Shaboozey has issued a statement after facing some criticism for his Grammy acceptance speech, with some claiming one of his lines — “immigrants built this country” — ignored or diminished the role of Black people and enslaved Africans.
The country star, whose parents are from Nigeria, largely earned plaudits for his acceptance speech after he won Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “Amen,” his collaboration with Jelly Roll. Shaboozey dedicated the prize to the “children of immigrants” and “those who came to this country in search of better opportunity to be a part of a nation that promised freedom for all and equal opportunity to everyone willing to work for it.”
But some took issue with Shaboozey’s remark that “immigrants built this country,” arguing it diminished the forced contributions of slaves. Bernice King, Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter, was arguably the most prominent person to speak out in a post on X, where she appeared to quote Shaboozey, but did not mention him by name.
“Are people including enslaved Africans, descendants of those enslaved, and Black people whose unjust, low-wage labor sustained the economy in the 1800s/1900s as immigrants when they say ‘immigrants built this country’?” she wrote, adding: “[O]ur ancestors weren’t folks who came here seeking a better life. They arrived in chains, were bred like cattle, and severely violated, sexually and otherwise. Their trauma shouldn’t be diminished or forgotten, even in efforts toward freedom from ICE’s inhumane, violent tactics. We can only get to justice for all when truth is taught, embraced, and spoken.”
In his own note, shared on Tuesday (Feb. 3), Shaboozey wrote, “To be clear, I know and believe that we — Black people, have also built this country. My words were never intended to dismiss that truth. I am both a Black man and the son of Nigerian immigrants and in the overwhelming moment of winning my first Grammy my focus was on honoring the sacrifices my parents made by coming to this country to give me and my siblings opportunities they never had.”
Editor’s picks
Shaboozey also noted what it meant to become the first Black man to win the Grammy for Best Country Duo on the first day of Black History Month. “It stands on the foundation laid by generations of Black people who fought, sacrificed, and succeeded long before me,” he wrote. “This moment belongs to all of us.”
Trending Stories
In finishing his statement, Shaboozey said, “My entire career has been rooted in lifting people up, honoring where we come from, and expanding what’s possible. I am proud to be part of this legacy, and I intend to continue doing that work for the rest of my life.”
Shaboozey was one of several artists — along with Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, and Olivia Dean — to speak out in support of immigrants, or against Donald Trump’s brutal immigration crackdown, during the 2026 Grammys. Other artists also showed up wearing “ICE OUT” pins, including Justin Bieber, Brandi Carlile, Jack Antonoff, Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, Margo Price, and Samara Joy.