Shaboozey’s Subtle AMA Reaction Goes Viral — and Sparks a Bigger Conversation
Country-rap star Shaboozey turned heads on Monday night (May 26) — not just for his seven nominations at the 2025 American Music Awards, but for a viral on-stage moment that had fans buzzing.
Held at Fontainebleau Las Vegas and hosted by Jennifer Lopez, this year’s AMAs featured performances from a stacked lineup including Blake Shelton, Lainey Wilson, Reneé Rapp, Becky G, and more. Gwen Stefani, Janet Jackson, and Rod Stewart each performed retrospective medleys — Stefani celebrating 20 years since her debut solo album, and Stewart receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Shaboozey was also tapped to present during the show, joining fellow country artist Megan Moroney to announce the winner of Favorite Country Duo or Group. While introducing the category, Moroney read from the teleprompter, citing early country icons like Charley Pride and Lynn Anderson, and noted, “This award [Favorite Duo or Group] went to The Carter Family, who basically invented country music.”
That last part clearly caught Shaboozey off guard. His facial expression shifted, and he let out a small, awkward laugh while glancing toward Moroney — a subtle reaction, but one that set social media ablaze.
Fans Took Notice — and Had Thoughts
TikTok and X lit up with commentary. Many viewers pointed out that while The Carter Family were indeed pioneers, they didn’t singlehandedly invent country music. Critics noted the oversight of African American influences, particularly the role of Lesley Riddle — a Black musician who worked closely with A.P. Carter. Riddle memorized melodies during their song-collecting trips and shaped the Carter Family’s repertoire. He even taught Maybelle Carter her distinctive guitar-picking style.
Songs like Cannonball Blues, Hello Stranger, and Bear Creek Blues all came from Riddle’s contributions, yet his role often goes unmentioned in mainstream country narratives.
Fans interpreted Shaboozey’s reaction as a subtle pushback against this erasure. “That laugh said it all,” one user posted. “Basically telling her: stop lying, girl.”
Others were more forgiving, noting that Moroney was likely just reading from a script written by AMA producers. “Let’s cut Megan some slack,” one viewer wrote. “She didn’t write it. But Shaboozey’s face? Gold.”
Shaboozey Speaks Out
The next day, Shaboozey broke his silence on X (formerly Twitter), sharing a series of posts that nodded to the deeper history of country music.
“The real history of country music is about people coming together despite their differences, and embracing and celebrating the things that make us alike,” he wrote.
He followed with: “When you uncover the true history of country music, you find a story so powerful that it cannot be erased…”
He later posted a third message — now deleted — encouraging fans to “Google: Lesley Riddle, Steve Tartar, Harry Gay, Defoe Bailey, and The Carter Family…”
While the post didn’t stay up long, the message resonated: country music’s roots run deeper and broader than the spotlight often shows.
And in just a few glances and tweets, Shaboozey reminded fans that acknowledging the full story doesn’t diminish country music — it strengthens it.