Outside all the chatter, Shaboozey addressed the growing controversy with good grace. The musician posted a photo of himself smiling with his arms up like a shrug. The caption read, "Ain’t nobody kicking me!"

It wasn’t the only awkward moment of the night involving Shaboozey either. Earlier in the show, hosts Lainey Wilson, Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning delivered a half-assed tribute to Toby Keith, holding up red solo cups while reading a few words from a teleprompter before quickly using it to segue into an introduction to Shaboozey’s performance:

Shaboozey seemed confused — but still smiling — after a bizarre moment at the 2024 CMA Awards where Cody Johnson 's producer Trent Willmon brought up his name while the two men were onstage to claim their Album of the Year trophy for Leather.

At the CMAs, Shaboozey was also nominated for New Artist of the Year and Single of the Year for “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” which dominated the Billboard Hot 100 for 18 non-consecutive weeks. He even performed at the ceremony, proving once again that he belongs in the spotlight and has earned his place in the country and rap music scene.

Shaboozey, the Virginia native who became a breakout star this year blending country music and hip-hop, was nominated for two trophies at the 58th annual Country Music Association Awards in Nashville last night: One for new artist,