Collins Chibueze, a.k.a. Shaboozey, is a Virginia-born and raised artiste who was exposed to music from an early age.
Shaboozey’s parents used to play Kenny Rogers and Garth Brooks music in the house, but he was also lured to BET’s 106 & Park and eventually developed a fondness for Lil Wayne.
Shaboozey told PEOPLE in an interview that he considered songwriting to be a “hobby” at first and that it came effortlessly to him.
Some of his early compositions were limited to a Motorola phone he had as a child.
“I had no idea that I was writing a song.” I used to pick up a flip phone, set it to ring, and just begin singing into it. Before, all I would do was turn on the ringtones and compose tunes to them.
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While he had already created a name for himself in the country music industry for more than ten years, this Nigerian-American musician made an appearance on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album.
A Bar Song (Tipsy) by Shaboozey leaped from No. 6 to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart in May.
The song, which features an interpolation of J-Kwon’s 2004 hip-hop staple Tipsy, is the Virginia native’s first leader on the chart.
Long before Shaboozey belted out a rap for Beyoncé on songs like Spaghetti and Sweet * Honey * Buckiin, he gained popularity with his 2015 song, Jeff Gordon.
Shaboozey is a success in the Alt-Country/Hip-Hop genre, and he revealed to Billboard that Juvenile’s Back That Azz Up was the first song he ever listened to.
Shaboozey’s third studio album title, Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going, implies that he is now clear about his destination – but according to him, he doesn’t really need a destination.
“I find that being able to go somewhere without knowing how to accomplish anything is the most liberating part of music. Do you understand what I’m saying? You just feel like, yeah, you are blessed at all times, which makes it so much fun. You’re just like, I’m simply following my intuition and my heart.” And in the end, you know? It turned out okay. It’s coming together. I have no idea what the future will bring.
The album Where I’ve Been Isn’t Where I’m Going is available now through American Dogwood and EMPIRE.
