Morgan Wallen asks fans to stop defending him in apology video for using racial slur

• Morgan Wallen posted a new apology video to Instagram. 
• He said he was on “hour 72 of a 72-hour bender” when he was filmed shouting the N-word.
• The singer asked fans not to defend him: “I fully accept any penalties I’m facing.”
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Morgan Wallen has apologized and asked fans not to defend him in a new five-minute video posted to Instagram a week after being caught using the N-word on video.

Wallen, 27, was a rising star in the country music scene but quickly lost support from all sides of the industry after TMZ published the footage of him using the slur. His label, Big Loud Records, suspended his record contract, and radio stations across the country have pulled his music from their playlists.

“The video you saw was me on hour 72 of a 72-hour bender, and that’s not something I’m proud of either,” Wallen said in the apology video.

The singer continued to say that he has taken his time to issue a statement because he wanted to make personal apologies to his family and seek guidance from “Black organizations and executives and leaders” who he has spent the last week engaging in “real and honest conversations” about his behavior. 

He said: “I let so many people down. I let my parents down, and they’re the furthest thing from the person in that video. And I let my son down, and I’m not OK with that. So this week, I’ve been waiting to say anything further until I got the chance to apologize to those closest to me that I knew I personally hurt.”  

"This week, I heard first-hand some personal stories from Black people that honestly shook me. I came away from those discussions with a deep appreciation for them and a clearer understanding of the weight of my words. I wish the circumstances were different for me to learn these things, but I'm also glad it started the process for me to do so."

Wallen ended the apology video by saying that he is nine days sober and acknowledged any fans of his music who "still see something" in him but asked for them to not support him at this time. 

"I appreciate those who still see something in me and have defended me," he said. "But for today, please don't. I was wrong. It's on me. I take ownership for this and I fully accept any penalties I'm facing. The timing of my return is solely on me and the work I put in."

After being dropped by his label, Billboard reported that Wallen's radio airplay has slumped, but his music sales have surged by a huge 339%. 

Earlier this week, Wallen's sister posted a statement to Instagram where she defended the singer. She said: "Cancel culture is the worst thing that has come out of our digital world. It leaves no room for forgiveness and growth, in turn, leaving no opportunity for individuals who have made mistakes to learn from them." 

You can watch the full video down below:

A post shared by Morgan Wallen (@morganwallen)