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Bubba Wallace Comments on Tyler Childers’ Surprise New Album, ‘Long Violent History’

Tyler Childers dropped a new, unannounced album “Long Violent History” on Friday. The album is mostly acoustic fiddle music, leading up to the album’s title track. The song speaks to social injustice and racial inequality. Bubba Wallace has long been a fan and friend of Tyler Childers and tweeted his comments following the release.

Wallace hints that he spoke with Childers the previous week. He implies the singer gave him some insight that his upcoming album may cause a range of reactions.

Bubba Wallace adds that he is wowed by the album and video shared by Childers. He says he is “super proud” of his friend and encourages fans and followers to listen.

Fans loved hearing of the interaction between the two stars. One user comments, “Okay there is nothing more exciting to me than Bubba and Tyler talking 🥺”

Tyler Childers’ Message About The Album

Not only has the album caused mixed opinions, but a video by Childers following the album’s release has also caused a commotion. “A writer can write an essay, but the writer can never predict or control how that essay is interpreted by the reader,” Childers starts, as an allusion to his own “essay” in the form of music. Tyler Childers understands that interpretations will vary and it’s necessary for him to give more explanation.

He explains the album, his intentions in his “observational piece,” and challenges listeners to fight for unity. Our inability to empathize during this time of confusion due to the novel coronavirus is one difficulty he highlights. Childers says, “in the midst of our own daily struggles, it’s often hard to have an understanding for what another person might be going through.”

He challenges his “white rural listeners” to empathize and position themselves in similar situations within their own lives. Childers gives relatable examples to imagine like reaching in a tackle box, to help listeners imagine innocent situations that have ended in violence.

Moreover, Childers gives a few ways for Southern white citizens to begin to remedy the situation and fight for change. “We can start looking for ways to preserve our heritage outside lazily defending a flag with history steeped in racism and treason,” Childers says. He gives examples of other incredible pieces of southern culture that don’t marginalize and hurt groups of Americans.

He also tells listeners to use their right to vote to elect leaders who will fight for change. “We can use our voting power to get rid of the people in power who have let this go unnoticed,” Childers says.

It appears Childers has selected to turn off viewers’ ability to comment, as the section below the video says “Comments are turned off.” No critiques, appreciation, or arguments are visible below the Youtube video.

Childers calls for unity rather than further division even through disagreements of today’s wild world. He ends the video looking straight into the camera, saying, “Love each other, no exceptions. And remember, united we stand, divided we fall.”

“A Long Violent History” Surprise Album’s Powerful Lyrics

The surprise album originally led to excitement from many, though as listeners made their way to the last song’s lyrics, reactions grew more divided. The album includes eight songs of lively fiddle music, all instrumental with no words. The instrumentals all lead to the album’s title track that emphatically urges listeners to rethink inequality.

The lyrics speak to biases masking the truth. “There’s updated footage, wild speculation / Tall tales, and hearsay, and absolute lies,” the first chorus says, speaking of videos of violence and the twisted tellings of events.

The song goes on to mention Tyler Childers’ experience with the judgment he has faced due to how he looks and where he’s from. He sings, “In all my born days as a white boy from Hickman / Based on the way that the world’s been to me / It’s called me belligerent, It’s took me for ignorant”

He’s explaining that, of course, people have judged him for his small-town Kentucky roots. Childers says that people have called him belligerent and ignorant, but he recognizes those struggles of judgment can’t even compare to Black Americans’ daily fears. The lyrics continue to emphasize that message: “But it ain’t never once made me scared just to be”

He even goes so far as to allude to George Floyd’s death fight for air. The incident in which a cop knelt on Floyd’s neck for over eight minutes is seemingly referenced in the chorus. “Kicking, and fighting, and begging to breathe,” Childers sings.

Tyler Childers’ is far from the first country artist to comment on social injustice. Earlier this summer, Chris Stapleton gave his thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement. Dolly Parton has also commented, saying, “Of course Black lives matter. Do we think our little white a–es are the only ones that matter? No!”

Bubba Wallace Long Time Fan of Tyler Childers

This tweet is not Bubba Wallace’s first mention of folk musician Tyler Childers. In an interview with GQ, the driver says he says music helps him get his ‘game face on.’

Wallace adds he listens to “Tyler Childers a lot,” but “wouldn’t consider him country,” he adds. Wallace continues speaking about his listening trends, saying, “Chris Stapleton a little bit, I love Chris Stapleton.”

The driver clarifies he’s not a fan of the new pop-country “mainstream” tunes. The acoustic beauty of Tyler Childers, Chris Stapleton, and Colter Wall is what gets him out of his “funks,” and gets him “in the racing mood.”