Wednesday, 19 Mar 2025
Koko, London
Shaboozey is building his own world, carving his lane in the alternative country and hip-hop space. Born to parents of Nigerian descent and raised in the small town of Woodbridge, VA, the multi-faceted artist grew up on an eclectic mix of music encompassing classic hip-hop and R&B, to country and blues icons like Johnny Cash, Kenny Rogers, Garth Brooks, and Lead Belly, to master lyricists, such as Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. A true crossover artist, he began his epic rise to stardom with two standout features on Beyoncé’s COWBOY CARTER—the only artist with multiple appearances on the album. His latest body of work, the critically acclaimed masterpiece Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going, debuted in the top five of the Billboard 200 and was praised by The New York Times for “bring[ing] hip-hop grit to country” and by Rolling Stone for “honoring country tradition and moving it forward.” The album’s smash single “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” has achieved 4X RIAA- platinum certification, holds the longest reign of 2024 at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and has broken records dominating Billboard’s Country Airplay and Mediabase/ Country Aircheck charts. The single has accumulated over a billion streams across DSPs, propelled him into mainstream stardom, cemented itself as 2024’s song of the summer, and made history with Beyoncé’s “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM,” as the first Black artists to score back-to-back leaders on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. Staying true to his Virginian roots, Shaboozey strives to continue the region’s long-standing tradition of prolific creativity, this time by expanding the scope of contemporary hip-hop and introducing modern Americana to a global audience. He’ll soon embark on his nationwide, sold-out “Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going” headline fall tour followed by a run of arena performances as support for Jelly Roll’s “Beautifully Broken Tour.”