Shaboozey
{{short description|American rapper (born 1995)}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Shaboozey
| image = Shaboozey on the CwE 01.jpg
| caption = Shaboozey performing in 2024
| birth_name = Collins Obinna Chibueze
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1995|05|09}}
| birth_place = Woodbridge, Virginia, U.S.
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Rapper|singer|songwriter|record producer}}
| years_active = 2014–present
| label = {{flatlist|
}}
| website = {{Official URL}}
}}
Collins Obinna Chibueze (born May 9, 1995), known professionally as Shaboozey, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer.{{Cite web |title=Shaboozey |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/shaboozey-mn0003690780 |first=Neil Z. |last=Yeung |publisher=AllMusic }}{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/beyonce-cowboy-carter-shaboozey-new-album-1234996467/ |title=If You Liked Shaboozey on Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter,' You Can Hear His New Album Soon |first=Jon| last=Blistein |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=March 29, 2024}} His music combines hip-hop, country, rock, and Americana. His stage name originated from the mispronunciation of his last name, Chibueze – an Igbo word meaning "God is king" – by his high school football coach.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/29/arts/music/beyonce-cowboy-carter-credits.html |title=Who's Who on Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' |first=Hank |last=Shteamer |work=The New York Times |date=March 29, 2024 | url-access=limited}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.sportingnews.com/au/nfl/news/shaboozey-real-name-origin-stage-name/b6a1da9047196429f47597a2 | title=What is Shaboozey's real name? How music star picked unique stage name | first=David | last=Suggs | work=The Sporting News | date=November 28, 2024}}{{Cite news | url=https://www.eonline.com/news/1408244/shaboozey-reveals-how-mispronunciation-of-his-real-name-inspired-his-stage-name | title=Shaboozey Reveals How Mispronunciation of His Real Name Inspired His Stage Name | first=Corinne | last=Heller | work=E! | date=October 6, 2024}}
Following the releases of his first two albums, Lady Wrangler (2018) and Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die (2022), Shaboozey featured on two songs from Beyoncé's album Cowboy Carter (2024). He achieved commercial success with his third album, Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going (2024), and its number one single "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" as well as "Good News"; the former 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 of all time.
Throughout his career he received five Grammy Awards nominations and won three Billboard Music Awards, two People's Choice Country Awards and a IHeartRadio Music Awards.
Early life
Chibueze was born and raised in Woodbridge, Virginia. His parents are Igbo Nigerians; his father was a farmer in Nigeria who attended college in Texas.{{Cite web |publisher=Apple Music |url=https://music.apple.com/us/artist/shaboozey/914125510 |title=Shaboozey}} 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 of country music.{{Cite web | url=https://colorsxstudios.com/editorials/shaboozey-interview |last=Lytras |first=Katerina | title=Virginia-based artist Shaboozey believes we can create whole universes in our minds | publisher=ColorsxStudios}} 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,{{Cite news | url=https://wjla.com/news/local/shaboozey-woodbridge-collins-chibueze-big-c-artist-teacher-gar-field-high-school-administrator-break-out-a-bar-song-tipsy-yearbook-pictures-billboard-country-hip-hop-awards-technology-computer-science-cma | title=Woodbridge teacher recalls 'Shaboozey' as top student, thought he'd be a scientist | first=Michelle | last=Marsh | work=WJLA-TV | date=November 21, 2024}} where he played football as a freshman. 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.{{Cite magazine | url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/art-books-music/a60954748/shaboozey-new-album-interview-2024/| title=This Isn't Shaboozey's First Rodeo | first=Cat | last=Cardenas | magazine=Harper's Bazaar | date=May 31, 2024}}
Career
File:Shaboozey on the CwE 03.jpg
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.
Also in 2014, Shaboozey founded V Picture Films, a production company, with the goal of becoming a writer, director, and producer.{{Cite news | url=https://www.bet.com/article/ddnomj/bet-awards-2024-get-to-know-shaboozey-performer | title=BET Awards 2024: Who is Shaboozey? | first=Tabie | last=Germain | work=BET.com | date=June 21, 2024}}
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.{{Cite web | url=https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/shaboozey-v-kreshendo-complaint-24STCV21484-august-2024.pdf | title=Shaboozey vs. Kreschendo | date= August 2024 | accessdate= }}
In October 2018, Shaboozey released his debut studio album Lady Wrangler on Republic Records.
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.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bet.com/article/v8qhqn/unboxed-shaboozey-remains-true-to-his-artistic-vision |title=#Unboxed Vol 30: Shaboozey Remains True To His Artistic Vision That Has No Limits |first=Rashad |last=Grove | work=BET.com |date=November 1, 2023}}{{Cite news |url=https://variety.com/2024/music/news/beyonce-cowboy-carter-breakdown-shaboozey-blackbird-cover-willie-jones-1235955386/ |title=Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter': A Deep Dive Into the Featured Artists and Samples — From Shaboozey to 'These Boots Are Made for Walkin" and More | first=Steven J. | last=Horowitz | work=Variety | date=March 28, 2024}}
Shaboozey's second studio album, Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die, was released in October 2022 via Empire Distribution.{{Cite press release | url=https://shorefire.com/releases/entry/shaboozeys-bold-genre-melding-statement-lp-cowboys-live-forever-outlaws-never-die | title=Shaboozey's Bold, Genre-Melding Statement LP "Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die"| publisher=Shore Fire Media | date=October 7, 2022}} On the album, Shaboozey attempts to highlight the common themes between contemporary hip-hop and 19th century outlaw music in the American frontier.
