Producer Trent Willmon breaks silence after facing backlash for his jokes about Shaboozey at the 2024 CMA Awards, blaming the 'fumble' on his 'overly-shocked and excited state.'
- November 24, 2024
AceShowbiz - During the CMA Awards earlier this week, Shaboozey, the first Black artist to hold the number one spot on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart for 17 weeks, faced microaggressions disguised as humor from multiple individuals including the host Peyton Manning and Luke Bryan. Cody Johnson's producer Trent Willmon, who was among those who drew criticism for his comment, has now spoken out.
Willmon took to Instagram to clarify his words. He explained that his intention was to praise Johnson for his hard work, but he acknowledged that his joke was insensitive.
"Ok… what I meant to express in my overly-shocked and excited state was that I am very proud of @codyjohnson. He has worked his Booty off the last 15 years putting out and performing great music and it's not an overnight success. I was so proud he's finally getting recognized!"
He further acknowledged Shaboozey, saying, "And shout out to Shaboozey for your response to my fumble and having a great sense of humor, congrats on that 17-Week #1 Song!"
At the CMA Awards when taking the stage to accept award with Johnson, Willmon said during his acceptance speech, "This is for this cowboy who's been kicking Shaboozey for a lot of years."
Shaboozey, who walked away empty-handed despite having one of the successful country songs this year, responded to the incident with a photo of him shrugging off Willmon's comment with a smile. "Ain't nobody kicking me!" he wrote.
Meanwhile, Peyton Manning and Luke Bryan, cracked jokes about Shaboozey's name throughout the night. The duo remained mum about the controversy and so did the CMA Awards about the snub.
Shaboozey's historic success has come at a time when Black artists continue to face barriers in the country music industry. Despite Beyonce Knowles' huge success with her first country-influenced album "Cowboy Carter", she was also shut out of CMA nominations this year.
The incident has highlighted the need for greater diversity and sensitivity in country music. While Willmon's apology is a step in the right direction, the CMA Awards and the industry as a whole must work to create a more inclusive environment for Black artists.
