By David Farrell
You read that right!
There will be no newsletter released next Monday, Wednesday or Friday as the FYI team is taking a break to kick-back and enjoy a holiday break. We promise to return refreshed and ready to roll up our sleeves and get back to the business of the day on Monday, July 15. Until then, happy trails.
Cheers – Team FYI
Ludacris performs onstage at Shaq’s Fun House held at Mardi Gras World on February 7, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The rapper was originally announced as part of the lineup earlier this month.
Ludacris has spent years “Pimpin’ All Over The World,” but he won’t be doing so on the Rock the Country tour this summer.
On Friday (Jan. 16), Rolling Stone reported that the Grammy-winning rapper’s name had been removed from the lineup announcement poster. According to the magazine, the “My Chick Bad” MC “wasn’t supposed to be on” the lineup in the first place. Representatives for the traveling festival confirmed the news, directing Billboard to Ludacris’ team “for any additional comments.”
Rock the Country, which launched in 2024 as a festival centering country music, announced its 2026 lineup on Monday (Jan. 12). Country superstars Kid Rock, Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton and Jelly Roll were listed as headliners, while additional performers included Ella Langley, Riley Green, Miranda Lambert, Brantley Gilbert, Shinedown, Gavin Adcock, Creed, Treaty Oak Revival, and, notably, “Hot In Herre” rapper Nelly. Not only did Nelly appear on the inaugural Rock the Country lineup, but he also performed at President Donald Trump’s second Inaugural Ball in 2025.
Known for Billboard Hot 100-topping rap and pop hits — as well as their past country crossover smashes — Ludacris’ and Nelly’s inclusions on the Rock the Country lineup quickly divided fans. In the Instagram comment section for the lineup poster, one user wrote, “[Ludacris], this is your crowd now? Pretty sad.” Another quipped, “In honor of Nelly and Ludacris appearing, they will be provided with their very own water fountain.” Ludacris was specifically scheduled to perform on Sunday, July 26, in Anderson, S.C.
A sizable number of Luda’s fans also felt his appearance was an endorsement of the MAGA politics associated with the festival. In 2024, Adcock lambasted then-President Joe Biden onstage, also calling then-Vice President Kamala Harris a “b—h.” Last year, Trump introduced Kid Rock’s set with a simple video message: “Fight, fight, fight, win, win, win, for the American people.” One gobsmacked user shared a video declaring, “We about to put you over there with Kanye and Snoop … stop playing. Why’d you sign up for this? You got 48 hours to issue a statement, you got 48 hours to let us know you’re about to cancel this contract.”
This year’s Rock the Country festival will visit eight towns across the U.S., beginning with two stagings in Belleville, Tex., on May 1-2. Ludacris has yet to publicly comment on his removal from the lineup, while Nelly remains listed for the Hamburg, N.Y. dates on Sept. 11-12.
At press time, representatives for both Ludacris and Kid Rock have not responded to Billboard’s request for comment.
Check out the updated 2026 Rock the Country lineup on the festival’s official website.
