Singer and rapper Shaboozey has issued a clarification following criticism of his acceptance speech at the Grammy Awards, after some viewers argued that his remarks appeared to overlook the role of enslaved Africans in building the United States.
The controversy followed Shaboozey’s win on Sunday, during which he paid tribute to immigrants while accepting the award, prompting debate on social media about historical context and representation.
In a statement, Shaboozey sought to explain his comments and acknowledge the broader history behind them. “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,” he wrote.
“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.”
Shaboozey also highlighted the significance of his win, noting that he became the first Black man to receive the Grammy for Best Country Duo/Group Performance, and that the achievement came 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.”
The debate stemmed from remarks Shaboozey made while accepting the award for “Amen,” a collaboration with Jelly Roll.
During his speech, he dedicated the win 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.”
Some observers interpreted the comments as an implicit reference to current immigration debates in the United States, particularly amid increased enforcement actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
However, others felt the framing failed to fully recognise the experiences of enslaved Africans and their descendants. Bernice King, daughter of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., weighed in on the discussion with a post on X.
“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.
She added: “Our 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.”
Shaboozey’s response sought to bridge the gap between his personal story as the child of immigrants and the wider historical realities of Black Americans, emphasising that his achievement was rooted in sacrifices made by both his parents and generations before him.
The exchange has continued to fuel conversation about language, history and representation in public celebrations of success.
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