Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill has threatened to take legal action against rapper Boosie Badazz over a promotional poster for his annual Boosie Bash music festival, which featured the name and image of Southern University student Caleb Wilson, who died in February. The controversy has ignited a debate online, with some defending Boosie’s intentions and others questioning whether the move was exploitative.
Wilson, a 20-year-old mechanical engineering student at Southern University in Baton Rouge, tragically died as a result of an alleged hazing ritual while pledging for Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. So far, three people have been charged in connection with his death.
In the wake of the tragedy, Boosie—who has long been vocal about supporting Black youth—announced a scholarship in Wilson’s name, allegedly after speaking with the young man’s father. However, according to Attorney General Murrill, Wilson’s family was unaware that his name and image would be used in promotional materials for Boosie Bash, a for-profit event held on the university’s campus.
“All of this apparently came together in a very short order, and I think the promoters saw an opportunity to promote the event to the backs of people who had just suffered an unimaginable loss. It is just disgusting. They owe the family an apology,” Murrill told WBRZ News. She further claimed that Boosie has not funded the scholarship, stating, “Nobody has made any effort to put money in the scholarship; Boosie hasn’t even funded any of it.”
Wilson’s parents said that they never consented to their son’s name or image being used for the event and were unaware of its existence, according toMurrill, They have since asked the removal of all references to the scholarship from Boosie’s promotional materials.
Boosie Responds: “This is a betrayal”
Boosie, however, rejects the accusation that he used Wilson’s death for publicity, maintaining that the festival had been planned since late 2024—long before the tragic incident. He took to his X (formerly Twitter) account to express his frustration.
“It’s sad for this lawyer and family to say I promoted my event off someone’s passing. My event was promoted on Eventbrite since Nov 14. This incident happened a week before my event was to take place! How the f— can I capitalize off someone death for a concert. That ain’t me.”
The rapper also claimed he was asked to help the family financially and that the legal threats feel like a betrayal:
“But for y’all to say that y’all are taking legal action against someone who is trying to help y’all is a slap in my face and completely wrong! When keeping it real goes wrong smh br I’m done. Another money grab! This is the ultimate betrayal smh.”
In a follow-up post on Tuesday, Boosie called on Wilson’s family and AG Murrill to reach out to him directly, insisting that he had been trying to donate $20,000 to the family since learning of Wilson’s passing:
“Can someone from that family call me 2052157895 no one is trying to get us on the line. I’ve been tryin to get y’all 20k since it was brought to my attention! The university, no one wants to put us in contact! This is a f—— shame how they doing me. Attorney General Liz Murrill, u can call me too.”
Community Reactions: Mixed Responses Online
The controversy has sparked divided opinions online. Many fans have come to Boosie’s defense, arguing that his intent was to honor Wilson and provide financial support, not to exploit the tragedy. Others, however, side with Wilson’s family, believing that Boosie should have sought explicit consent before using Caleb’s name and image in promotional materials.
Under a Facebook post by AG Murrill about the situation where she shared the intent to take legal action, users expressed a range of opinions:
One user commented: “I don’t think Boosie was trying to be malicious. He probably thought he was doing a good thing. But he should have communicated better with the family.”
Many fans of the rapper noted that the annual concert sells out every year and that there would be no need to use Wilson’s image to promote the event.
Another wrote: “The family has every right to be upset. You can’t just use someone’s name and image without permission, especially in such sensitive circumstances.”
A user shared a different perspective: “Boosie has done a lot for the community. This seems like a misunderstanding that could have been avoided with better communication.”
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains unclear whether legal action will actually be taken or if both parties will come to an understanding.
