Darius Rucker Speaks Candidly About Racism And Country Music | TODAY All Day 

I simply adore this man. He has such talent and his energy is pure light and love.

Racism has no place in our society. Every human on the face of this earth needs to realize that the color of one’s skin has absolutely nothing to do with who they are. How each individual carries themselves and treats other humans determines who they are. Thank you Mr Rucker for standing up for what is right!!! Makes me love your music.

As a brazilian, I must say this is one of the most eyeopening and moving interviews I ever saw. I first searched for the band Hootie... after seeing a south park episode, and when I discovered Darius was a Black man singing country music, I deeply felt He would have a unique perspective to teach us on life and racism. He is trully a legend. Stay strong, your cause is Just and you are not alone!

Hearing this about racism and seeing his emotion breaks my heart. I just wasn’t raised to think anything other than we are all God’s children, created equally made in God’s image. It’s horrible that anyone is shunned or mistreated because of skin tone. Personally, a man’s character is what matters.

I think Darius Rucker is a wonderful man in so many ways! So glad He is speaking out...must be difficult and courageous, especially being a South Carolinian. As Martin Luther King said " We Shall Overcome!" God bless you, Darius!

I kind of just tripped across this video and I haven't really listened to Darius Rucker's music before, but he seems like a really nice and charming guy. Just this interview makes me want to go check out his music.

What a great talent and a great spokesman for the state of South Carolina!

Respect this man for standing up for what he believe in , i myself have gone down that road my kids are of mixed race and i always be WHO you are . Stand for the things that are right , No matter what color your skin is.

Always loved Darius Rucker. Can listen to him sing all day long and sometimes do. I'm Christian and I mean it. It's not just a name I call myself. You can't be racist and be Christian. God doesn't allow it. No racisn allowed in Heaven. If you say your Christian but are racist then get down on your knees and repent of that sin. Moses is the most important Jewish prophet. In the story Aaron (a prophet, high priest, and the elder brother of Moses) and Miriam (Moses elder sister, a prophetess ) harshly criticize Moses' marriage to a Cushite or Kushite woman after he returned to Egypt to set the children of Israel free. Cushites were of the ancestry of either Kush (a.k.a. Nubia) in northeast Africa, or Arabians. The general outline is clear: Miriam and Aaron were speaking against Moses “because of the Cushite woman he had married,” the Lord rebuked them and punished Miriam with leprosy, but in the end all the Israelites waited seven days, postponing the continuation of their journey until Miriam was readmitted into the camp. God is real. God's not racist and neither are his children. God says he will have his children, he will have his number. I believe it is so.

I’ve been trying to wrap my head around why Mr Rucker went country, so I started looking for interviews and stories from him about it. Seeing this interview was so wonderful. I’m not a country fan for the most part, but I miss hearing his voice and wanted to try it out. It’s so good that he is doing what he does because we need his voice and his experience in the unlit corners of our world shining like they do! Thank you Darius Rucker for your talent and your heart.

This is a good man with a great heart.

❤😊🎉 I went to the same high school as Darius Rucker did in Charleston, South Carolina. He's an awesome guy and does great work for all of us and especially his hometown and state as well as our country.

All the years I’ve been a fan, i’ve never considered his colour. He’s such a nice man shame some ignorant fools have made life harder for him

Darius Ive listened to you from the Hootie days. Man, I can say with out a doubt Ive never thought about your color. You're are right, we have a hatred issue. Ive been thought in a covert way my whole life to dislike any person of color. Ive never been able to accept it, and often find myself in difficult situation when its just white people "talking" in a room , and now one else is around. I stand with you.

That was powerful nothing but RESPECT my brother

I got respect for this man being a brown skinned country fan myself. He fought in an arena to be the best in a genre that he loves for the music. They saw his talent incountry music the country world unanimously put him in the elites and legends of this style of music. racism is as strong as we make it to be... It's not hard for us to check ourselves and make sure we're living on the right side of history in all decisions we make each day. It was hard watching Darius tear up, given is amazing career and overcoming such challenges. Stay a legend sir!

Came across this interview, although I'm not into country music, i respect and admire you mr rucker. Be blessed king

Are we gonna ignore the fact that radio stations DIRECTLY told Darius they werent gonna play his music because he's black? But racism doesnt exist 🤦‍♀️

Darius Rucker is an amazing singer with a big heart. I respect this man very much and listen to his music all the time. It won't be like this for long is one of my favorite and that song helped me get through my mother's death 4 months ago. It still hurts and I'm still listening to it until I'm completely healed. Thank you so much Darius Rucker may God watched over you and your family🙏🏾🙏🏾

As a person of color, it is very difficult to explain to someone exactly how devastating racism is on your psyche each and everyday. Especially growing up in the South. Wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy

When I was a little girl my Grandpa used to sit at the kitchen table & play his guitar & listen to Country Music. I had peace & love around him, but then I grew up & got out into the real world. OMG what an eye opener to real life. We are black & love Country Music! You have to be YOU, love what you love & live your life. The struggles are real, but GOD’S GOT YOU! ❤️

Harry Smith! So Great an interview. Darius, I'm a white guy who loves you and your work, and your outspokenness. Waiting for the world to be coffee-colered, so we can surpass this S%^t. Keep on, hero.

