Shaboozey: 'Where I Come From'

Shaboozey closing out The Great American Road Show with “The Bar Song” at House of Blues Orlando — Oct 2025.

I didn't expect that this would be the inaugural post of Alt Blk Country. I mean, seriously, I just needed to put up a couple of The Great American Road Show photos on my Story and be done with it. But having witnessed Shaboozey performing live, I just can't shake my head at what happened.

Born Collins Obinna Chibueze, Shaboozey is a Virginia-born artist of Nigerian immigrant parents raised in Woodbridge and is transforming country music's sound and image. In blending country, hip-hop, and folk, he has managed to create something that at the same time sounds completely new and utterly familiar.

Last show of the Great American Roadshow. Orlando, FL (2025)

I've been listening to his music for a while now, and it's been insane to watch how his sound has evolved. You can hear the progression — from those early days when rap and trap took center stage, to now where he moves towards something more earthy and soulful. His album Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die was a turning point — a place where he stopped trying to fit into a sound and just became that.

And he's worked with some heavy hitters in the process — Beyoncé, Duckwrth, Timbaland, even Noah Cyrus. And yet, each collab remains unmistakably him, though. That's what I adore most about Shaboozey — no matter who he's standing beside, his voice and vision don't get lost in the shuffle. He's building his own path, brick by brick.

On stage, he gave us snippets of his background — growing up with immigrant parents, attending church, and how faith carried him through the ups and downs. He even asked for prayer and had a moment of silence

at one point. That can be sensitive territory for some, but he did it openly and authentically. His faith didn't divide the room — it filled it.

What really resonated with me was when he said, "I never lost faith in what I was put here to do." That really hit home. I am not someone who is particularly affiliated with a certain religion, but at that time, there was something to me — peace, maybe, or purpose. Whatever it was, the energy in that room was palpable.

Last show of the Great American Roadshow. Orlando, FL (2025)

And then there was that low, earthy twang that sounds like home — the sound that reaches your chest before your ears. During "Let It Burn," one of mine favorites, you could feel the emotion welling up from him. His voice cracked up slightly — not with tension, but with emotion.

Watching him live, you realize that he doesn't require filters and effects. The sound, the soul, the storytelling — all of it happens. Maybe this wasn't supposed to be the first Alt Blk Country post… but it works that it is. Because that is what the platform is about — the stories, the spirit, and the sound that keep country music alive and vital.

#AltBlkCountry | #Shaboozey | #GreatAmericanRoadShow | #BlackCountryMusic

Alt Blk Country celebrates and uplifts Black voices and stories in country music. Comments are moderated for respect, positivity, and relevance.

All opinions expressed are my own and not affiliated with Shaboozey, his team, or The Great American Road Show

All concert photos captured by Alt Blk Country during The Great American Road Show.