Just months after facing backlash for his packed Tennessee concert, Chase Rice is again wading controversy. The country crooner sparked upset on social media this week after taking to Twitter Sunday night to promote his new song, "Drinkin Beer. Talkin' God. Amen," with a joke about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
In the tweet, Rice quipped that he had "just lost my taste and smell," referring to a common COVID-19 symptom. He went on to write that he was "dropping a single at midnight," the song being his latest collaboration with Florida Georgia Line's Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard, who recently recovered after testing positive for the virus. Rice, in a second tweet, assured his followers that did not "have covid," adding, "but I'm dropping a single tonight. With 2 guys that I learned a lot from."
The controversial joke came just five months after he drew outrage from fans and his fellow country stars alike when he hosted a performance at the former prison Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary in Petros, Tennessee. Video from the even showed attendees ignoring social distancing guidelines and many not wearing a face mask. Kelsea Ballerini had called the scene "selfish," and Rice eventually spoke out, acknowledging that some people "had a big problem with how the show looked." He said that his next show would be a "drive-in show."
Rice's Sunday tweet was met with just as much outrage, with many people reflecting back on the controversy the singer found himself in over the summer. To date, more than 260,000 Americans have died of the coronavirus, and experts fear that the current surge in cases will only grow worse amid the holiday season. Scroll down to see what people are saying.