Ludacris Pulls Out of Kid Rock’s Rock the Country Tour

Rap legend Ludacris is no longer on the lineup of Kid Rock‘s traveling Rock the Country Tour.

His name was quietly pulled from the list of performing stars on the festival’s website, and representation for Ludacris confirmed to Rolling Stone that he will not be performing.

“Lines got crossed and he wasn’t supposed to be on there,” the rep said.

Why Did Ludacris Exit Kid Rock’s 2026 Rock the Country Tour?

Beyond the statement that “lines got crossed,” Ludacris’ camp hasn’t offered any detail on what happened. It could have been a simple miscommunication between the rapper’s team and festival organizers about whether or not he was ever able to perform on the tour in the first place.

But Rolling Stone also noted that Ludacris faced fan backlash after he was included in the lineup announcement last week.

Read More: Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert + More Join Kid Rock For 2026 Rock the Country

After that announcement, many of the rappers’ fans criticized him for performing in a festival headed by Rock, one of music’s loudest supporters of President Donald Trump. The massive, country-focused lineup also includes other MAGA-associated stars like Jason Aldean.

What Did Fans Say After Ludacris Was Announced as Part of the 2026 Rock the Country Tour? 

A recent Instagram post from Ludacris (which was unrelated to the tour announcement) was flooded with comments calling him a “sell out” and “on the wrong side of history.”

“So embarrassing, dude. Atlanta is disappointed in you for this,” one user wrote. “Thought you were better than that. You’ve lost touch with humanity.”

Another warned Ludacris to “cancel that concert if you want to keep your fans.”

And multiple fans unfavorably compared Ludacris to Nelly, another rapper on the bill of Rock the Country. Nelly has played Rock the Country in the past, and he’s scheduled to join the lineup again in 2026. He has worked with many country stars in the past, notably participating in a hit remix of Florida Georgia Line‘s “Cruise.”

Read More: Kid Rock Adds a New Verse About Charlie Kirk to Cody Johnson’s ”Til You Can’t’

He also performed at Trump’s inauguration in January 2025, which is perhaps why one fan wrote, “I expect it from Nelly but not from you” after seeing Ludacris’ name on the Rock the Country lineup.

“Stay on that side from now on w Nelly,” another commenter added.

Who Is Performing at Kid Rock’s 2026 Rock the Country Tour?

Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton and Rock himself are headlining the eight-stop festival, a predominantly country affair that will also feature significant participation from other genres like rock.

Creed, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Shinedown are also on the bill. Nelly and Ludacris were the two biggest hip-hop names listed in the original announcement.

What is Kid Rock’s Rock the Country Festival?

The tour launched in 2024, and in 2026, it’s bigger than ever in celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday.

Read More: All the Country Tours + Festivals Scheduled For 2026

The festival will hit eight small towns across the country for a two-day experience in each location. A selection of the full lineup will appear at each stop. Find a full list of dates and cities below.

May 1-2 – Bellville, Texas @ Austin County Fairgrounds
May 29-30 – Bloomingdale, Ga. @Ottawa Farms
June 27-28 – Sioux Falls, S.D. @ W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds
July 10-11 – Ashland, Ky. @ Boyd County Fairgrounds
July 25-26 – Anderson, S.C. @ Anderson Sports & Ent Center
Aug. 8-9 – Hastings, Mich. @ Barry Expo Center
Aug. 28-29 – Ocala, Fla. @ Florida Horse Park
Sept 11-12 – Hamburg, N.Y. @ Erie County Fairgrounds