Shaboozey didn’t hold back when responding to the viral side-eye moment he threw at Megan Moroney during the 2025 American Music Awards.
On May 26, the “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” singer and Moroney took the stage at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas to announce the Favorite Country Duo or Group winner, and things got interesting.
As they kicked off, Shaboozey reminded the crowd how country music has always played a big role in AMA history. He pointed out that the very first year of the AMAs, Charley Pride won Favorite Male Country Artist. That was a huge moment because Pride, who sadly passed in 2020, was a trailblazer for Black musicians in country music. Then Megan Moroney, reading off the teleprompter, said the Favorite Female Artist award that year went to Lynn Anderson, and the award in that category went to the Carter family, who she described as the people who “basically invented country music.” That’s when Shaboozey gave a quick side-eye and a laugh, clearly reacting to the oversimplification.
No strangers to the world of country music, @_megmoroney and @ShaboozeysJeans are here to present the award for Favorite Country Duo or Group! #AMAs pic.twitter.com/tntutV8u4v
— American Music Awards (@AMAs) May 27, 2025
The moment caught fire online, and the next day Shaboozey, whose real name is Collins Obinna Chibueze, dropped some real knowledge on X. He wrote, “When you uncover the true history of country music, you find a story so powerful that it cannot be erased…” He pointed out that country music’s roots are about people coming together, despite their differences, celebrating what makes us alike.
When you uncover the true history of country music, you find a story so powerful that it cannot be erased…
— Shaboozey (@ShaboozeysJeans) May 27, 2025
The real history of country music is about people coming together despite their differences, and embracing and celebrating the things that make us alike.
— Shaboozey (@ShaboozeysJeans) May 27, 2025
That real history includes Black artists whose influence shaped the genre from the very beginning. The Carter family, A.P. Carter, Sara Dougherty Carter, and Maybelle Addington Carter, are often called the first family of country music and are credited with inventing harmony singing and popularizing many country standards. But what’s often missed is that the Carter family’s music was deeply influenced by Lesley Riddle, a Black guitar player who helped A.P. Carter gather songs almost a century ago.
Country music’s debt to African and African-American traditions is huge, but because of commercial decisions by white industry executives, Black musicians were sidelined and excluded for decades. But legends like Hank Williams were mentored by Black guitar player Rufus “Tee Tot” Payne. Johnny Cash learned from banjo and fiddle player Gus Cannon, who was also Black. DeFord Bailey, a Black harmonica player, was the first artist ever to perform at the Grand Ole Opry, setting Nashville on its path to becoming country music’s capital.
Black artists aren’t just history, they’re shaping country music right now. Beyoncé’s country album COWBOY CARTER won Album of the Year at the 2025 Grammys and Best Country Album too. She dedicated the win to Linda Martell, the first Black female country singer who worked with Beyoncé on the record-breaking album. Beyoncé said, “I hope we just keep pushing forward,” reflecting the ongoing fight for recognition and inclusion in country music.
Shaboozey’s response highlights the need to tell country music’s full story, not just the parts that fit a neat narrative. His reaction to Megan Moroney’s teleprompter read opened the door for fans and the industry to remember that country music’s true roots are rich, diverse, and built on a legacy that includes Black musicians who shaped the sound we love today.
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