Shaboozey needed a tissue. The country music artist was getting emotional during a live interview at Losers bar inside the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, reflecting on what his history-making Grammy win meant to him — not as an artist, but as a son and grandson.
In February, Shaboozey became the first Black man to win the Grammy for Best Country Duo/Group Performance, winning the award for "Amen," his collaboration with Jelly Roll. The win came on the first day of Black History Month.
"I cried so much then because I really felt it all," Shaboozey said, his voice cracking as he relived the moment. "Thinking about all the struggle and the pain that our people, my people, Black people, Nigerian people... To feel like I was able to be a part in some little way of Black history was just... It was a lot."
The 31-year-old — born Collins Obinna Chibueze to Nigerian immigrants — is focused on what's next. He recently got inked with a skull in a cowboy hat and the words "Outlaws Never Die" tattooed on his left hand.
His 2024 hit "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" accumulated 1.7 billion streams. He is now pursuing what he describes as a darker, grittier direction.
There is one concern: his mom hasn't seen the tattoo yet. "She hasn't seen it yet," he admitted during the interview, extending his hand to show off the fresh ink.
Shaboozey's rise has been rapid. Beyoncé featured him on her country album Cowboy Carter before he became widely known. Now his name reaches audiences from moms to teens. If this new "Outlaw" era follows his trajectory so far, the music world should pay attention.
