A sexually suggestive promotional video showing women twerking in thongs at Newark's West Side High School has drawn the ire of Newark Board of Education members. The video, filmed to promote a celebrity basketball tournament called “Nuttin' But Azz,” shows women dancing in slow motion to hip-hop music, with the school's “Rough Riders” mascot visible in the background.
Produced by Big Fendi, a well-known music manager, the explicit nature of the video has ignited fury among board members, with some calling it “horrific” and “disgusting”. During a recent meeting, council member Daniel Gonzalez expressed dismay, while council co-vice president Allison James-Frison expressed her strong disapproval.
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In addition, concerns were raised about potentially inappropriate content being viewed by students, leading to calls for an investigation into how the film crew gained access to the school premises.
After the video circulated on social media, the “NBA Baddies Basketball Tournament NJ,” scheduled for the high school in July, has been canceled, causing shock and frustration among parents.
The “Nuttin But Azz” basketball tournament has been canceled, by @NYDailyNews & @TMZ_Sports
“The Celebrity Baddies 'Nuttin But Azz' basketball contest was set to go ahead on July 21st at West Side High School in Newark…but after a video promoting the event… pic.twitter.com/2EZcEw5gcc
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 20, 2024
Taking responsibility for the controversy, Big Fendi issued a public apology via an Instagram video, acknowledging that unforeseen costume choices made by the performers had caused the unexpected uproar.
Superintendent Roger León clarified that the video did not align with any district or school events and assured the community that appropriate disciplinary action would be taken in response to the incident.