Born To Die – Shaboozey

This week’s Single Spotlight focuses on Shaboozey’s new release “Born To Die”. Shaboozey just released this single last Friday, April 24th to get people excited for his upcoming album The Outlaw Cherie Lee & Other Western Tales. Wow that is a mouthful. This will be Shaboozey’s third album following his hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” that is now ingrained in all of our brains forever. The Nigerian-American singer finds creative ways to blend together rap, storytelling, and tons of different genres. “Born To Die” prepares us for the upcoming album with a bang and a slight sense of nostalgia feeling similar to early 2000s artists like Gavin DeGraw mixed with today’s Jelly Roll. 

The single leads in with a subtle electric guitar finger pick and Shaboozey’s deep voice recognizing the cliche theme of YOLO. He encourages the listener to not take life for granted and live to the fullest. He welcomes alcohol into the scene and claps into the chorus. Chanting that he will drink and party and appreciate those around him. Repeating twice that he wants to live “Like we ain’t born to die.” He wants to keep going and not worry about the repercussions that will follow. In fact, he wants more mistakes to be made implying that it gives him a bit of a thrill. The third repetition of the chorus slows down a bit so that the audience can hear this man loud and clear. Raise that glass and keep on celebrating life. 

The single overall is quite catchy and fun but does lack lyrical intricacy. This type of single is something that is bound to go viral on social media but, it may not entice me all that much to listen to the new album in a couple of weeks.