to this report

Ryan Wilusz is a downtown growth and development reporter. Phone 865-317-5138. Email ryan.wilusz@knoxnews.com. Instagram @knoxscruff. 

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Adeem the Artist responds to Jason Aldean with 'Sundown Town'