According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, a “full-time worker needs to earn an hourly wage of $23.96 on average to afford a modest, two-bedroom rental home in the U.S.” Been this amount higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25, those individuals living with low income have an increased risk of poverty. However, Blake Shelton might be okay living in scarcity if the woman of his dreams loves him. The 44-year-old country music singer and television personality is getting dragged on social media for his new tone-deaf song that romanticizes poverty.
In “Minimum Wage,” a track Shelton hasn’t officially released yet, the singer croons, “Girl, your love can make a man feel rich on minimum wage,” a quote that has more than one exclaiming, “Wait, what?”
“@blakeshelton when was the last time you had to survive on minimum wage and you were like ‘nah, this girl likes me. I’m all good,” a person asked the Oklahoma native, adding, “Additionally, @blakeshelton, do you even KNOW how much minimum wage is? Not enough to pay rent on a 1 bedroom apartment in most cities. #TheMoreYouKnow.”
Another Twitter user also invited Shelton to try living on minimum wage. “Not sure if Blake realizes that minimum wage is $7.25 people can’t pay rent on that let alone take care of a family. Let him try and see if it still makes him feel like a millionaire,” the person wrote. Some others also found the song inappropriate, especially for the challenging times we are all experiencing. “There’s a time for songs like ‘Minimum Wage’ but it isn’t now. It’s not relatable. People are out of work due to the pandemic. They’re fighting for their livelihoods as businesses are forced to close,” the person said.
“The irony of listening to a millionaire Blake Shelton singing about ‘love on minimum wage’ at the end of 2020 might be lost on its target audience,” someone wrote on the social media app.
Shelton debuted the ballad during the NBC New Year’s Eve special, intending to honor his fiancee, also multi-millionaire Gwen Stefani .
© GettyImagesThe Twitter account @PatrioticMills urges the singer to use his platform to help those living in poverty or surviving with minimum wage. “Hey @blakeshelton, you’re worth $100 million. It’s a bad look to sing about feeling rich on the minimum wage when actual minimum wage workers are hungry and can’t pay rent,” they wrote. ”How about you join us in fighting to #RaiseTheWage to $15 per hour?”
As of this writing, Blake Shelton hasn’t released any statement regarding the song, and it is unclear if he would release a video or promote it on radio stations.
