Jason Aldean Says His Blackface Halloween Costume ‘Had Zero Malicious Intent’

Shortly after Halloween in 2015, a photo of Jason Aldean wearing blackface as part of his costume for the holiday began circulating online. Although one of the singer's representatives confirmed that the picture was, indeed, of Aldean, the country star himself stayed silent about the incident, until now. In a new interview with Billboard, Aldean addresses his decision to wear blackface as part of his costume, and says that there was "zero malicious intent" behind his choice.

“In this day and age, people are so sensitive that no matter what you do, somebody is going to make a big deal out of it,” Aldean tells the magazine, explaining that he found the Lil Wayne costume in a store, and that his wife, Brittany Kerr, who is a makeup artist, painted his face so that he could celebrate Halloween with his friends without being recognized.

"I get that race is a touchy subject, but not everybody is that way. Media tends to make a big deal out of things," Aldean adds. "If that was disrespectful to anyone, I by all means apologize. That was never my intention. It never crossed my mind.”

Blackface makeup is commonly considered highly disrespectful in today’s society; however, according to a Huffington Post / YouGov poll, 55 percent of Americans say they’re okay with people wearing whatever they want on Halloween, even if it may be offensive to others. In 2013, Julianne Hough was criticized for dressing as “Crazy Eyes” from Orange Is the New Black because she used dark makeup to complete her costume. She later apologized.

On Sept. 9, Aldean will release his seventh studio album, They Don’t Know. He’s currently on the road, wrapping up his 2016 Six String Circus Tour.

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