Source: Icon Sportswire / Getty
for
Florida A&M University
The school’s head coach Willie Simmons has suspended
“all football-related activities” after a music video was filmed in the football team’s locker room.
He announced the news on Friday, stating that he came to his decision because of the song’s explicit lyrics and the FAMU gear featured in the video was unauthorized.
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“It is a privilege to wear the Orange and Green and as a football program, our young men have failed to live up to the standards set before us,” Simmons said. “They will all learn from this mishap and we will continue to work hard every day to become the best version of ourselves and continue to make Rattler Nation Proud.”
Simmons says that while he supports free speech in music, the song’s content simply doesn’t align with the university’s core values.
So now, all activities related to the football team are suspended “until further notice.” According to
AP News, the team will speak to players who appear in the video in the coming days and will then determine if harsher penalties are needed.
Simmons didn’t mention the artist by name, but Tallahassee-born rapper Real Boston Richey posted a video to his song titled “Send A Blitz” on
YouTube.
The song, which currently has more than 400,000 views, features several scenes of Richey rocking a FAMU polo shirt and helmet and he walks around the football team’s locker room as he raps the lyrics.
Richey’s already got a relationship with the University, as he was one of the artists who performed at the Florida school’s homecoming last year.
The FAMU Rattlers kick off their 2023 season Sept. 3 against the Jackson State Tigers in the Orange Blossom Classic at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Their first practice is Aug. 4, and it’s still unknown if the suspension of team activities will affect either event.
See how Twitter’s reacting to the news below.