All the people commenting "I have never considered your skin color Darius" are entirely missing the point. Being colorblind is a luxury brown and black people don't have in America, and that's what Darius is pointing out.

This man is great interviewer. He needs to give classes to the main stream. Media world. I love Darius showing emotion .

The world sees now. It better be different. Keep on Rockin on.... Always my great man. Always. You're a strength the WORLD needs now. Thank you. Can't say that enough. Thank you!

At nearly 58, as a white woman who has lived most of my life in the US Midwest, I have never used the n word. I won't go to the "I have alot of black friends", but Lionel (friend in kindergarten to high school) , Regina, Sharelle, George, Roger, Daniel, Sharon, Dominique, Joe, and especially Ronnell (my spirit animal), we are all the same.

Darius Rucker is a brave man, strong man and a good man in my book. It's never easy for any person to identify with a culture or music that is not typically associated with their race. They will deal with people from their own race rejecting them and some members of the majority race of a culture saying you don't belong. Yet if America will survive it will take people like Darius Rucker to take that brave leap to bridge the gaps between race and culture.

Darius, you are loved! Thank you for being real. Thanks for your music.

I love you Darius! Have been a huge fan since Monday Night Jams at The Windjammer in 1994-95

What a great interview ❤ I’m so glad I came across it. Really great

I just came across this one...thanks, Harry for asking the hard questions. Appreciate Darius being so transparent. I pray he continues to make his music and us fans keep coming out.

@DariusRucker #DariusRucker guess where I heard your song this week? In a tiny Chinese grocery store in Cape Town South Africa (A bit like an African California), played by a young Zimbabwean man! We struck up a conversation and made friends accordingly #mutualintrest since my 1year-old daughter is your BIGGEST fan and falls asleep every day listening to either your or Chris Stapleton songs :)

I remember back in the 70s thinking about what life might be like in 50 years, and wrongly assumed that we, as a society, would have progressed beyond issues like racism. It's pretty sad and depressing to realize that we have not really made that much progress. This is a great interview, and I love Darius Rucker.

A wealth of talent! A national treasure. I hope he lives until he's 110.

I love his laugh.

i love this man beyond words

6:08 - Yes Darius. we all get that "14th letter Wake up call". I'm glad I got mine back in 2005, was just 16 yrs old. They always show you their true colours in the end!! Jesus is our only TRUE friend🙏✝

Much love for this guy!! And love his music!

Beyoncé is experiencing racism in country music right now as we speak..smh

What I think is weird is he’s made it big and I mean big in a majority if not 98% white fan base.. So that saying a lot about country music fans to me.

Darius Rucker has always been and will continue to be one of the most handsome men!!! I’ve always admired him for who he is and what he is, he’s a guy who sings good songs!!! 🙏💜😘

What I like most about Darius is that he's not a fool. This is a smart man who knows what's up with the people around him and the world in general. This past decade has exposed some racist white people that were in my circle so I feel ya. Also, the Black Lives Matter bit was Michael Che not Jay Pharaoh.

@DariusRucker You are 💯 percent right because I grew up all around that too growing up in the South ⬇️

Darius, you can come by the house for a steak dinner when ever you want. No questions asked. Just say when so I can prepare if you ever want to. You can supervise, while I prepare so you be at ease. I love the emotion you put into your music.

So the last sentence said a lot to me, where he said he saw someone doing something and he immediately judged them instead of having a conversation and getting to know them… this is the exact problem with society. Immediate judgement of people. I think a lot of the things that were and still are being portrayed in the media have extremely profound d impacts on the mental health of people, causing them not to see the narcissism they then commit

I have so missed out on Darius. I first stumbled upon his music on the voice. I was bowled over. Love love love his voice. Amazing. 🙌🏾👏👏🎤🎸

I’m 33. I didn’t grow up paying attention to what race someone was. Everything was based on talent and personal relationships. I hear this mans voice. Not his skin. I miss those days. He’s great.

There's one race of people. It's the human race.

As black man myself ALL LIVES MATTER .Picking a side just causes people to divide. Love your music Darius wish I knew you maybe I’ll meet you one day in Charleston sitting on your bench one day. Take care my friend.