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. "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. Though his earlier music had more of a trap influence, this album has more of a folk-pop sound with acoustic guitar. As of May 2024, Jared Cotter was Shaboozey's co-talent manager.{{Cite magazine | url=https://www.billboard.com/business/management/shaboozey-paul-russell-manager-jared-cotter-range-music-partner-1235691309/ | title=Shaboozey, Paul Russell Manager Jared Cotter Promoted to Partner at Range Music | first=Dan | last=Rys | magazine=Billboard | date=May 23, 2024}}
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.{{Cite press release | url=https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-thanksgiving-games-shaboozey-lainey-wilson-lindsey-stirling-halftime-performers | title=NFL Thanksgiving games will feature Shaboozey, Lainey Wilson, Lindsey Stirling as halftime performers | publisher=National Football League |date=November 10, 2024}}
In December 2024, Shaboozey was a musical guest on Saturday Night Live, where he performed "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" and "Good News".{{Cite magazine | url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/shaboozey-snl-a-bar-song-tipsy-good-news-videos-1235847929/ | title=Shaboozey Performs 'A Bar Song (Tipsy)' and 'Good News' in 'SNL' Debut: Watch | first=Mitchell | last=Peters | magazine=Billboard | date=December 8, 2024}} He also performed alongside Post Malone in the Beyoncé 2024 NFL Halftime Show at the Christmas Day Game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Houston Texans.{{Cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/culture/story/beyonce-performs-halftime-christmas-nfl-game/?id=116960688 |title=Beyoncé performs 'Cowboy Carter' during NFL Christmas Day halftime show | first1=Mason | last1=Leib | first2=Riley | last2=Hoffman | work=ABC News | date=December 27, 2024}}
Shaboozey received nominations at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards for Song of the Year, Best New Artist, Best Country Song, Best Country Solo Performance, and Best Melodic Rap Performance.{{Cite web |title=2025 GRAMMYs: See The OFFICIAL Full Nominations List |url=https://www.grammy.com/news/2025-grammys-nominations-full-winners-nominees-list |website=GRAMMY.com}}
Musical style and influences
Shaboozey's music combines hip-hop, country, rock, and Americana.{{Cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2024/03/29/beyonce-spaghettii-new-song-who-is-shaboozey-featured/73138223007 |title=Beyoncé features Shaboozey twice on 'Cowboy Carter': Who is the hip-hop, country artist? |last=McClay |first=Caché |work=USA Today |date=March 29, 2024}}
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. Other influences include Fela Kuti, Clipse, Roger Waters, Backstreet Boys, Pharrell Williams, Missy Elliott, Lead Belly, and Johnny Cash.
Tours
=Opening act=
- Jessie Murph - Live In The Sticks Tour - 2024
- Jelly Roll - Beautifully Broken Tour - 2024
=Headlining=
- Europe + UK Tour 2025
Discography
=Studio albums=
=Singles=
=Other charted songs=
class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of other charted songs, with selected chart positions, year released and album name ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Year ! scope="col" colspan="7" | Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Album |
scope="col" style="width:2.8em;font-size:90%;"| US ! scope="col" style="width:2.8em;font-size:90%;"| US Country ! scope="col" style="width:2.8em;font-size:90%;"| US ! scope="col" style="width:2.8em;font-size:90%;"| BRA ! scope="col" style="width:2.8em;font-size:90%;"| CAN ! scope="col" style="width:2.8em;font-size:90%;"| NZ ! scope="col" style="width:2.8em;font-size:90%;"| WW |
---|
scope="row"| "Spaghettii" {{small|(with Beyoncé and Linda Martell)}} | rowspan="5"| 2024 | 31 || — || 12 || 65 || 58 || — || 37 | rowspan="2"| Cowboy Carter |
scope="row"| "Sweet / Honey / Buckiin'" {{small|(with Beyoncé)}} | 61 || — || 22 || — || 94 || — || 109 |
scope="row"| "My Fault" {{small|(featuring Noah Cyrus)}} | —{{efn|group=upper-alpha|"My Fault" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 24 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.}} || 40 || — || — || — || 23 || — | rowspan="3"| Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going |
scope="row"| "Drink Don't Need No Mix" {{small|(featuring BigXthaPlug)}} | — || 47 || 45 || — || — || 37 || — |
scope="row"| "Last of My Kind" {{small|(featuring Paul Cauthen)}} | — || 42 || — || — || — || — || — |
colspan="10" style="font-size:85%" |"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. |
Awards and nominations
Notes
{{notelist-ua}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{AllMusic|id=mn0003690780}}
- {{IMDb name|nm10210379}}
Category:21st-century African-American male singers
Category:21st-century American male singers
Category:21st-century American rappers
Category:21st-century American songwriters
Category:21st-century American guitarists
Category:African-American country musicians
Category:African-American male rappers
Category:20th-century American male rappers
Category:African-American male songwriters
Category:African-American record producers
Category:African-American guitarists
Category:Alternative hip-hop musicians
Category:American hip-hop singers
Category:American musicians of Nigerian descent
Category:American trap musicians
Category:American child singers
Category:People from Fairfax, Virginia
Category:People from Woodbridge, Virginia
Category:Rappers from Virginia
Category:Record producers from Virginia
Category:Republic Records artists
Category:Songwriters from Virginia