Keith Whitley’s Son Backs Morgan Wallen’s ‘Miami’ Remix

Morgan Wallen's recently released "Miami," from his album I'm The Problem, has started some debate among country fans for its sampling of Keith Whitley's classic "Miami, My Amy." Wallen refers to it as a "flip" since it took a bite of the original version but isn't a country song and instead leans more rap-influenced, but the message is still reminiscent of the original song.

While the featured version of the album will ultimately be devoid of a rapper on the album track, there is now a remixed version of the song with hip hop icons Lil Wayne and Rick Ross included, which has fueled further debate from traditional country audiences.

Some critics have harshly opposed the creative direction, arguing that Wallen's use of Whitley's material is disrespectful. Comments on social media have included statements like “Keith Whitley would be rolling over in his grave.” But Jesse Keith Whitley, son of the late Keith Whitley, publicly disagrees.

“I don't think this is a bad deal at all, whatsoever. Do I think it's barebones country, Keith Whitley country? Of course not. That's why he said, ‘we did a flip on it.' And I wouldn't even consider it a flip, I would just say they grabbed this piece out of the chorus because it works… I think it's great,” shared Wallen.

He added that he appreciates the expanded reach the song may bring to his father's legacy. “It's cool as s–t to me that he's got Lil Wayne and Rick Ross… He had to tell them, ‘Hey, look, this is a song, I got this idea from Keith Whitley,' and they probably have discovered Keith Whitley at this point, right? I don't have a problem with it at all. I actually really like the song.”

Jesse Keith Whitley has also confirmed that he is working on a tribute album to honor his father's musical impact. Despite the controversy, he remains focused on keeping Keith Whitley's legacy alive — and believes Wallen's track contributes positively to that mission.