March’s Artist of the Month is… Shaboozey

Collins Obinna Chibueze, born on May 9, 1995 (29), is a Nigerian-American artist known as Shaboozey. He is a rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer whose music blends hip-hop, country, rock, and Americana. His stage name comes from the mispronunciation of his last name, which means “God is king” in Igbo.

Shaboozey gained fame after releasing his first two albums, Lady Wrangler in 2018 and Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die in 2022. He became more recognized after contributing to two tracks on Beyoncé’s album Cowboy Carter in 2024. His third album, Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going, released in 2024, became commercially successful, especially with the hit single “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” which was a number one song on the Billboard Hot 100 for nineteen weeks, matching the record of Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road. “

Born and raised in Woodbridge, Virginia, Shaboozey comes from Igbo Nigerian parents. His father was a farmer in Nigeria who studied in Texas. He was influenced by hip-hop music videos and his father’s love for country music while growing up. He attended a boarding school in Nigeria for junior high and graduated from Gar-Field Senior High School in 2013, where he played football. Initially, he wanted to be a novelist, but he took music more seriously after earning money from music gigs and shooting music videos.

In 2014, Shaboozey released his first single, “Jeff Gordon,” which features elements of trap music and NASCAR audio. He also established V Picture Films to aim for a career in writing, directing, and producing. In August 2016, Shaboozey signed a deal with Homeless Records for his music rights and released his debut album on Republic Records in October 2018. He gained national attention for the song “Start a Riot” after collaborating with Duckwrth for the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse soundtrack.

His second studio album, Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die, came out in October 2022 and discusses themes connecting hip-hop with 19th-century outlaw music. In January 2024, after Beyoncé’s team heard “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” he featured on two songs for her album Cowboy Carter, which was released in March. The single “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” also debuted in April 2024.

Shaboozey’s third album, released in May 2024, shows a shift in style toward folk-pop with more acoustic elements. In November 2024, he released “Good News” and performed at the halftime of an NFL game. He also featured as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live and performed in a Christmas Day Halftime Show. He has received several Grammy nominations for various categories.

His music style mixes hip-hop, country, rock, and Americana, drawing influences from artists like the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and Led Zeppelin, as well as filmmakers like Martin Scorsese. He has also cited various other musicians across genres as influences on his work.