Ludacris Withdraws From Child Rock’s “Rock the Nation” Pageant

[ad_1] by Mary Spiller January 17, 2026

The rapper’s staff says his inclusion on the 2026 tour was a 'mix-up.'

Ludacris is not scheduled to seem on Child Rock’s “Rock the Nation” competition after his title briefly appeared on the tour’s 2026 lineup, prompting swift backlash from followers on-line. Representatives for each the competition and the rapper confirmed this week that his inclusion was unintentional.

The nation music tour, launched by Child Rock in 2024, unveiled its 2026 lineup on Jan. 12 with Child Rock as soon as once more headlining. The invoice additionally featured Jason Aldean, Nelly, and a variety of artists spanning rock and nation music. Ludacris’s title appeared on the promotional poster alongside Nelly’s however was quietly eliminated by the morning of Jan. 16.

A spokesperson for “Rock the Nation” confirmed to Rolling Stone that Ludacris would not be a part of the competition and referred additional inquiries to the rapper’s representatives. Ludacris’s staff instructed the outlet the state of affairs stemmed from an inside error. “It was a mix-up,” the consultant mentioned. “Traces obtained crossed and he wasn’t purported to be on there.”

Response from followers was instant, significantly from those that view the competition as aligned with former President Donald Trump and the MAGA motion. One fan posted a video on Instagram criticizing the rapper’s obvious involvement. “Luda, bro, what are you doing? I’m so confused,” the individual mentioned. “You bought 48 hours to situation a press release… you bought 48 hours to tell us you’re about to cancel this contract.”

Whereas Ludacris has exited the lineup, Nelly stays one of many tour’s featured performers. The rapper carried out in the course of the competition’s inaugural run in 2024 and later appeared at President Trump’s 2025 inauguration. Nelly defended that call on the time, citing his household’s navy background. “I used to be born in a navy base in Austin. My father served, my grandfather served, my uncle served, my auntie served,” he mentioned. “If these folks can provide their life for the workplace, Nelly can carry out for it.”

Though “Rock the Nation” is just not formally billed as a political occasion, it has included overt political moments. Throughout the 2024 tour, Gavin Adcock launched an onstage rant in opposition to then-President Joe Biden, shouting, “F*** you Joe Biden, you c***sucking motherf***er.” That very same yr, Trump launched Child Rock’s set by way of a prerecorded video, declaring, “Combat, battle, battle, win, win, win, for the American folks.”

Regardless of the controversy, the 2026 tour is shifting ahead with a high-profile roster. Together with Child Rock and Aldean, the lineup contains Jelly Roll, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Brooks & Dunn, Hank Williams Jr., Lynyrd Skynyrd, and others. The tour is about to go to eight U.S. cities, starting Could 1–2 in Belleville, Texas.

Business observers notice that the presence of mainstream nation stars highlights a rising openness inside Nashville towards Trump-aligned occasions, a shift from the business’s extra cautious strategy throughout his first time period.