Morgan Wallen Likely To Face Two Year Career ‘Setback’ After Using Racial Slur

Country music hit-maker Morgan Wallen was recorded using a racial slur earlier this week. Since the release of that video, radio stations dropped his music, his label dropped him, and he was disqualified from the 2021 ACM Awards. Now, a public relations expert is predicting that Wallen will face a two year “setback” for using the N-word.

Public Relations Expert Speaks Out

Eric Schiffer of Reputation Management Consultants told Fox News that Wallen saying the N-word was “lethally stupid for him to do given his rising stature as a country star.”

“Morgan’s case will cause him short-term financial pain,” Schiffer said. “If he reaches out to those in the African American community through action and within media, he should be able to return to his pre-incident levels within a year or two.”

Video footage of Wallen saying the n-word was released on Tuesday. He was then immediately suspended from his record label Big Loud Records, and all of his music was pulled from radio chains iHeartRadio and Cumulus Media. But, it’s still on iTunes.

He’s also been dropped by his talent agency WME.

Related: Racial Slur Gets Chart-Topping Country Music Star Morgan Wallen Banned From Radio

Schiffer Addresses The Incident

Schiffer went on to say that this mistake was particularly bad in the times that we are currently living in.

“This is a case where a heartfelt apology doesn’t take him out of the septic mock of this cancel culture that America lives in,” he said.  “Brands take these types of incidents very seriously and many feel principled that they need to stand up and protect against those kind of actions.”

Schiffer made sure to add that Wallen’s career may not be over for good. 

“It’s a setback but it’s not a blistering catastrophe for the future of his career,” he said. “It is, though, a seismic moment and one that is probably a big wake up call.”

Related: Morgan Wallen Disqualified From American Country Music Awards For Saying The N-Word

Wallen’s Apology

Wallen has already issued an apology for using this racial slur. 

“I’m embarrassed and sorry,” he said. “I used an unacceptable and inappropriate racial slur that I wish I could take back. There are no excuses to use this type of language, ever. I want to sincerely apologize for using the word. I promise to do better.”

Schiffer said that this apology was a good start. 

“He has to let the dust settle and allow the apology to permeate. In time, he’ll find that this moment, if he uses it maturely, can be a period in which he can show a greater level of sensitivity to all racial communities as an icon of country music,” Schiffer said.

“His career’s not done. He took responsibility,” he added. “But he will need to ensure he doesn’t put himself in vulnerable places in the future that alcohol, frankly, can do.”

Schiffer added that if Wallen was his client, he would tell him to “get the drinking in control, reach out to those Black communities and to the labels, and perhaps spend time with those who have suffered from these kinds of experiences.”

“He needs to level with them to understand what they’ve gone through so that he could show he’s developed a greater sensitivity,” he concluded. 

Wallen’s Next Steps

Sheryl Guinn, President of the NAACP Nashville, also agrees Wallen’s apology was a good start. However, she’d like to have a conversation with him about what happened and help him understand why his actions are hurtful.

She says the meeting, either in a private or group setting, would not be about condemnation, but about love.

It remains to be seen whether or not Wallen will be able to bounce back from this, or if he will be cancelled forever.