EXCLUSIVE: Ludacris Backs Out of “MAGA-Adjacent” Country Festival After Fans Drag Him
Ludacris almost had the internet in full meltdown mode.
The Atlanta rap legend was announced earlier this week as part of the lineup for Kid Rock and Jason Aldean’s “Rock The Country” tour, a country music festival that critics have labeled “MAGA-adjacent” and basically a pro-Trump party with guitars.
But after days of serious backlash from fans, Luda is officially out.
Rolling Stone confirmed Friday that Ludacris was quietly removed from the festival’s promotional material, and according to his camp, it was all just a big misunderstanding.
“Lines got crossed and he wasn’t supposed to be on there,” a spokesperson for the rapper said.
In other words: he never agreed to perform.
Now, if you know the culture, you know why fans were confused and upset in the first place.
This is the same festival the New York Times described as “a vision of the MAGA movement in pure party mode,”where the shows feel less like concerts and more like full-on Trump rallies with a soundtrack. So when Ludacris’ name popped up on the flyer, people immediately thought something was off.
And Twitter did not hold back.
“I really thought this was a joke. It’s not,” one fan posted.
Another begged, “Nooooo…. Not you Ludacris. Tell me they put your name on here without you knowing it.”
Others went even further, accusing him of switching sides politically and calling for boycotts. It got ugly fast.
For context, the tour features artists like Creed, Shinedown, Brantley Gilbert, Jelly Roll, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Brooks & Dunn, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and yes, Nelly is still on the lineup.
But Ludacris is not.
According to insiders, once the backlash started building, his team made it clear he had nothing to do with the booking and quickly pulled him from the show. The festival’s organizers have not disputed that explanation.
Let’s just say this: Ludacris is not trying to be on anybody’s MAGA stage.
He has built his brand and legacy around the culture, the people, and the community that supported him from day one. And the idea that he would suddenly pop up at a Trump-adjacent country party did not sit right with fans.
Apparently, it did not sit right with him either.
So for everyone who was worried, dragging, or side-eyeing:
It was a mix-up. Luda is out. And the streets can relax.