All football-related activities at Florida A&M University have been suspended indefinitely in the wake of the release of an unauthorized music video, coach Willie Simmons announced.
The school said the hip-hop music video had explicit lyrics and was recorded in the team locker room. Rapper Real Boston Richie’s song “Send A Blitz” was released Friday night.
Simmons released a statement affirming his support for free speech and musical expression, but also said the video’s content “is inconsistent with Florida A&M’s core values, principles and beliefs.”
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A FAMU helmet sits on top of a table during the Orange Bloom Classic game between the Florida A&M Rattlers and the Jackson State Tigers on Sunday, September 5, 2021 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL. (Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“It is an honor 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 in the statement.
“They will all learn from this accident and we will continue to work hard every day to be the best version of ourselves and make Rattler Nation proud. As a result of this unfortunate situation, I am suspending all football related activities until further notice.”
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Simmons also said there was an investigation into how the parties involved in the music video gained access to the locker room. The school argues that the use of licensed Florida A&M apparel violates the contracts.
The video was originally posted Youtube. The video shows Richie wearing a Florida A&M shirt and a Rattlers football helmet. Several Florida A&M football players are also seen in the background throughout the video.
Florida A&M Rattlers fans during the game against the North Carolina Central Eagles at Bragg Memorial Stadium on October 5, 2019 in Tallahassee, Florida. The Rattlers beat the Eagles 28 to 21. (Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
Jalen Foster, known by the stage name Real Boston Richie, hails from Tallahassee, where Florida A&M’s campus is located. Ritchie performed during the team’s homecoming game last season.
Florida A&M is one of the most historically black universities in the United States.
Florida A&M Rattlers Helmet during the game against the North Carolina Central Eagles at Bragg Memorial Stadium on October 5, 2019 in Tallahassee, Florida. The Rattlers beat the Eagles 28 to 21. (Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
The Rattlers are scheduled to open the 2023 season on Sept. 3 against Jackson State.
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Simmons is entering his sixth season as the Florida A&M football coach.
Source by [Fox News]
