Shaboozey slammed after apologizing for saying 'immigrants built this country' without mentioning black people

Shaboozey spoke out at The Grammys when accepting his trophy, praising the "immigrants" who he said "built this country." The sentiment was on par with other pop stars who used their platform to blast federal immigration enforcement. But it wasn't long before Shaboozey was forced to apologize for his sentiments.

"Immigrants built this country, literally," Shaboozey said from the Grammy stage. "So this is for them, for all children of immigrants. Thank you for bringing your culture, your music, your stories and your traditions here. You give America color. I love y’all so much." 

But in response, black people on social media got angry that he mentioned immigrants building the country, but left out black people. "Shaboozey done went up there and said 'immigrants built this country.' Don't piss me off," said one account.

"Nigerian American 'Country' singer Shaboozey won a Grammy," said another, "and told the LIE that 'immigrants built this country.' this country was built by foundational Black Americans who are not immigrants."

"Shaboozey better hope the white country folks love him because he just pissed black people off on the first day of black history month," said another.

Shaboozey posted an apology, saying that he wanted to express his "deep gratitude to everyone who has supported and celebrated my journey as an artist" before diving into the issue at hand: his acceptance speech.

"To be clear," he said, "I know and believe that we—Black people, have also built this country. My words were never intended to dismiss that truth. I am both a [b]lack 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."

He then acknowledged that his win "stands on the foundation laid by generations of Black people who fought, sacrificed and succeeded long before me. This moment belongs to all of us."

Even after his apology, black social media users were still mad.

"There is no 'we' here," said one user. "Using it in this context is cultural theft and erasure—claiming a historical position that does not belong to you.

"Our ancestors are not the same. Black Americans built the foundation of this country through generations of forced labor, struggle, and survival. Immigrants arrived to a nation already built on that foundation. These histories are not interchangeable.

"It would have been easy," she went on, "to acknowledge the people your words harmed and offer a sincere apology. Instead, you chose to insert yourself where you do not belong. Shame on you."

And that was just one of many posts lashing out against Shaboozey not only for not mentioning black people in his version of the anti-ICE screed but for the way he then apologized about it.

"The interesting part about this is not only that he still doesn't understand why his comments upset Black Americans," said one user, "but that he clearly has no one on his whole team that understands Black Americans either But hey, he was born and raised in the US so we all the same."