Everybody’s in the club getting tipsy; at least when Shaboozey’s on the scene–and that’s why he’s BOSSIP’s Black Music Month pick for Fresh Face Friday.
Source: Daniel Prakopc / Daniel Prakopc
The Nigerian-American country crooner got the world yippin’ and a yammerin’ when he appeared on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album but he was already making his mark in the country music world for over a decade.
Shaboozey thrives in the Alt-Country/Hip-Hop space and he told Billboard that his earliest musical memory is listening to Juvenile’s “Back That Azz Up”, something that stood out for the Virginia-raised artist born, Collins Chibueze, in between hearing his dad play Kenny Rogers and Garth Brooks.
Long before wranglin’ and ripping vocals for Bey on the tracks “Spaghetti” and “Sweet * Honey * Buckiin,” Shaboozey went viral for his 2015 track “Jeff Gordon.”
He recently told PEOPLE that he met the race car driver himself in Charlotte.
“I get off the stage and someone said, ‘You mentioned Jeff Gordon. He’s here. He missed your show but he wants to see you. He wants to meet you.’ I’m like, ‘Jeff Gordon wants to meet me?’ I’m like, ‘Jeff Gordon’s heard that song? And he didn’t send a cease and desist,’” he said jokingly about the full-circle moment. “But it was cool, man. That was awesome.”
He’s also (of course) met Beyoncé (musically at least) who he says heard his current single “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”, a country twist on J-Kwon’s 2004 hit, and was intrigued enough to work with him.
“Someone at Parkwood or in Beyoncé’s camp heard [“A Bar Song”] from me playing it live and was like, ‘We have to bring him in the studio,’ ” Shaboozey who’s signed to Republic recalled to Billboard. “Then the Beyoncé [album]came out, and we were like, ‘Oh, it’s time. Drop it.’ ”
That track is currently breaking records and recently entered its fifth week in the top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and seventh week on the chart overall. An official press release notes that it peaked at #1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Chart, debuted at #3 on Billboard’s Song of the Summer Chart, and has amassed over 400 million streams. Shaboozey also recently celebrated it going platinum.
If that’s not enough, he and Beyoncé also made history as the first two Black artists to lead the chart with back-to-back #1 songs on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
Now with eager eyes on him, he’s promoting his “Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going” album that reps for the artist report debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
Source: Republic Records
The project is described as taking listeners on a “cinematic road trip through the wilds of the American West, bringing a powerful new depth to his storytelling while pushing further into the country/folk-inspired sound he’s explored in recent years.”
It’s also been called a “sophisticated self-help journey” and standout tracks included “Let It Burn,” the “haunting heartbreak” track “Anabelle,” and “Vegas,” a sing-along-ready single straight from the Wild West.
Shaboozey’s star is on the rise and we’re pouring up a double shot of whiskey to celebrate.
