Collins Obinna Chibueze (born May 9, 1995), known professionally as Shaboozey, is an American musician rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer.[1][2] His music combines hip-hop, country, rock, and Americana. He has released three albums: Lady Wrangler (2018), Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die (2022), and Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going (2024). He achieved commercial success with the songs "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" (2024) and "Good News" (2024). "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" spent nineteen weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, tying with Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" as the longest running Hot 100 number-one song ever.
Shaboozey | |
|---|---|
 Shaboozey performing in 2024 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Collins Obinna Chibueze |
| Born | May 9, 1995 Woodbridge, Virginia, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
|
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 2014–present |
| Labels | |
| Website | americandogwood |
His stage name and nickname, Shaboozey, originated from the mispronunciation of his last name, Chibueze - an Igbo word meaning "God is king" - by his high school football coach.[3][4][5]
Early life
editChibueze was born and raised in Woodbridge, Virginia. His parents are Nigerians and his father is a farmer in Nigeria who went to college in Texas.[6] In his childhood, he was inspired by hip-hop music videos on 106 & Park, as well as his father's cowboy style of dress and love for country music.[7][1] For junior high, he spent two years at a boarding school in Nigeria. In 2013, he graduated from Gar-Field Senior High School in Woodbridge, Virginia,[8] where he played football as a freshman.[4] As a teenager, Shaboozey planned to be a novelist. However, by the time he graduated high school, in addition to earning money from shooting music videos and photography, he also earned "a few hundred bucks here and there" from music gigs and decided to take music more seriously.[9]
Career
edit
In 2014, Shaboozey released his first single, "Jeff Gordon", referring to NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon. It is described as "a sparse trap song with a stealthy piano beat" and begins with overlapping audio from a NASCAR race.[9]
Also in 2014, Shaboozey founded V Picture Films, a production company, with the goal of becoming a writer, director, and producer.[10][7]
In August 2016, Shaboozey signed a recording, co-publishing and ancillary rights agreement with Terence Sheldon dba Homeless Records (assigned to Kreshendo Entertainment, a division of Republic Records, in September 2017), giving up 50% of the rights to his compositions while the agreement was in effect. The publishing agreement was terminated in November 2019.[11]
In October 2018, Shaboozey released his debut studio album Lady Wrangler on Republic Records.[1]
In 2018, Shaboozey was asked by Duckwrth to sing the hook for the song "Start a Riot". It went so well that Shaboozey was also asked to sing the second verse. The song, released in December 2018, was included in the soundtrack to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and led to national recognition for Shaboozey.[12][13]
Shaboozey's second studio album, Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die, was released in October 2022 via Empire Distribution.[1][14] On the album, Shaboozey attempts to highlight the common themes between contemporary hip-hop and 19th century outlaw music in the American frontier.[12]
In January 2024, after a member of Beyoncé's team heard Shaboozey's then-unreleased "A Bar Song (Tipsy)", Shaboozey was asked to sing on two songs with Beyoncé. The tracks were included on her eighth studio album, Cowboy Carter, released in March 2024.[3] "A Bar Song (Tipsy)", which interpolates J-Kwon's 2004 single "Tipsy", was released in April 2024. The song spent nineteen weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, tying with Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" as the longest running Hot 100 number-one song ever.
