{"id":413915,"date":"2026-01-16T21:11:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T21:11:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/413915\/"},"modified":"2026-01-16T21:11:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T21:11:08","slug":"ludacris-drops-off-2026-rock-the-country-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/413915\/","title":{"rendered":"Ludacris Drops Off 2026 Rock the Country Tour"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tRock the Country<\/a>, the country-music festival launched in 2024 by headliner Kid Rock, announced its 2026 lineup on Monday. Rock was again atop the bill, along with fellow MAGA supporter Jason Aldean, and a vast undercard that included everyone from Creed and Shinedown to Gavin Adcock<\/a>, Brantley Gilbert, and Nelly. Ludacris<\/a>\u2019 name was also on the poster \u2014 until this morning.<\/p>\n

\n\tA rep for Rock the Country confirmed that Ludacris was no longer on the festival and directed Rolling Stone to the rapper\u2019s team \u201cfor any additional comments.\u201d A rep for Ludacris told Rolling Stone that the inclusion of the rapper was \u201ca mix-up. Lines got crossed, and he wasn\u2019t supposed to be on there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tFan blowback to Ludacris\u2019 involvement with a tour, which some view as MAGA-related, was swift. \u201cLuda, bro, what are you doing? I\u2019m so confused,\u201d one person posted<\/a> in a video on Instagram. \u201cWe about to put you over there with Kanye and Snoop \u2026 stop playing. Why\u2019d you sign up for this? You got 48 hours to issue a statement, you got 48 hours to let us know you\u2019re about to cancel this contract.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAnother Instagram user said fans shouldn\u2019t be surprised by Ludacris appearing on the lineup and cited a photo of the rapper wearing a stage outfit emblazoned with the Confederate flag. \u201cAny man that\u2019s willing to rock the Confederate flag as a Black man is a Black man that\u2019s willing to do anything for some money,\u201d he said<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tNelly, who performed on the inaugural 2024 Rock the Country festival, remains on this year\u2019s tour. The \u201cHot in Herre\u201d rapper also performed at President Donald Trump\u2019s inauguration in 2025. \u201cI was born in a military base in Austin. My father served, my grandfather served, my uncle served, my auntie served. I\u2019ve been entertaining the troops all over this world,\u201d Nelly said then, <\/a>defending his appearance. \u201cIf these people can give their life for the office, Nelly can perform for it\u2026. I love this country as well. It is an honor for me to perform for the president of the United States, regardless of who is in office.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\tWhile the Rock the Country festival isn\u2019t explicitly a political event, it has had its share of political statements since its inception. In 2024, Adcock went on a tirade against then-President Joe Biden. \u201cFuck you Joe Biden, you cocksucking motherfucker,\u201d he shouted<\/a> onstage. Last year, Trump himself introduced Kid Rock\u2019s set at the festival via a video message. \u201cFight, fight, fight, win, win, win, for the American people,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n

\n\tAlong with Kid Rock and Aldean, the 2026 lineup features Jelly Roll, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Brooks & Dunn, Riley Green, Hank Williams Jr., Ella Langley, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. It\u2019ll hit eight towns across the U.S. beginning the weekend of May 1-2 in Belleville, Texas. That this year\u2019s lineup includes such mainstream stars as Jelly Roll and Shelton underscores the embrace of Trump<\/a> and the MAGA movement by Nashville\u2019s Music Row, in stark contrast to how the industry mostly avoided Trump during his first term.<\/p>\n