Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has shared a message of assist for singer Oliver Anthony whose music ‘Wealthy Males North of Richmond’ went viral this month.
Anthony shortly went viral after a video of him performing the music went dwell on YouTube August 8, and has since hit Quantity One on the iTunes Nation Charts, soared to the highest spot on Apple Music’s International Music Charts, and racked up over 47million views on YouTube.
It then made chart historical past by debuting at Quantity One on the Billboard Sizzling 100 chart, making Anthony the primary artist to take action with none prior chart historical past.
Nevertheless, the music – which many interpreted to be a working class anthem – has been surrounded by controversy since its launch, after it was criticised for being “fatphobic”, whereas others labelled it a “right-wing anthem”.
Anthony – a former manufacturing unit employee and farmer – has since unhappy that left-wingers “misunderstood my phrases”, whereas on the identical time criticising Republicans for “weaponising” the which means behind his viral hit.
The singer has now obtained a message of assist from Johnson, who praised the singer’s dealing with of the sudden wave of consideration that got here his approach.
In a current Instagram submit that includes a screenshot of Anthony’s big surge in month-to-month Spotify listeners, he wrote: “I used to be thrilled at 300 and and I’m thrilled right this moment. I’m past grateful for everybody.”
‘The Rock’ commented shortly after to say: “Nice to attach with u brother. Method [to] deal with your fame & affect with class & kindness. Hold kicking ass and see u down the highway.” He signed off the remark with a whisky glass emoji.
Upon the discharge of ‘Wealthy Males North of Richmond’, the music was praised by numerous right-wing commentators together with Dan Bongino and Matt Walsh. Republication consultant Marjorie Taylor Greene additionally described it as “the anthem of the forgotten People who really assist this nation and sadly the world”.
In his current response video, prompted by Republican Celebration members mentioning it at a presidential debate this week, Anthony mentioned: “It was humorous seeing it on the presidential debate, as a result of it’s like I wrote that music about these individuals.
“So for them to have to sit down there and take heed to that, that cracks me up. It was humorous form of seeing the response to it.”
He added: “I do hate seeing that music being weaponised, like I see the best making an attempt to characterise me as one in all their very own. And I see the left making an attempt to discredit me, I suppose in retaliation. That shit’s received to cease.”
