During a recent performance in Knoxville, Tennessee, country music star Hardy didn’t hold back, delivering a fiery pro-America message that sent his audience into roaring applause.
As videos of the performance began making the rounds on social media, it became clear that Hardy wasn’t afraid to say what so many Americans feel when they hear the constant barrage of negativity about the country. And boy, did he deliver.
While introducing his song “God’s Country,” which he co-wrote with Blake Shelton, Hardy took a moment to address a growing issue: the increasing disdain some Americans seem to have for their own country. “Especially this year with all the crazy sh** going on, I see a lot of people posting and talking sh** about living in the United States of America and being a United States citizen,” Hardy said. But what came next fired up the crowd. Without missing a beat, he responded to those critics, saying, “And to that I say, ‘f*** you.’” Unsurprisingly, the crowd erupted in cheers.
He continued with a message that strikes right at the heart of the American spirit: “If you don’t like living here, then go fing live somewhere else, motherfer. The United States is the greatest country on this planet, period. … I’m damn proud to live in this country, I’m damn proud of it.” There’s no sugarcoating here—Hardy’s words were a raw, unapologetic defense of America, and it’s exactly the kind of rhetoric many Americans have been longing to hear.
His comments come at a time when it feels like loving your country is somehow controversial, especially among Hollywood elites and some musicians. Hardy, however, isn’t playing that game. He made it clear that the freedoms Americans enjoy didn’t come for free. “We’ve got people that work their fin’ a off every day of their life, put their life on the f**ing line so we can go to concerts in Neyland Stadium… and that’s a country I like to call ‘God’s Country.’”
Preach it. 🇺🇸 // https://t.co/hm9LHw1Tsk @HardyMusic @MorganWallen
🎥: Alexa.becker (TikTok) https://t.co/Dpfiq0wGdz pic.twitter.com/xbdLXvxzDy
— Whiskey Riff (@WhiskeyRiff) September 24, 2024
In a culture where some artists like rap star Macklemore are encouraging their fans to chant “F*** America” at their concerts—such as Macklemore’s recent performance at the “Palestine Will Live Forever Festival” in Seattle—it’s refreshing to hear someone like Hardy take a strong stand in favor of this country. While some in the entertainment world are quick to criticize the United States, Hardy is among the few bold enough to remind people that we live in the greatest country in the world.
Born in Mississippi, Hardy has deep roots in American country music. Before stepping into the spotlight, he helped write songs for big-name acts like Florida Georgia Line, Blake Shelton, and Thomas Rhett. But now, with his own chart-topping hits like “Truck Bed” and “Give Heaven Some Hell,” Hardy’s message is reaching an even wider audience. His latest album, The Mockingbird & the Crow, hit number one on the country music charts in 2023, solidifying his place as one of the genre’s biggest names.
Hardy’s words resonated with thousands in Knoxville and many more online because they represent what so many Americans feel but rarely hear on the big stage: pride in their country. It’s a sentiment that’s being drowned out by too many voices tearing it down. But Hardy isn’t having any of it. He’s proud to be American, and he’s not afraid to say it.
