Kid Rock’s Rock the Country festival will have one less rapper on it.
A rep confirmed that Ludacris will not be performing at the festival, which is headlined by Rock, a known MAGA supporter, and features performers like Jason Aldean, Jelly Roll, Miranda Lambert and more. According to Rolling Stone, Ludacris’ rep said the rapper’s inclusion was “a mix-up. Lines got crossed, and he wasn’t supposed to be on there.”
Luda’s longtime manager, Chaka Zulu, told AllHipHop, “We are not on that show.”
The festival, which was launched in 2024 by Kid Rock, features several conservative-leaning acts and during the inaugural show, President Donald Trump introduced Rock before his performance, and Jason Adcock, who is slated to perform at this year’s festival, told the crowd, “F–k Joe Biden” among other derogatory terms.
One person who is remaining on the bill is Nelly. The St. Louis rapper performed on the inaugural “Rock The Country” festival and will return this year. He defended his position for performing at Donald Trump’s inauguration in 2025, saying, “I was born in a military base in Austin. My father served, my grandfather served, my uncle served, my auntie served. I’ve been entertaining the troops all over this world.”
The backlash from Ludacris’ then involvement with the festival swelled almost immediately, with fans left confused and wondering why the “Southern Hospitality” rapper would include himself on this particular festival bill.
“Ludacris gon be like ‘What’s Your Fantasy, ‘ and the audience finna be like ‘a white ethnostate,” one commentator wrote on X.
Another user wrote, “Jelly Roll always seemed like a genuinely good guy but I just knew deep down he had to be a punk. Smdh. But LUDACRIS?? My dude…. The hip-hop community’s descent into MAGA needs to be studied….”
To artists like Kid Rock, the festival means something different, despite some perceived conservative undertones.
“It’s this simple. Rock the Country isn’t just a music festival; it’s a movement,” he said in a statement. “In 2026, as America celebrates its 250th anniversary, this is a place for hard-working, God-fearing patriots to gather as one and celebrate freedom, music, and the party of the year”.
Now one Atlanta rapper won’t be tied to it.
