Kid Rock. Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for Chruchill Downs
Kid Rock has seemingly changed his tune when it comes to his beverage of choice.
The rocker, 52, was spotted sipping on a cold Bud Light while attending a Colt Ford concert in Nashville on Thursday, August 17, according to photos obtained by TMZ. Rock looked relaxed as he drank the alcoholic refreshment and laughed with friends, who also enjoyed the blue-canned beer.
Rock went viral in April when he shared a video of himself shooting several cases of Bud Light in response to the brand rolling out a series of cans with pride colors to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.
“Grandpa’s feeling a little frisky today. Let me say something to all you and be as clear and concise as possible,” Rock said in the Twitter clip before taking aim at the beverages with a firearm. He then turned back to the camera, stating, “ F—k Bud Light and f—k [brewing company] Anheuser-Busch.”
Two days prior to Rock’s outburst, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, who is transgender, appeared in sponsored post for Bud Light as part of the company’s March Madness campaign. The ensuing backlash led to “more bullying and transphobia than I ever could’ve imagined,” she said in an Instagram video the following month.
Weeks after Mulvaney’s post — in which she promoted Bud Light’s contest to win $15,000 — Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth issued a statement saying the company “never intended to be a part of a discussion that divides people.”
“As the CEO of a company founded in America’s heartland more than 165 years ago, I am responsible for ensuring every consumer feels proud of the beer we brew. We’re honored to be part of the fabric of this country,” Whitworth said, adding that instead of any division, “we are in the business of bringing people together over a beer.”
Mulvaney, for her part, revealed no one from Anheuser-Busch reached out to her over the controversy despite the fact that she was receiving violent threats from people. She also noted that “for a company to hire a trans person and then not publicly stand by them is worse, in my opinion, than not hiring a trans person at all.”
“The hate doesn’t end with me,” she continued. “It has serious and grave consequences for the rest of our community.”
This wasn’t the first time Rock has sparked controversy over his conservative beliefs. The musician came under fire in March 2020 when his Nashville eatery, Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk Rock N’ Roll Steakhouse, stayed open after Mayor John Cooper asked the city’s bars and restaurants to close as the Coronavirus pandemic exploded. (The restaurant temporarily closed its doors in May 2020 after initially resisting.)
In December 2016, he sold concert T-shirts that supported then–President Elect Donald Trump at his concerts, including one that labeled the states that had voted for Hillary Clinton “Dumbf—kistan.”