Fans of Shaboozey called out the CMA Awards after the rising country star lost both categories he was nominated in Wednesday despite the massive success of his hit song “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”
“The CMAs nominated Shaboozey, not Beyoncé, to appear less racially exclusionary and preempt backlash. He was never gonna win, it’s always been performative,” one viewer wrote on X.
“CMA’s [sic] must have a one Black person rule because after this huge year for Black people in country music Shaboozey is the only one who got a look and he didn’t even win an award,” another added.
“lol Shaboozey not winning any award he was nominated for at the CMAs despite having the #1 country song in the country for months is wild. them white folks made it loud and clear how much they don’t want black artists in country even though the genre is ours,” a third person wrote.
“Shaboozey lost every CMA award he was nominated for. They played in his face, but I’m not surprised. This is why Beyoncé didn’t pay them any mind after they mistreated her, too,” a fourth posted.
Other fans referred to co-host Luke Bryan’s previous comments about Beyoncé — who was not nominated for any CMAs for her country album, “Cowboy Carter” — in which he said the “Cuff It” singer, 43, should “come into our world and be country with us a little bit” to receive more notoriety in the genre.
“They told Beyoncé to come to Nashville. Come hang with us. Make your presence felt. Shaboozey played the game. Did what was encouraged to get ‘welcomed’ in Country music and despite having the number one record in the country, breaking the record, they gave him ZERO awards. LOL,” one fan wrote on X.
“So they told Beyoncé she didn’t get nominated because she didn’t go to Nashville & play the game. Shaboozey played the game, currently has the longest charting #1 song didn’t get a single award. See this is why see does what she does… she knows they ain’t sh** #CMAawards #CMAs,” another added.
Page Six has reached out to reps for Shaboozey and the Country Music Association for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Shaboozey, 29, was nominated for two awards at this year’s show: new artist of the year and single of the year.
The “Drink Don’t Need No Mix” crooner catapulted to fame after being featured on two songs on Beyoncé’s genre-bending “Cowboy Carter,” which was released in March.
Earlier this month, his track “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” became the longest-running solo No. 1 in Billboard Hot 100 history.
Shaboozey’s smash single is now one week shy from tying Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Old Town Road” as the longest-leading No. 1 hit of all time.