Country singer Oliver Anthony has called out a troll who slammed famous fan Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
Since his overnight rise to fame this month, Anthony has amassed a horde of celebrity fans including UFC commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan, conservative political columnist Matt Walsh, Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and wrestler-turned-actor The Rock.
The 51-year-old commented on a post Anthony shared to Instagram on August 26. The musician shared two screenshots showing the impressive rise in his Spotify subscriber count since August 7, with the singer's monthly listeners surging from 374 people to more than 4 million.
"I was thrilled at 300 and I'm thrilled today," Anthony wrote. "I'm beyond thankful for everyone."
Johnson responded to the post with praise, commenting: "Great to connect with u brother. Way [you] handle your fame & influence with class & kindness. Keep kicking a** and see u down the road."
However, a troll took issue with the movie star's reply, with Instagram user @john_for_khan calling Anthony a "shill" and Johnson a "sell out."
"If anyone needs proof that this Oliver guy is a shill, look no further than fellow Hollywood sell outs like this guy pushing him," the poster wrote.
A "shill" is someone who acts as a decoy or as a promoter, according to Merriam-Webster.
User @cory.hickey praised Johnson's response, writing: "Damn the rocks liberal a** is supporting someone who speaks the truth? Nice."
In reply, @john_for_khan said: "Because that guy is ultimately a shill too."
User @scottdramsey defended Anthony, but blasted Johnson, commenting: "I don't think the guy is a shill. I think he's legit but Hollywood sell outs like Dwayne J here are trying to connect with him to appear more 'blue collar' and relatable."
In response to the debate in his comment section, Anthony clarified his political position, writing: "I haven't defended or supported the left. I am very clear in my song and statements that I don't support either wing of the beast."
After radiowv shared footage of Anthony singing his track "Rich Men North of Richmond" to YouTube on August 7, the Farmville, Virginia resident has become an overnight sensation, with the clip receiving 47 million views.
However, the lyrics have caused controversy. The track bashes welfare cheats, taxation and the overweight, as well as making references to Jeffrey Epstein and QAnon, and has gained the former factory worker a strong conservative following.
In a video shared to YouTube ahead of his viral fame, Anthony said he considers himself "dead center" on the political spectrum, and does not support the left or the right.
In a recent video, Anthony said he was unhappy with "Rich Men North of Richmond" being used at the first Republican presidential debate, which took place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
"It's aggravating seeing people on conservative news try to identify with me, like I'm one of them," the singer said.
"It's aggravating seeing certain musicians and politicians act like we're buddies, and act like we're fighting the same struggle, like we're trying to present the same message.
"I've talked to hundreds of people the last two weeks. It seems like certain people want to just ride the attention of this song, to maybe make their own selves relevant—and that's aggravating as hell."
