Jack White Fires Back at Charley Crockett With a 1984 Novelty Rap About John Wayne

Jack White has answered Charley Crockett's criticism by channelling a fictional cowboy from 1984 — posting lyrics from Shawn Brown's novelty rap song "Rappin' Duke" on Instagram in a pointed, in-character response to the Texas singer.

White wrote: "I never said nothing about this young buck before but since he's trying to drag me into this here rodeo again, here's my official response to Cowboy Charley's accusations." The post, reported by Rolling Stone on 19 August, included screenshots of the magazine's own coverage of Crockett's comments. Consequence also noted that White appeared to mock Crockett's cowboy persona in the exchange.

The feud traces back to a chain of tour decisions. In July, Crockett dropped the duo Twin Temple from his tour over their Satanic imagery. The band, who describe their genre as "Satanic Doo Wop" and have released recordings titled "God Is Dead" and "Twin Temple Summon the Sacred Whore … Babalon," told the press they were dismissed for their stage aesthetic. White then invited them to open for him — a move Crockett called political.

Crockett, speaking a day before White's response, did not hold back. "I lost a lot of respect for him," he said of White, accusing the guitarist of exploiting the press cycle to sell tickets and of sidestepping political issues during his years in the White Stripes, the garage-rock duo that broke through in the early 2000s.

White's choice of "Rappin' Duke" was not random. The 1984 track — a parody in which Brown raps in character as a talking John Wayne — includes lyrics about Ronald Reagan, the actor-turned-president, entering politics. Rolling Stone noted this was likely why White selected the song: it undercuts Crockett's implied position that entertainers should stay out of politics by reminding him that one of America's most famous actors became its fortieth president.

Twin Temple, meanwhile, seem to be relishing their new slot. On their official Facebook page on 18 August, they promoted upcoming shows, teasing that they would bring "our most sinful and immoral doo-wop" to audiences in three weeks and referencing "the Duke of Spook and his devilish ghouls."

The back-and-forth sits at an unusual intersection of country, garage rock and theatrical Satanism — three scenes that do not normally share a bill. White, who rose to prominence with the White Stripes and now runs Third Man Records, has not toured with an opening act quite like Twin Temple before. Crockett, a prolific touring artist rooted in Texas country and blues, framed his original decision as a matter of personal values.

Neither artist has indicated the exchange will go further than Instagram.