- April 24, 2024
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An 18-year-old Matanzas High School student has been arrested after recording a rap song that threatened a school administrator who'd recently suspended him.
The student, Joseph Washington, had been called into an administrator's office at Matanzas on Jan. 21 for wearing an "inappropriate" shirt, according to an arrest report. Washington reacted by telling the administrator to "Suck my d---," according to the report, so the administrator suspended him.
By Jan. 26, Washington had recorded and uploaded to Soundcloud and YouTube a rap song that referred defiantly to the dress code incident, said he'd "gladly" say the same thing to the administrator again, and threatened the administrator's life.
A student anonymously tipped off school staff members, who contacted Matanzas' school resource deputy, Deputy John Landi.
Landi listened to the song, in which Washington referred to having been disciplined for the dress code incident and stated, "N---- kicked me out of school. ... A n---- called Blouga came in and killed your f------ wife. You should be afraid of me because I'll come and take your life, smoke you with this Uzi like a mother f------ crack pipe."
He continued in that vein, adding, "You think I'm scared to use a gun? I ain't afraid to put in work," and accused the administrator of kicking him out of school because he's black.
In later verses, he threatened a "snitch" he believed had been tipping off administrators and "belongs in a grave."
When deputies showed up at his home, Washington knew why they were there, and admitted to creating and posting the song.
Washington said that he made music about his emotions and life experiences and had "asked people's advice about posting it, and no one told him not to," according to the deputy's report.
The teen said he hadn't liked the administrator ever since an argument several years before, but said that the song was fantasy and he wouldn't actually kill the administrator.
The deputy asked why he'd posted it.
"He stated that he wanted other students to know what he has been going through and he knew the song would get to [he victim]," the deputy wrote.
Deputies arrested him.
“To anyone that still thinks saying,‘I was just kidding around' or 'It’s a fantasy’ is going to get them out of being arrested when they threaten someone’s life — let this be a wakeup call,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “We have a zero tolerance policy and we do not take threats like these lightly, especially when it comes to our schools. If you make threatening statements online, in writing and or even if veiled in songs, you will be arrested.”
Washington was taken both county jail and released by the judge pending trial. He is charged with Sending Written Threats to Kill.