Love your songs

Great interview and admire Darius for being honest and admitting societies " Elephant in the Room". Glad your speaking out and appreciate you way beyond your GREAT MUSIC. Semper Fi

White people have to be told how to act around traffic cops, too! This is so utterly pathetic 🤦🏼‍♀️

❤ prayers. I know so many that loved Darius Rucker

POWERFUL interview. I’m speechless.

Thank you so much Darius for sharing your thoughts on racism today. So many white people think we are a color blind society, but it is clear that there are lots of racist people among us. Love your music. Let us make it a better place to be, for everyone.

I love this man and his views

My best friend at school was black and I lost other friends because ther parents didnt want them associating with me because my best friend was black....I'm 72 now...j was 13/14 then and not a lot has changed...its all so wrong...we are all gods children and we all bleed the same colour blood...its just shed for the wrong reasons

It's not the skin color that defines who you are it is your character. I listen to Country music and as for me color means nothing it is how good the music sounds is what counts.

Darius is such a wonderful handsome brown skin man I have much respect for him Thank you Darius like you say it is what it is Just keep what you are doing and keep smiling and singing You have a beautiful voice One day I hope to meet you

What a great man! So empathetic and smart!

Spiritual love will make you free.

That's a fantastic interview!! Very sad and unfortunate but kudos to a music legend for having the kohonis to speak the truth

This man is so good he will make it in any genre period. Yes country isn't very racial diverse but Charlie Pride especially showed us that it's a genre for everyone. I thought it was also a little weird considing how many black people are and have been in the south. (Which is where country music thrives. )

The problem with this conversations like this is they are ONE-SIDED. The only speak to the sins of the White community, but not the sins of the Black community. If the sins of both communities were discussed together, it would be an improved conversation. Also, the BLM movement is a bad movement. It is not the MLK movement. They are extremely violent and this violence is excused or even encourage. For four months the BLM movement wreaked havoc on our communities.

I’ve loved his music since hootie and back then he took flack for singing rock/alternative and being black and that was I. San Francisco 🤦🏽‍♀️ being black and always loving country, I flipped out with happiness when he transitioned to country. I’m glad he can speak his truth so eloquently now. Like he said he’s amassed enough that if they stop supporting him he’s ok. And his music is apolitical, and has nothing to do with his social advocacy.

Thanks Darius u choose ur children and there future over ur music.Plz plz don't stop singing.God bless

Darius I followed you for many years from the blowfish to your solo album In country music and I never saw you as white or black I saw you as music As I do every artist. Anybody can do anything they set their mind to it as you did and you made it man not because you're black because you set your mind to it. It saddens me that you bring color into your interview. I am a small town boy that comes from nothing and I set my mind to something and I have done it regardless of color. Do you think because of your color it has restricted your success. I don't think You said yourself you're a rich black man . Sincerely you're a fan

Just treat people the way you want to be treated. This should not be a problem today. Look we put a disabled guy in the White House.

GOD bless your I enjoy your show in Oklahoma last year I going to try to come you in Vegas in October my favorite Entertainer

Newsflash: sometimes cops make random stops. As a white woman I’ve been randomly stopped also. Not everything that happens to blacks people is because they’re black 🙄🤦🏼‍♀️

“If you were to stop being friends with everybody you’re sure called somebody the N word in anger, you’d lose half your friends.” It might be worth it, you can get new friends.

Darris Rucker is awesome always been a huge fan of Ole Hottie!

We humans are called upon to resist ANY attempts to separate and be separated. This fragments, weakens and makes us all manipulable. THAT is what "they" are aiming at. To sow hatred and separate us from each other. When I look at Darius, I feel his beautiful and loving soul, his good heart and a wonderful character. There are good and not so good, deluded, or even evil beings in every stratum, among all cultures and races. When we consciously meet each other on the soul level, any separation maneuvers, hatred and fragmentation have no power. Only here lies the chance for all of us to dissolve the dark. No matter what skin color, it is the soul, the heart and the character of a human being that counts... and only that!!! "We all bleed red".

The way I see it, this world is so divided and the media and government is feeding that to the core. Divide and conquer is certainly their agenda until we are no longer one nation under God but one nation divided. It truly breaks my heart to see how divided we have become and how away from the Lord we have become until we have nothing but hate for each other and no respect for each other. I love Darius Rucker's personality and music and always have even though I may have a slightly different view than him. I have never thought anything different about him and totally agree with him when he said racism is taught and not inherent. Although sadly, I honestly believe that it's mainly taught by the government and the media. They feed us fear and to hate each other and sadly they are winning more and more each day. Sad to say, I hope and pray that we truly become one nation under God again and not against each other but rather fighting alongside each other.

Love you, Darius. You are awesome.

Haven’t heard a song from you in 3 months...

Darius I simply love the man you are. Period 😘

💗💗💗

I'd sit on a toilet to here him play !!! AWSOME man. You are like a newer Charlie Pride. Love ur music sir.

