Kane Brown Faces Backlash After Tribute to Charlie Kirk

Country star Kane Brown has found himself at the center of heated debate after posting a tribute to the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Wednesday (Sept. 10). His words sparked strong criticism from both political sides, leading him to announce that he will step away from social media for a while.

Brown revealed screenshots of harsh messages he received—not only about his tribute to Kirk but also about a separate post regarding a tragic high school mass shooting in Colorado that occurred the same day Kirk was killed at a Utah university event.

One commenter, appearing to lean left politically, accused Brown of selective outrage, writing: “Why didn’t you post about the Democratic representatives being murdered?!!!!” The fan seemed to reference the shocking June 2025 murders of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, who were killed inside their home.
Kane Brown shares critical comments
But backlash also came from the opposite political spectrum. Another fan criticized Brown for expressing any empathy that could be seen as aligning with Democrats, saying: “Stand up, don’t be silent and bow down to those liberal POS that are joyful a father died!!! You have a huge platform—use it!”
Fans criticize Kane Brown on social media

One particularly personal comment deeply affected Brown. A fan accused him of dishonoring his heritage by paying tribute to Kirk, writing: “He was a racist bigot who didn’t believe in gun regulations.”

Brown, visibly hurt, responded: “I’ve been called a n—-r my whole life. I don’t want those people dead.” He ended his response by telling fans: “My last post for a while, be safe guys and love one another.”

How Did Charlie Kirk Die?

Charlie Kirk was shot on Sept. 10 during an event at Utah Valley University. He suffered a gunshot wound to the neck and later died in the hospital. Kirk, known as the founder of Turning Point USA and a strong conservative voice, was widely mourned across the country. Former President Donald Trump also shared a tribute to him.

As of Thursday morning (Sept. 11), police have launched a manhunt for the shooter. Authorities confirmed that several people of interest were questioned and later released.

What Did Kane Brown Say About Charlie Kirk?

 

Although Brown appears to have deleted his initial tribute, he later shared a clip from an Instagram Live session where he addressed the backlash. In the video, the singer was clearly emotional.

“I’ve been crying for two hours,” he admitted. “At the end of the day dude, I just want everybody to love each other… left side, right side, Black, white, people from different countries, people speaking different languages—just love each other. If you see somebody down, just pick ’em up.”

Brown stressed that he does not engage in political debates: “I don’t talk about this s–t. I don’t do politics. That’s not for me. I just want y’all to love each other, bro. It’s really not that hard.”

He closed his message with a heartfelt appeal for compassion, urging his fans to spread kindness and love in their daily lives.