By Gloria Ogbonna
Country music star Shaboozey has walked back and clarified remarks he made during his Grammy Awards acceptance speech after they sparked a wave of backlash from the left, led prominently by Bernice King, the youngest daughter of civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. What began as a celebratory moment quickly turned into a broader cultural and political debate over history, race, immigration, and recognition.
On Sunday night, Shaboozey took the Grammy stage after winning the award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for his collaboration “Amen” with Jelly Roll.
In his acceptance speech, the singer delivered a line that immediately drew attention and controversy, declaring, “Immigrants built this country.”
He went on to dedicate the award to immigrant families, saying, “So this is for them for all children of immigrants.”
Expanding on the theme, Shaboozey added, “This is also for those who came to this country in search of better opportunity, to be part of a nation that promised freedom for all and equal opportunity to everyone willing to work for it.”
Thanking immigrant communities for their contributions, the “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” singer continued, “Thank you for bringing your culture, your music, your stories, and your traditions here. You give America color.”
While the remarks were applauded by some in the audience, critics quickly pointed out that Shaboozey’s statement appeared to align with the broader anti-ICE and pro-open-borders messaging that dominated much of the Grammy Awards broadcast. Several celebrities used the ceremony to push similar themes, with artists such as Bad Bunny who previously made headlines for refusing to stand during “God Bless America” at a New York Yankees game setting the tone for what many viewed as a coordinated political statement from the entertainment industry.
The backlash intensified when Bernice King took to X (formerly Twitter), arguing that the oft-repeated phrase “immigrants built this country” erases the historical reality of slavery and the forced labor of Black Americans.
“It’s #BlackHistoryMonth and I have to ask,” King wrote, “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’?”
King emphasized that chattel slavery was not a voluntary migration story but a system designed to build economic and political power through brutality.
“Chattel slavery was for the express purpose of building empire,” she continued. “But 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.”
She added that the trauma endured by enslaved Africans and their descendants should not be minimized, even in discussions aimed at criticizing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“Their trauma shouldn’t be diminished or forgotten, even in efforts toward freedom from ICE’s inhumane, violent tactics,” King wrote. “We can only get to justice for all when truth is taught, embraced, and spoken.”
King’s comments ignited a fresh round of criticism—this time aimed directly at Shaboozey—from progressive activists and commentators who argued that his Grammy speech overlooked the central role Black Americans played in building the United States through forced labor and systemic oppression.
In response, Shaboozey addressed the controversy on Tuesday via his Instagram Stories, saying he wanted to “acknowledge the conversation surrounding my acceptance speech,” according to a report by TMZ. The singer moved quickly to clarify his intent and reaffirm his recognition of Black history.
“To be clear, I know and believe that we Black people have also built this country,” Shaboozey wrote. “My words were never intended to dismiss that truth.”
Explaining the personal context behind his remarks, the “Let It Burn” singer added, “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 went on to frame his historic win itself as a milestone in Black history, pointing out the significance of both the timing and the genre.
“Winning this award on the first day of Black History Month and becoming the first Black man to win Best Country Duo is Black history,” he said. “It stands on the foundation laid by generations of Black people who fought, sacrificed, and succeeded long before me.”
He concluded his statement with a unifying message, saying, “This moment belongs to all of us.”
The episode underscores the growing tension within progressive cultural spaces, where overlapping conversations about race, immigration, and history increasingly collide.
What was meant to be a moment of celebration at the Grammys instead became a flashpoint in an ongoing debate over who gets credit for building America and how that story should be told.
Source Breitbart
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