A New Jersey high school principal reportedly was placed on leave Wednesday after rapper Fetty Wap recorded a music video in the building.
Paterson Superintendent Donnie Evans announced during a board of education meeting that East Side High School principal Zatiti Moody has been placed on administrative leave, according to The Bergen Record.
The school district has launched a probe into how Fetty Wap was allowed to record the video that included drug references and a pole dancer in his old high school. The Paterson native released the video for “Wake Up” last week.
Terry Corallo, a Paterson school district spokeswoman, told NJ.com the district is investigating whether procedures were followed in allowing parts of the video at East Side High School. Corallo said the district doesn’t endorse the content of the video and it was shot during off hours and didn’t include students.
The video includes numerous drug references and features a scantily clad woman dancing on a pole inside a classroom. Numerous banners and posters seen in the video read, "Go Team Kush," which references a strain of marijuana. Toward the end of the video, a woman presumed to be a teacher takes an apple from her desk and uses it as a bong.
Some community leaders questioned why a video they say glamorizes negative behaviors was allowed to be filmed at the school.
"I'm from Paterson and I'm proud of his success, but as a parent and school board member I think it sends the wrong message," Kenneth Simmons told The Record. "To me, it glorifies dropping out of high school and getting high."
Fetty Wap defended his actions in a statement on his Instagram account, saying the video was dedicated to the Class of 2016.
"I went back to my old high school because I love my city," he said. "I wanted to show the students of Paterson that someone who walked those same hallways they walk every day and sat in the same classrooms shown in the video has become successful. If I can do it they can do it too."
Fetty Wap dropped out of the school.
His recording label, 300 Entertainment, also voiced support for the rapper.
The label "encourages and champions artistic expression and creativity from our artists," the company said.
Fetty Wap performed a free show for city high school students in August.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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