Shaboozey's third studio album, Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going, was released in May 2024.[2] Though his earlier music had more of a trap influence, this album has more of a folk-pop sound with acoustic guitar.[3] As of May 2024, Jared Cotter was Shaboozey's co-talent manager.[15]
In November 2024, Shaboozey released "Good News". That month he also performed at the halftime show of the 2024 Chicago Bears–Detroit Lions Thanksgiving game.[16]
On December 7, 2024, Shaboozey was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live, where he performed "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" and "Good News".[17]
Musical style and influences
editShaboozey's music combines hip-hop, country, rock, and Americana.[2][18][7]
Shaboozey has cited the Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, and Led Zeppelin as influences, as well as Martin Scorsese films such as Taxi Driver.[7] Other influences include Fela Kuti, Clipse, Roger Waters, Backstreet Boys, Pharrell Williams, Missy Elliott, Lead Belly, and Johnny Cash.[1][7][12]
Tours
editOpening act
edit- Jessie Murph - Live In The Sticks Tour - 2024
Headlining
edit- Europe + UK Tour 2025
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [19] |
US Country [20] |
AUS [21] |
CAN [22] |
FIN [23] |
NOR [24] | |||
| Lady Wrangler |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going | 5 | 2 | 76 | 4 | 34 | 10 | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||||
Singles
edit| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [30] |
US Country [31] |
US Country Airplay [32] |
AUS [33] |
CAN [34] |
IRE [35] |
NZ [36] |
SWE [37] |
UK [38] |
WW [39] | ||||
| "Jeff Gordon"[1] | 2014 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | |
| "Starfoxx"[1] | 2017 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Winning Streak"[40] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Lady Wrangler | ||
| "Robert Plant"[41] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | ||
| "Break the Band (How Could She?)"[42] | 2018 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Golden Child"[43] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Lady Wrangler | ||
| "Cabelas"[44] | 2019 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | |
| "More"[1] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Joan Jett"[1] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Prosperity"[1] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "I Can't Remember My Own Dreams"[1] | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Another Me"[1] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Beverley Hills"[1] | 2021 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die | |
| "Tall Boy"[45] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Gas!"[46] | 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Let It Burn"[47][48] | 2023 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going | |
| "Anabelle"[49] | 2024 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Vegas"[50] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | |||
| "Highway" | — | — | 60 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Good News" | 71 | 17 | — | — | 52 | — | —[A] | —[B] | —[C] | — | Non-album single | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||
Other charted songs
edit| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [30] |
US Country [31] |
US R&B /HH [57] |
BRA [58] |
CAN [34] |
NZ Hot [59] |
WW [39] | |||
| "Spaghettii" (with Beyoncé and Linda Martell) |
2024 | 31 | — | 12 | 65 | 58 | — | 37 | Cowboy Carter |
| "Sweet / Honey / Buckiin'" (with Beyoncé) |
61 | — | 22 | — | 94 | — | 109 | ||
| "My Fault" (featuring Noah Cyrus) |
—[D] | 40 | — | — | — | 23 | — | Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going | |
| "Drink Don't Need No Mix" (featuring BigXthaPlug) |
— | 47 | 45 | — | — | 37 | — | ||
| "Last of My Kind" (featuring Paul Cauthen) |
— | 43 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | |||||||||
Awards and nominations
editGrammy Awards
edit| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Himself | Best New Artist | Pending |
| "Spaghettii" (with Beyoncé and Linda Martell) | Best Melodic Rap Performance | Pending | |
| "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" | Song of the Year | Pending | |
| Best Country Song | Pending | ||
| Best Country Solo Performance | Pending |
People's Choice Country Awards
edit| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Himself | New Artist of 2024 | Won |
| Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going | Album of 2024 | Nominated | |
| "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" | Song of 2024 | Nominated | |
| Male Song of 2024 | Nominated | ||
| New Artist Song of 2024 | Won | ||
| "My Fault" (featuring Noah Cyrus) | Crossover Song of 2024 | Nominated | |
| "Let It Burn" | Music Video of 2024 | Nominated |
Country Music Association Awards
edit| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Himself | New Artist of the Year | Nominated |
| "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" | Single of the Year | Nominated |
MTV Video Music Awards
edit| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Himself | Best New Artist | Nominated |
| "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" | Song of Summer | Nominated |
Notes
edit- ^ "Good News" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at number eight on the NZ Hot Singles Chart.[55]
- ^ "Good News" did not enter the Swedish Singellista Chart, but peaked at number four on the Swedish Heatseeker Chart.[56]
- ^ "Good News" did not enter the UK Singles Chart, but peaked at number 65 on the Single Sales Chart.[38]
- ^ "My Fault" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 24 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.[60]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Yeung, Neil Z. "Shaboozey". AllMusic.
- ^ a b c Blistein, Jon (March 29, 2024). "If You Liked Shaboozey on Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter,' You Can Hear His New Album Soon". Rolling Stone.
- ^ a b c Shteamer, Hank (March 29, 2024). "Who's Who on Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter'". The New York Times.
- ^ a b Suggs, David (November 28, 2024). "What is Shaboozey's real name? How music star picked unique stage name". The Sporting News.
- ^ Heller, Corinne (October 6, 2024). "Shaboozey Reveals How Mispronunciation of His Real Name Inspired His Stage Name". E!.
- ^ "Shaboozey". Apple Music.
- ^ a b c d e Lytras, Katerina. "Virginia-based artist Shaboozey believes we can create whole universes in our minds". ColorsxStudios.
- ^ Marsh, Michelle (November 21, 2024). "Woodbridge teacher recalls 'Shaboozey' as top student, thought he'd be a scientist". WJLA-TV.
