Shaboozey has been taking country music by storm since the release of "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" in April 2024. The hip-hop-influenced country artist has certainly proven he can make a song that gets stuck in your head, but a lot of people seem to think that this doesn't qualify him as a "real country artist."
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Even with Grammy nominations for Song of the Year, Best Country Song, and Best Country Performance under his belt, Shaboozey's still trying to prove himself to country fans, who are notoriously hard to please. This week, he attempted this with a cover of Hank Williams' 1979 single, "Family Tradition".
At a show in Indianapolis, Indiana, the "Good News" singer attempted to sing this classic song, and mixed reviews followed. People are fine with an artist like Shaboozey singing songs that are well...Shaboozey songs. However, when it comes to traditional country music, particularly artists like Hank Williams, country fans can become quite protective of the classics.
This was evident in the comments under a recent video of the cover that has been surfacing on the internet. Fans were harsh, with one comment saying, "heck nah, this sounds like a great value version of family tradition." Other comments said things like "I've seen hank live and I can tell you this is not the hank williams family tradition."
Shaboozey Makes NFL Debut With Song 'Let 'Em Know"
Currently, Shaboozey is on his Great American Roadshow Tour in the US, which has upcoming shows in Texas, Florida, and Los Angeles. Lately, he's been teasing new tunes, and releasing a few, including an Amazon exclusive single called "Let 'Em Know". The song has been used to open for Thursday Night Football, which includes events like TNF Tonight and Thursday Night Kickoff.
The promotional video for the song shows Shaboozey performing live at a backyard gathering, which is complete with everything a football fan needs. The song officially debuted at the start of the NFL season on September 11, for the Packers vs. Commanders game.
If I were Shaboozey, I'd maybe focus on making my own country classics. It seems to be working for him, especially with the success of newer songs like "Let 'Em Know". As for the Hank Williams cover, I wouldn't take it personally. Like I said, when it comes to the classics, people are always cutthroat.
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