I love the lp Color Me Country by Linda Martell, the first black female to make Billboard country charts and Grand Ole Opry.

Always love you Darius!

Seems every individual human being has fans and foes, those who like and those who dislike, everyone. Hopefully he is able to retain (focus) on the individuals who are worthy of being paid attention to. As with any form of abuse. It seems, from his days of the band, many fans, appreciate his talents, him as an individual, as a human being. 😊

He's married to a white woman Yes, I said it. Do we feel a way about it? Yes and I am NOT ALONE. In fact, I can see how & why a white man would be offended by his marriage to a white female. He says "the people around you", meaning whites. He can't even say whites. Say whatever you want, nature did not create black people in white countries. Slavery did. He is a part of the problem. YES, I SAID IT. Re: Dixie Chicks, EVERY music genres is biased. Everything is biased & everyone is offended by everything. It's always been that way. I say what people think but don't have the guts to say it out loud.

I get it about the kids. My husband and I are from south Carolina but we went to north Carolina to pick my brother before we got there we stopped at a store to get gas this little girl looked at my husband as well were going in and she says ooo look mommy a black people. The mom covered the little girls mouth while pushing her out the door.

He seems more than a therapist than an interviewer/journalist. Why I never heard of this guy before?

Never was a big fan of his genre of music, but wow a powerful interview.

When I lived in Memphis Tennessee as a teenager my mom volunteered for a summer program. We are Methodist and the Methodist church had a family center right in the heart of the poorest black neighborhoods down in the city. All the white people, like me and my family lived in the all white super safe suburbs an hour out of town. But we drove into the city to do this summer program the family center created called Final Net for the poorest black kids. it was for any kid at that level really, but they happened to be all black from the housing projects and slum apartments. A whole slew of Methodist churches took them for a week and did games, activities and fed them fun meals. We took trips to museums, the movies, all over the place. All of these children had never done any of that before and we kept them away from the older gang kids out on the streets. These kids were the sweetest, funniest, cutest, nicest, most well behaved little souls I ever had the privilege to meet. But Memphis was so self segregated in the dumbest way. You knew these kids would never get any opportunities to break that poverty. Blacks lived in mid town, the poorer lived downtown, the whites an hour away in all whitebread burbs. They didn't mix. Even at a special "Love Thy Neighbor" Easter service with the big black baptist megachurch and the biggest white baptist megachurch we went to they sat on opposite sides of the basketball arena they held it at. The National Civil Rights museum is down there at the Lorraine motel. Where MLK was shot. It is a must see. But it makes me wonder if Memphis learned anything. After moving away a few years later my brother heard about the black families moving on out of midtown onto the burbs where we had lived. The white folks there all created an uproar and didn't like it one bit. They all moved one or two towns over according to an old friend who had been there when our town began to change. It was another white flight. There were many racist comments in the newspaper about it, about how crime and drugs and seediness would come in.. (they never did to this day.) I couldn't believe it. I heard from my old friend that all my classmates, our friendly neighbors, even my other childhood friends all flew out of town over time and had some harsh comments and fear. I had lived in Boston Mass. since I was ten (a native New Englander) so I was not a native southerner, but felt I adapted and kind of fit in with my buds when my family moved there. But then I felt as if I hadn't really known them at all...

Real class act.

I was looking for a sweet song from Darius for a romantic playlist, while clicking around I watched a number of his videos. The only one I saw that had other people of African descent was in "It Wont Be Like This for Long" an early number, that featured his own children. In none of the many vids that I just saw are there black or mixed race couples. A black woman isn't even featured in the videos that just show a lovely woman having the time of her life. Why is this? Is the the country music video genre not ready to depict a happy, engaging black couple? Doing so, is far overdue. Furthermore, why is it that the only Elvis song Darius was invited to sing with Reba was "In The Ghetto"? We could do better and should nurture equality and unity from individual to friend, neighbor to community across this country. ~AMG

Darius is a really cool guy.

I will never cry over a criminal.

Rucker rules

It's worse over there. So I don't have to care. Back then it was worse. So now I don't have to confront these issues. And then you just continue. Easier that way. Just like he said.

Circus continue !!

****INTERVIEW Marshall Mather (aka Eminem) about the RACISM HE HAS FACED BY THE BLACK COMMUNITY!!!

It's not about Color. People are to uptight now days. Good an bad in comes in all colors. Its about the person and sad how dam uptight people get now days. I'm old. I. Love life and dont care if someone likes me or not. I'm me handle it !!

😢😢😢😢😢😢😢

So he’s buried his head in the sand and went vanilla all his life and NOW that it’s trending wants to “speak up” gtfoh.

Darius Rucker, Thank-you for using your platform to share the truth.

It will be as long as you breath life into it. Ask Morgan Freeman!!!