- ^ a b Cardenas, Cat (May 31, 2024). "This Isn't Shaboozey's First Rodeo". Harper's Bazaar.
- ^ Germain, Tabie (June 21, 2024). "BET Awards 2024: Who is Shaboozey?". BET.com.
- ^ "Shaboozey vs. Kreschendo" (PDF). August 2024.
- ^ a b c Grove, Rashad (November 1, 2023). "#Unboxed Vol 30: Shaboozey Remains True To His Artistic Vision That Has No Limits". BET.com.
- ^ Horowitz, Steven J. (March 28, 2024). "Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter': A Deep Dive Into the Featured Artists and Samples — From Shaboozey to 'These Boots Are Made for Walkin" and More". Variety.
- ^ "Shaboozey's Bold, Genre-Melding Statement LP "Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die"" (Press release). Shore Fire Media. October 7, 2022.
- ^ Rys, Dan (May 23, 2024). "Shaboozey, Paul Russell Manager Jared Cotter Promoted to Partner at Range Music". Billboard.
- ^ "NFL Thanksgiving games will feature Shaboozey, Lainey Wilson, Lindsey Stirling as halftime performers" (Press release). National Football League. November 10, 2024.
- ^ Peters, Mitchell (December 8, 2024). "Shaboozey Performs 'A Bar Song (Tipsy)' and 'Good News' in 'SNL' Debut: Watch". Billboard.
- ^ McClay, Caché (March 29, 2024). "Beyoncé features Shaboozey twice on 'Cowboy Carter': Who is the hip-hop, country artist?". USA Today.
- ^ "Shaboozey Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
- ^ "Shaboozey Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 10 June 2024". The ARIA Report. No. 1788. Australian Recording Industry Association. June 10, 2024. p. 4.
- ^ "Shaboozey Chart History (Billboard Canadian Albums)". Billboard.
- ^ "Shaboozey – Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat.
- ^ "Album 2024 uke 23". VG-lista. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
- ^ "Lady Wrangler - Album by Shaboozey". Apple Music.
- ^ "Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die - Album by Shaboozey". Spotify. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
- ^ "Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going by Shaboozey on Amazon Music". Amazon Music.
- ^ "Amazon.com: Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going: CDs & Vinyl". Amazon.
- ^ a b "American certifications – Shaboozey". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
- ^ a b "Shaboozey Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
- ^ a b "Shaboozey Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
- ^ "Shaboozey Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
- ^ "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. July 8, 2024. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
- ^ a b "Shaboozey Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
- ^ "Top 100 Singles, Week Ending 31 May 2024". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. June 3, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 18". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
- ^ a b "Shaboozey songs and albums | full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
- ^ a b "Shaboozey Chart History (Billboard Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
- ^ Shaboozey - Winning Streak (Official Audio). March 21, 2017 – via YouTube.
- ^ Cheung, HP (August 7, 2017). "Shaboozey Pays Homage to Led Zeppelin in "Robert Plant"". HypeBeast.
- ^ "Shaboozey Shares Trippy Visualizer for "Break the Band"" (Press release). New York City: Pressparty. March 30, 2018.
- ^ Golden Child (A Vignette by Shaboozey). September 24, 2018 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Cabela's". Genius.
- ^ "Shaboozey gives 'Modern Cowboy' vibes on new single "Tall Boy" [Video]". Earmilk. January 21, 2022.
- ^ "Shaboozey Floors The Gas! On New Single". Shore Fire Media. June 17, 2022.
- ^ Campbell, Erica (October 9, 2024). "Shaboozey's Work Pays Off". Paper.
- ^ "Who is Shaboozey?: Emerging artist featured twice on Beyonce's album". The Express Tribune. March 30, 2024.
- ^ Major, Michael (January 26, 2024). "Shaboozey Releases New Song 'Anabelle'". BroadwayWorld.
- ^ "Shaboozey's Legend With Hip-Hop Fans Continues To Grow On "Vegas"". HotNewHipHop. March 18, 2024.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
- ^ "British certifications – Shaboozey". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 12, 2024. Type Shaboozey in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- ^ "Sverigetopplistan – Shaboozey" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Shaboozey – A Bar Song (Tipsy)". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
- ^ "Hot 40 Singles". Recorded Music NZ. November 22, 2024. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
- ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 48". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
- ^ "Shaboozey Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
- ^ "Shaboozey Chart History (Billboard Brasil Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
- ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. June 10, 2024. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
- ^ "Shaboozey Chart History: Bubbling Under Hot 100". Billboard.
External links
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