[4] Some have called the Wheeler Walker Jr. character an "experiment in free speech" and "a platform to speak out against censorship and bias in the music industry".
[5] Hoffman has been vocal about his use of the character as a means to express his displeasure with the modern state of the country music industry, particularly the rise of the bro-country subgenre.
In addition to writing, he provided voice talent and was also an executive producer alongside Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Seth Cohen, and Jake Johnson.
[12] Hoffman debuted an early version of the satirical country music artist Wheeler Walker, Jr. character on a skit for The Ben Show in 2013 where he performed his song "Eatin' Pussy, Kickin' Ass".
[15][16] Rolling Stone called it "Unfathomably obscene and undeniably offensive, the debut album from Nashville never-was Wheeler Walker Jr. is also goddamn funny.
[19][20] The character's fictional biography outlines his history as an unsigned Nashville talent too crude for mainstream radio due to his desire to revamp the classic outlaw country style by playing songs that would have "gotten him yanked off the Grand Ol' Opry broadcast in a matter of seconds", although he finally found success with the rise of uncensored satellite radio and the internet.
[28] The album was originally going to include a duet with Grammy Award-winning artist Maren Morris on the song "Fuckin' Around", but it was pulled by Sony Music Nashville.
Hoffman had previously performed alongside Morris and Jake Owen at a party following the 50th Annual Country Music Association Awards in 2016.
[32] He also performed his song "Sit On My Face" alongside Tyler Childers and Sturgill Simpson at Hinterland Music Festival in 2018.
[37] On March 8, 2022, Hoffman, outfitted in the Wheeler Walker Jr. persona, was removed by security from the Country Music Hall of Fame property in Nashville after protesting the Florida Georgia Line exhibit.
He held a picket sign reading "FGL does not belong here", citing a belief that the duo's music is pop and not country.
[38] On April 14, 2022, Hoffman commenced his "2022 Comeback Tour" when he headlined the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, his first live performance since 2018.