Shaboozey keeps making waves for creating one of the most popular songs of the year. The musician’s monster hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” has topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 17 weeks in a row, making it the longest-running No. 1 song by a solo artist in the chart’s history. On Monday, the breakout artist and his infectious tune surpassed the previous record set by Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” in 2023.
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is also a No. 1 country hit, claiming the top spot on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart for 20 weeks and counting, and has earned Shaboozey a combined eight nominations at the CMA Awards later this month and at the 2025 Grammys. The 29-year-old is competing for best new artist trophies at both award ceremonies. Meanwhile, his viral song is vying for Single of the Year at the CMAs as well as Song of the Year, Best Country Song, and Best Country Solo Performance at the Grammys.
The genre-bending artist’s mix of country and hip-hop has served him well, setting him on the path to country stardom, but he remains humble amid his rise to fame. “I’m a regular guy. I grew up in a small town in Virginia, and I just didn’t really do the school thing,” Shaboozey told CMT earlier this month. “I was just like, ‘Man, I really enjoy this passion of mine, and I’m gonna keep pursuing until it gets me there.’ I hope that’s what people, along with all the excited eyes, they read the story and they know that that person’s just like me.”
While Shaboozey is just now gaining recognition for his music, he is by no means a newcomer to the industry. The singer, whose real name is Collins Obinna Chibueze, scored his first record deal in 2017 and has since released three studio albums. Here’s what else you should know about the rising country star.
Shaboozey started out as a rap and hip-hop artist
Shaboozey got his start in music during the Soundcloud rap era. Taking inspiration from artists like Drake and Joey Bada$$, Shaboozey pursued a career in hip-hop as he wrote and produced his own songs. As he got older, however, his music started to take on more country influences. “In that [period of] discovery, I found country music to be the thing that resonated with me in a really strong way,” Shaboozey told Billboard in October.
He first tried to release a country album in 2016 but the project got shelved, forcing him to pivot. At the time, Shaboozey didn’t think the world was ready for a genre-mixing Black country artist. Instead, he released his “more rap-adjacent” debut album Lady Wrangler in October 2018, just one year after signing with Republic Records. His subsequent records—2022’s Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die and 2024’s Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going—offer a mix of country, hip-hop, and Americana.
His dad shaped his interest in country music
Shaboozey was born and raised in Woodbridge, Virginia, to Nigerian parents. The singer credits his upbringing and Nigerian American roots for his passion for country music. In an interview with GQ, Shaboozey said “there’s a connection” between the rural and agrarian lifestyles of Virginia and Nigeria and shared that his dad “loved the culture” of the American South, including the music. “My dad would go from playing Kenny Rogers or some of those country songs to then playing some traditional Nigerian songs,” he said.
His stage name is play on his real last name
The artist’s stage moniker actually dates back to his high school days, when his football coach misspelled and mispronounced his last name, Chibueze. “It’s something everyone around town called me—it’s kind of just stuck, so I picked it and kept it pushing,” he told New Wave Magazine.
Shaboozey has worked with Beyoncé
Shaboozey is featured twice on Beyoncé’s 2024 album Cowboy Carter. While he was originally hired to write for the album, the queen herself invited him to record freestyle verses on the tracks “Spaghettii” and “Sweet * Honey * Buckiin’.” Following his first CMA Award nominations in September, Shaboozey thanked Beyoncé “for opening a door for us, starting a conversation, and giving us one of the most innovative country albums of all time!” Two months later, “Spaghettii” earned Beyoncé, Shaboozey, and fellow song collaborator Linda Martell a Grammy nomination for Best Melodic Rap Song.
He originally wanted to be an author
Despite his passion for music, the artist originally aspired to be an author while growing up. He saw music as more of a hobby. “I was always telling stories, always trying to find ways to create something,” Shaboozey told Harper’s Bazaar.
At the time, his parents didn’t think rapping and singing would be a viable career path for him, which he initially agreed with, but as his gigs started to bring in more and more money, he started seriously pursuing a career in music. In between sets, he also supported himself by working as a photographer and videographer.
He had a song featured in a movie
In 2018, Shaboozey had a song make it to the big screen. His track “Start a Riot” with rapper Duckwrth was featured on the soundtrack for the animated superhero movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Shaboozey is on tour with Jelly Roll
Shaboozey is currently opening for fellow country singer Jelly Roll on his ongoing Beautifully Broken Tour. The “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” singer is joining the tour for 14 dates, with a final appearance on November 23 in Florida.
“I’m proud to have Shaboozey represent country music,” Jelly Roll wrote about the emerging star in Time. “He’s celebrated for many reasons, his talent being an obvious one. His work ethic is another.”
