South Carolina apologizes to LSU, Flau'Jae Johnson after controversial song choice by in-game DJ
Following the Tigers' loss to the Gamecocks, the DJ played a song by Johnson's late father in the arena
The South Carolina athletic department released a public apology to LSU and star guard Flau'Jae Johnson regarding a song played in Colonial Life Arena at the end of the No. 2 Gamecocks' 66-56 win over the No. 5 Tigers on Friday.
As the game concluded, the in-arena DJ played the song "Cut Friends" by the rapper Camouflage. Camouflage, whose real name was Jason Johnson, was Flau'Jae's father. He was killed in a 2003 shooting in Georgia, six months before his daughter was born.
DJ T.O., the DJ who plays in-arena music during South Carolina women's basketball games, responded to a fan when a fan pointing out the song choice with the caption "My bad" and a laughing emoji on Instagram, according to The State newspaper.
I’ll take my L on the chin, but this just nasty behavior. Nun funny bout that pic.twitter.com/BKYGgGvfGo
— Flaujae 4️⃣ (@Flaujae) January 26, 2025
In another post regarding LSU fans taking issue with playing the song, T.O. wrote “People will find something to be mad about … just let them.”
Johnson responded to the incident on social media, calling the song choice "nasty behavior" that wasn't funny.
In addition to its public apology, South Carolina announced a one-game suspension for the DJ, adding that "we will meet with her to provide further education on our expectations of her in the future."
Statement from South Carolina Athletics pic.twitter.com/erarZ1BCjt
— South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB) January 26, 2025
"Her actions were understandably upsetting to Flau'Jae Johnson and her family, and disrespectful to the LSU program and fans," the statement said. "Conference rivalries and passionate fan bases should only serve to enhance sports, not be used to target individual players personally.
"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."
DJ T.O. later apologized on X, saying "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 apologize for playing Cut Friends Instrumental at the game yesterday. 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’m from the Lowcountry/C-Port area so I’ve been playing it for years, even
— DJ T.O. (IG: shejayto) (@shejayto_) January 26, 2025
Johnson is LSU's leading scorer, averaging 19.6 points per game. Yet the junior tallied 13 points in LSU's defeat, the Tigers' first of the 2024-25 season.
The result was also their 17th consecutive loss to the Gamecocks, including last season's SEC championship game. LSU's last victory over South Carolina was in 2012.
South Carolina's next home game will be on Feb. 2 against Auburn.
