The college football season hasn't even kicked off yet and we've already got one of the wilder news stories coming out of Tallahassee, Fla.
Willie Simmons, head coach of the Florida A&M University football team, suspended all football-related activities after a rap video was filmed inside the FAMU locker room. The video was for Tallahassee rapper Real Boston Richey's song "Send a Blitz."
Simmons wrote in a statement on Twitter the video contained "graphic language that is not consistent with Florida A&M's core values, principles and beliefs." Take a look at the video and it's clear why Simmons is upset. He said an internal investigation is underway to determine who authorized the use of FAMU's brand and the locker room at Galimore-Powell Fieldhouse.
Warning: The video below contains NSFW language.
So this is why FAMU just had they entire football program suspended? pic.twitter.com/IHgeujLJFa
— ?Elgin Barrett Eugene Smith lll? (@Southside_Gunn) July 22, 2023
And here's the full statement from Simmons:
— Coach Willie Simmons (@HCWillieSimmons) July 22, 2023
Simmons scheduled a team meeting for Monday to address the issue, according to the Tallahassee Democrat. Simmons told the Democrat his players' involvement in the music video didn't violate NCAA rules.
"We are trying to talk to the right people to do everything not only to cover ourselves, but the young man (rapper Real Boston Richey) in the video," Simmons told the Democrat. "There are some legal issues (with the release of the video)."
FAMU is a member of the FCS' Southwestern Athletic Conference, which consists of HBCUs. The Rattlers went 9-2 last year under Simmons.
Real Boston Richey, born Jalen Taheen Foster, is signed to popular rapper Future's record label, Freebandz. The 26-year-old is from Tallahassee and has more than 500,000 followers on Instagram, where he's posted a clip from the music video of him wearing a FAMU helmet.
You can watch the full YouTube video below:
