South Carolina Athletics Apologizes to LSU and Flau'Jae Johnson Over Inappropriate Song Selection
South Carolina athletics apologized to LSU and Flau'Jae Johnson after a DJ played a song by Johnson's late father during a game. The DJ has been suspended for inappropriate conduct.
South Carolina athletics issued an apology to LSU and women's basketball player Flau'Jae Johnson on Sunday in response to the Gamecocks' DJ playing a song by Johnson's late father at the end of Friday's game between the teams at Colonial Life Arena. The athletic department stated that the DJ, known as T.O., would be suspended for a game.
"We are addressing Friday night's inappropriate in-game song selection and subsequent social media post by the DJ who is hired to work our women's basketball games," South Carolina's statement said. "Her actions were understandably upsetting to Flau'Jae Johnson and her family and disrespectful to the LSU program and fans."
No. 2 South Carolina defeated No. 5 LSU 66-56 in Columbia, South Carolina, in a game that was pushed back a day due to weather issues that delayed LSU's travel.
The song "Cut Friends" by the rapper Camouflage, who was Johnson's father, Jason Johnson, was played as the Gamecocks celebrated their victory. Johnson deemed this action to be in poor taste, noting that her father was killed in a shooting in Georgia in 2003, about six months before Flau'Jae was born.
"I'll take my L on the chin, but this just nasty behavior. Nun funny bout that," Johnson wrote on social media.
The DJ initially replied to Johnson's comment with "My bad" and a laughing emoji. However, she later issued an apology, stating, "It is never my intent to disrespect anyone or offend anyone when my job is to have fun and make sure other people have a good time. ... I've been playing [the song] for years, even at other games, but I shouldn't have played it at yesterday's game."
South Carolina announced it will discuss the situation further with the DJ. "Conference rivalries and passionate fan bases should only serve to enhance sports, not be used to target individual players personally," South Carolina's statement read. "We regret that it came to that in our venue after a game that saw both teams capture the level of national attention that women's basketball has earned, and we apologize to Flau'Jae, her family and LSU."
"As a result of her actions, DJ T.O. will be suspended for the next women's basketball home game, and we will meet with her to provide further education on our expectations of her in the future."
