2 weeks Ago By David Suggs
The NFL's Thanksgiving games tend to captivate the masses. That's not merely rooted in the on-the-field action. Rather, there's a certain charm to the festivities.
There's food. There's football. There's singing and dancing.
Such is the might of The Shield that it can enlist almost anyone to grace its stage during halftime performances. This year, the NFL went for a rather popular choice: Shaboozey will lend his vocal chops to the late-autumn classic, crooning his most well-known tunes once the Lions and Bears leave the field. Securing Shaboozey's services represents a major coup for the league.
He's a supernova of sorts, conjuring up spells with his distinctive voice and embrace of multiple genres. So, just who is this bearded vocalist slated to let his vocals spill on Thanksgiving Day? The Sporting News gives you the rundown on Shaboozey, one of 2024's most popular artists. NFL HQ: Live NFL scores | Updated NFL standings | Full NFL schedule Who is Shaboozey? Shaboozey, real name Collins Obinna Chibueze (born May 9, 1995), is a Virginia-based musician and record producer who surged to global popularity in 2024 after offering vocals on two tracks on Beyonce's "Cowboy Carter" and reached the top spot of Billboard's Hot 100 with "A Bar Song (Tipsy).
" A Woodbridge, Vir., native, Chibueze was born to Nigerian-American parents. His stage name pays homage to both his gridiron roots and his Igbo background.
Chibueze's high school football coach couldn't pronounce his surname, which translates to "God is king" in Igbo. As such, he began calling him Shaboozey instead. “I just got called that throughout my years in high school and Woodbridge and everyone around town knew me as that,” Chibueze said, via Today .
“I thought it was cool to just play up my football coaches like, ‘Look at me now.’” MORE: Explaining why Cowboys, Lions are featured every holiday Chibueze's music career began in earnest in 2014 when he released his first single, "Jeff Gordon." His adolescence was soundtracked by an eclectic catalog of sounds, from Fela Kuti, Lil Wayne and Clipse to Roger Waters and Grateful Dead.
Unsurprisingly, his sound took on a similarly unconventional tint. "In Virginia, I always felt that I could do whatever I wanted and people would accept me," Chibueze said in an interview with ColorsxStudios in 2024. "I knew I would never be forced into a box because Virginia is so eclectic.
" In 2017, Chibueze inked his first record deal, joining Republic Records after releasing a pair of catchy singles. He marked his partnership with Republic with his first album release later that year, dropping "Lady Wrangler." Chibueze's second album, "Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die," reaffirmed his status as one of alt-country's more captivating talents.
His third, "Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going," made him an international superstar. "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" has stood atop Billboard's Top 100 charts for 18 weeks, more than any other track this year. Chibueze's recent exploits have landed him in some pretty elite company; the 29-year-old captured six Grammy nominations, including a Song of the Year, Best Country Solo Performance and Best New Artist.
He's already collected a handful of titles this year. It seems likely he'll add more to his treasure chest in due time. MORE: Five best Super Bowl halftime shows in NFL history Shaboozey songs, lyrics Shaboozey is almost certain to play "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" on Thursday.
It's easy to see why: it's the No. 1 song in America at present, having spent 31 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. A Bar Song (Tipsy) Shaboozey's most popular track, "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" has swept the globe since its April 12 release.
The track has racked up nearly 1 billion streams on Spotify and will likely receive top billing when Shaboozey takes the stage at Ford Field on Thursday afternoon. My baby want a Birkin, she's been tellin' me all night long Gasoline and groceries, the list goes on and on This 9 to 5 ain't workin', why the hell do I work so hard? I can't worry 'bout my problems, I can't take 'em when I'm gone, uh One, here comes the two to the three to the four Tell 'em bring another out, we need plenty more Two steppin' on the table, she don't need a dancefloor Oh my, good Lord Someone pour me up a double shot of whiskey They know me and Jack Daniels got a history There's a party downtown near Fifth Street Everybody at the bar gettin' tipsy Everybody at the bar gettin' tipsy Everybody at the bar gettin' tipsy I've been Boozey since I've left, I ain't changin' for a check Tell my ma I ain't forget (oh, Lord) Woke up drunk at 10 am, we gon' do this s— again Tell your girl to bring a friend (oh, Lord) One, here comes the two to the three to the four Tell 'em bring another out, we need plenty more Two steppin' on the table, she don't need a dancefloor Oh my, good Lord Someone pour me up a double shot of whiskey (double shot of whiskey) They know me and Jack Daniels got a history (we go way back) There's a party downtown near Fifth Street (okay, let's go) Everybody at the bar gettin' tipsy (at the bar gettin' tipsy) Everybody at the bar gettin' tipsy (at the bar gettin' tipsy) Everybody at the bar gettin' tipsy One, here comes the two to the three to the four When it's last call and they kick us out the door It's gettin' kind of late but the ladies want some more Oh my, good Lord Someone pour me up a double shot of whiskey (double shot of whiskey) They know me and Jack Daniels got a history (way back) There's a party downtown near Fifth Street (come on) Everybody at the bar gettin' tipsy (ooh) Someone pour me up a double shot of whiskey (double shot of whiskey) They know me and Jack Daniels got a history (me and J.D.
) At the bottom of a bottle gon' miss me (they gon' miss me) Everybody at the bar gettin' tipsy (bar gettin' tipsy) Everybody at the bar gettin' tipsy Everybody at the bar gettin' tipsy Drink Don't Need No Mix Another track that hails from "Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going," "Drink Don't Need No Mix" has quietly emerged as one of the project's most well-liked tunes. It'll be hard to outshine "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" for popularity. Still, if it's honest musings about party life that you seek — and the misgivings that can arise from such a tenuous existence — "Drink Don't Need No Mix" is a good choice.
Got so drunk he hit his s— on the sidewalk But he good he gone be alright We just left Whiskey Row, thirty minutes ago And he still seeing neon lights Drive up to the dive bar and get PBR That's just how we start our nights I see them bachelorettes on Broadway And they all wanna be my wife I'm tryna flex Truckbed made of cedarwood this where I count my checks We just got it painted baby please don't make mess Look inside my cup, I'm so confused where's the rest Oh s—, don't forget The drink don't need no mix What the f— is this? I'm tryna get faded baby this ain't gone do s— The drink don't need no mix I need more than this I'm tryna get faded baby this ain't gone do s— The drink don't need no mix Ay ay Tryna get to my liver Took four shots of some Casa and Redbull I usually don't mix but this s— is a handful Tryna see why this room at a standstill Everyone wasted surprised I can stand still I don't know but this drank got me spinnin' Turnt up everyday you can tell that we winning Stay lit off Tequila, Shaboozey want Whiskey We tipsy and want every girl if she pretty Keep telling my folks that it's on me and in me Just pray 'fore you try it ain't safe trying to get me We living and took us a shot every second We be rocking out shows getting money and women I just went gold tryna get me Emmy, a Grammy, a Oscar whatever come with it Matter fact take a shot make it straight 'cause The drink don't need no mix What the f— is this? I'm tryna get faded baby this ain't gone do s— The drink don't need no mix I need more than this I'm tryna get faded baby this ain't gone do s— The drink don't need no mix The drink don't need no mix Vegas Shaboozey's catalog is filled with ditties about scorned lovers, despair and finding solace in the bottom of a glass bottle. "Vegas" follows that formula to a tee, offering Shaboozey a platform to both croon about heartbreak and wade into rap when the opportunity presented itself. Road, down these old dirt roads How far does it go? Should've brought my four-by-four Smoke, I stepped out for a smoke We been at it all night long At each other throats Lived a lot of life and my biggest mistake is leaving my town with a pretty lady Shredded my heart like a day-old paper Ran me wild and drove me crazy Old vibrations, familiar faces It's Hollywood of all the goddamn places Been so long, I need a long vacation Lived my life like it was one big Vegas (Lived my life like it was one big Vegas) I pour my shame inside my cup and drink myself to sleep If I make it through the night then it's a sweet dream I got demons, devils calling me Came out the gutter covered in dirt, got it all over me I'm sipping on whiskey, I'm feeling it now Tell momma I'm sorry for letting her down Was looking for commas, nowhere to be found Go deep in my gut then it coming around Remember my Chevy was stuck in the pound I didn't have money to go get it out Remember I needed favors Now I don't need a savior Lived my life and my biggest mistake is leaving my town with a pretty lady Shredded my heart like a day-old paper Ran me wild and drove me crazy Old vibrations, familiar faces It's Hollywood of all the goddamn places Been so long, I need a long vacation Lived my life like it was one big Vegas Lived my life like it was one big Vegas Lived my life like it was one big Vegas If I make it through the night then it's a sweet dream Devils calling me.
