Coach Willie Simmons has announced an indefinite suspension of all football-related activities at Florida A&M University following the release of an unauthorized music video.
The hip-hop music video contains explicit lyrics and was filmed in the team’s locker room, the school said. Rapper Real Boston Richie released a song titled “Send A Blitz” on Friday night.
Simmons issued a statement reaffirming his support for free speech and musical expression, but also said the content of the video “does not align with Florida A&M’s core values, principles and beliefs.”
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A FAMU helmet rests on a table during the Orange Blossom Classic between the Florida A&M Rattlers and the Jackson State Tigers at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida on Sunday, September 5, 2021. (Nick Tre Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“It’s an honor to wear orange and green, but as a football program, our young people fall short of the standards set before us,” Simmons said in a statement.
“They will all learn from this incident and we will continue to strive every day to be the best version of ourselves and make Rattler Nation proud. In light of this unfortunate situation, I am suspending all football-related activities until further notice.”
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Simmons also said an investigation is underway into how the people involved in the music video gained access to the locker room. The school claims that using Florida A&M-approved apparel is in violation of the agreement.
Looks like this video was originally posted YouTube. The video shows Richie in a Florida A&M shirt and Rattlers football helmet. Several Florida A&M football players are also in the background throughout the video.
Florida A&M Rattlers fans in the stands during a game against the North Carolina Central Eagles at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida, on October 5, 2019. The Rattlers beat the Eagles 28-21. (Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
Jalen Foster, who goes by the stage name Real Boston Richie, is from Tallahassee, Florida, where A&M campus is located. Richie put in a performance at the team’s homecoming game last season.
Florida A&M is one of the largest historically black colleges in the United States.
Helmets of the Florida A&M Rattlers during a game against the North Carolina Central Eagles at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida on October 5, 2019. The Rattlers beat the Eagles 28-21. (Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
The Rattlers are set to open the 2023 season against Jackson State on Sept. 3.
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Simmons is in his sixth season as Florida A&M football coach.
