Nationwide — Shaboozey, a 29-year-old Nigerian-American artist from Woodbridge, Virginia, arrived at the 2024 CMA Awards riding high on a wave of success. As a first-time nominee, he received nods for New Artist of the Year and Single of the Year, while also securing a performance slot to showcase his hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” and his latest single “Highway.” Despite a historic year as a rising force in country music, his experience at the CMAs was overshadowed by microaggressions disguised as humor.According to Rolling Stone, Shaboozey didn’t take home either award, but his name became the subject of offhand remarks throughout the evening. Cody Johnson’s producer, Trent Willmon, took the stage to accept the Album of the Year award for Leather and quipped, “This is for this cowboy who’s been kicking Shaboozey for a lot of years.” While some defended the comment as a wordplay on “kicking booty,” it raised questions about why Shaboozey’s name was used in a joke at all, particularly when he wasn’t even nominated in that category.
Born Collins Obinna Chibueze, Shaboozey adopted his stage name after a high-school coach repeatedly mispronounced his surname. The artist has spoken about the societal pressure to adapt cultural names for others’ convenience. At the CMAs, this pattern persisted. Co-hosts Peyton Manning and Luke Bryan made jokes about his name during the monologue, with Bryan calling his breakthrough hit a “Sha-doozey.” Later, while introducing his performance, Bryan made another remark about “Mr. and Mrs. Shaboozey” being proud, further diminishing the artist’s accomplishments.
Despite these microaggressions, Shaboozey’s achievements this year are undeniable. He was featured on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, an album celebrating Black country musicians, and his hit “A Bar Song” dethroned Beyoncé’s own “Texas Hold ’Em” on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, marking the first time two Black artists consecutively topped the chart. His success continued with six Grammy nominations, including Song of the Year and Best Country Song.
After the awards, Shaboozey addressed the controversy with a lighthearted post on social media, sharing a photo of himself smiling and the caption, “Ain’t nobody kicking me!” However, the night highlighted the barriers Black artists face in country music, where their contributions are often minimized or met with hostility. Earlier this year, The War and Treaty, the only other Black act nominated at the CMAs, also faced discrimination when a cotton plant was placed in their dressing room at an event—a gesture organizers called an “honest mistake.”
Shaboozey’s presence at the CMAs reflects his commitment to bridging divides in the genre. Yet, his treatment stands in stark contrast to how other crossover artists, like Post Malone, have been welcomed. While Beyoncé was criticized for not fully integrating into the country community despite her groundbreaking contributions, Shaboozey “played the game” by attending and performing, only to face disrespect.
The CMA Awards missed an opportunity to celebrate Shaboozey’s historic rise in country music. Instead, the evening served as a reminder of the cultural barriers still present in the industry. Shaboozey deserves more than what he received—he deserves recognition, respect, and, at the very least, an apology.