Shaboozey has gone viral for his seemingly bemused reaction to a remark by fellow singer Megan Moroney, who claimed that the Carter Family “basically invented” country music.
The two artists were presenting the award for Favourite Country Duo or Group at the 2025 American Music Awards on Monday night (26 May) when the awkward moment transpired.
“Country music has been an important part of AMA history. The very first year of this show, the award for Favourite Male Country Artist went to the great Charlie Pride,” Shaboozey began, reading from the teleprompter.
Moroney followed with: “That same year, Favourite Female Artist went to Lynn Anderson, and this award [Favourite Country Duo or Group] went to the Carter Family, who basically invented country music.”
The last comment about the Carter Family appeared to take Shaboozey – who shot to fame upon the release of his single “A Bar Song (Tipsey)” in 2024 – by surprise.
The Virginia-born rapper and singer gave Moroney a side eye then paused briefly and laughed, before he continued to present the nominees in the category.
The Carter Family was an American folk music group that produced a number of hit songs through the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s including “Keep on the Sunny Side”, “Wabash Cannonball” and “Wildwood Flower”.
According to the Country Music Hall of Fame, they are regarded as the “first family” of country music.
On social media, fans seemed uncertain as to what it was about Moroney’s comment that had prompted Shaboozey’s reaction.
Beyoncé fans questioned whether Moroney had been “throwing shade” at the pop star – whose surname is Carter through her marriage to Jay-Z, with the couple often referred to as “The Carters”.
Her recent Grammy-winning album, Cowboy Carter, was met with divided reactions in the country music community, and was also the subject of a racism row when it was shut out of the Country Music Awards last year.
Others thought that Shaboozey was laughing at the idea a single family “invented” a musical genre.
While the Carter Family is often credited with helping to popularise country music and launch some of the first stars of the genre, Shaboozey possibly believed that crediting them with “inventing” it was a bit of a stretch.
The Independent has contacted Shaboozey’s representatives for comment.
The award for Favourite Country Duo or Group ultimately went to Dan + Shay.
Hosted by Jennifer Lopez, this year’s AMAs took place at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas and saw stars including Beyoncé, Eminem, Post Malone, SZA and Billie Eilish go home with some of the night’s top prizes.
Eilish, who didn’t attend the show because of her ongoing world tour, won seven awards including Artist of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year.
See the full list of the AMAs 2025 winners here.
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