Steve Earle says modern country stars make 'hip hop for people who are afraid of black people'

'I like the new Kendrick Lamar album, so I'll just listen to that'

Steve Earle has criticised male country music artists and said that the "best stuff coming out of Nasville is all by women".

The legendary artist made his comments in an interview with the Guardian, where he also said Noel Gallagher was "the most overrated songwriter in the whole history of pop music".

"The best stuff coming out of Nashville is all by women except for Chris Stapleton," he said. "The guys just wanna sing about getting f***ed up. They're just doing hip hop for people who are afraid of black people.

"I like the new Kendrick Lamar record, so I'll just listen to that."

Of Gallagher he said: "They [Oasis] were perfect for the Brit press because they behaved badly and got all the attention. Blur were really great. That guy Damon Albarn is a real f***in' songwriter."

Earle's comments about male country artists echo those made by the late Merle Haggard, who died last year aged 79.

"I can't tell what they're doing," he said in an interview in 2015. "They're talking about screwing on a pickup tailgate and things of that nature.

"I don't find no substance. I don't find anything you can whistle and nobody even attempts to write a melody. It's more of that kid's stuff. It's hot right now, but I tell you what, it's cooling off."