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The American artist ShabooZey has long been a well-known name in the USA. After the release of his first two albums, “Lady Wrangler” (2018) and “Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die” (2022), he was represented on two songs by Beyoncé’s album “Cowboy Carter” in 2024. In the same year he achieved the commercial breakthrough with his third album “Where I’ve Be, Isn’t Where i’m Going” and the number a single single “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”. On March 8, he invited to Cologne as part of his Europa tour – and ensured an exuberant evening.
When you took the first steps in the Cologne Theater in the Tanzbrunnen that evening, you realized that this will not be a normal concert. Rather, it felt like a country party in the middle of the city on the Rhine. Wherever you looked, you could see cowboy hats, boots and western style outfits. The atmosphere was energetic, relaxed, friendly.
Shaboozey: Many influences, many different sounds
Collins Obinna Chibuez alias ShabooZey is definitely not a pure country act. The musician and producer has been mixing rap with country, hip-hop with Americana for many years. In our interview, Shaboozey emphasizes that he does not want to commit himself to a certain genre and does not worry about drawers anyway: “I mix a lot of influences and sounds anyway. In the studio I just do what I feel at the moment. I do not think much about genres, but create something that feels authentic for me.”
He has always been a kind of “Lone Wolf”, he says: “There were not a lot of people where I made music – and certainly not something similar like me. I always knew that I was on unexplored terrain with what I do. And that there would probably be a group of people who would not like or would not like it. But I just stayed with it.”
The connection between hip-hop and country
We want to know what hip-hop and country have in common. “Both are ‘lifestyle genres’. If you think of country, you think of a certain way of life, in a certain way of things. The same applies to hip-hop. One thinks of a certain lifestyle, certain motifs and certain images that come into your head immediately. Both are deeply rooted in tradition, they emphasize strongly where you come from and what the background you have from.”
The focus on storytelling is also common to both genres – but there is one difference: “I think Country is a genre that is greatly rooted in tradition. It is based on tradition, storytelling, and these aspects will always remain. I think country is more of a genre that strives to return to his roots.”
Shaboozey: exuberant celebration in Cologne
When Shaboozey entered the stage, the audience was immediately there. People were confident of text, sang loudly and celebrated his songs. The artist himself had an absolute effect, waved the first rows again and again and looked for eye contact – that gave the whole thing a special, personal touch.
The last song became the crowning glory of the evening. The crowd kept up her cell phones, the voices merged into a choir, and because it was so beautiful, Shaboozey simply played the song again. In the second run, the men left the women the stage – a great finale.
Shaboozey as a musical bridge builder
It is secondary for him whether he sees himself as a pioneer of a new movement or just goes his own way. However, he wants to enthusiastically and vice versa to rap fans, but does not see this too missionary: “I don’t see that as my mission. When I started hearing country as an adult, I started to hear Country and it became part of my life. I had changed my life. I had the feeling that many people were not open to the genre opposite or thought that it was nothing for them. Country music are there for everyone-for you, for me, for everyone in the world. “
His appearance in Cologne has proven that: his mixture of country and hip-hop inspires a diverse audience. Anyone who thought that these genres were incompatible was instructed that evening. We want to know what he treats himself after a successful evening. “A double whiskey,” he replies – Shaboozey should have approved that on this memorable evening.