Accidental Racist
Accidental Racist is a 2013 song by Brad Paisley featuring LL Cool J from the album Wheelhouse. It’s a blend of country and hip-hop and runs about five minutes. The song was written by Paisley, LL Cool J, and Lee Thomas Miller, and released by Arista Nashville, produced by Paisley.
The track talks about racism and Southern pride, including references to the Confederate flag. Paisley said he was inspired by films like Lincoln and Django Unchained, and he highlights lines about learning from the past and sharing responsibility across generations.
In LL Cool J’s verse he raps, “RIP Robert E. Lee, But I gotta thank Abraham Lincoln for freeing me.” The song sparked debate. Billboard said the song has good intentions but feels like a cautious apology that doesn’t fully address the issues, and it questioned LL Cool J’s statements about slavery and history. The Atlantic criticized lines that compare jewelry or headwear to slavery or flags, calling those comparisons inappropriate. Spin criticized the production as too polished and questioned the message, though it noted the intention to promote racial solidarity.
The song was parodied on Saturday Night Live during Weekend Update, with Paisley and LL Cool J played for laughs as if the song could “cure racism.” The Colbert Report also did a parody of the track.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 03:50 (CET).