South Carolina DJ Suspended After Controversial Song Choice at LSU Game

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The University of South Carolina‘s athletics department issued an apology Sunday after its women’s basketball team’s DJ played a controversial song following a victory over LSU. The DJ, known as T.O., has been suspended for one game for playing “Cut Friends” by Camouflage, the late father of LSU player Flau'Jae Johnson, during the post-game celebration.

The incident occurred Friday night at Colonial Life Arena, where No. 2 South Carolina defeated No. 5 LSU 66-56. The game, originally scheduled for Thursday, was delayed due to weather issues that affected LSU’s travel. As the Gamecocks celebrated their win, DJ T.O. played the song, which Flau’Jae Johnson found deeply offensive. Her father, Jason Johnson, was killed in a shooting in Georgia in 2003, six months before she 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 responded with “My bad” and a laughing emoji but later issued a formal 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’s athletics department condemned the DJ’s actions in a statement, calling them “inappropriate” and “disrespectful.” The department emphasized that conference rivalries should enhance sports, not target individual players. “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,” the statement read.

As a result of the incident, DJ T.O. will be suspended for the next women’s basketball home game. The university also plans to meet with her to provide further education on expectations moving forward.