Atlanta Hawks Apologize For Playing Filthy cRap Song Durin..

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/shared/sports/ap/ap_story.html/Baske...ll/AP.V

Hawks Apologize for Using Vulgar Rap Song
By PAUL NEWBERRY
AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP)--The Atlanta Hawks apologized Monday for playing a
hip-hop song that contains obscenities and other graphic language.

The song, ``Party Up'' by rapper DMX, was played over the public
address system during a timeout in the second quarter of Saturday's
night game against the Boston Celtics at Philips Arena.

The Hawks said their regular sound person was not at the game, and the
song was chosen by another member of the game operations staff.

``We should be held to a higher standard, and on this occasion, we
dropped the ball,'' Hawks spokesman Arthur Triche said in a statement.
``This was an unfortunate mistake that will never happen again.''

Triche said the team would address the matter internally with those
responsible.

``Without question, it never should have occurred,'' Triche said.
``Obscenities and other inappropriate graphic language were clearly
audible to our fans, and as a result of this, we are deeply sorry.

The Hawks are the second Atlanta team to issue an apology regarding
the choice of stadium entertainment.

In November, the NFL Falcons said a halftime show with rap groups
Bonecrusher, Youngbloodz and Jermaine Dupri was inappropriate for a
family audience.

Bonecrusher, an Atlanta-based artist, sang the hit ``Never Scared,''
in which he muses about shooting someone in the head.

Groups often cut two versions of songs--one to go on the album and one
that's appropriate for radio airplay.

It wasn't clear which versions of their songs the groups used at the
Georgia Dome. Some people at the game claimed they heard profanity,
others said they didn't.

The Hawks said the DMX song was the unedited version.

``Obscenities and other inappropriate graphic language were clearly
audible to our fans, and as a result of this, we are deeply sorry,''
Triche said. ``This was a serious error in judgment.''


AP-NY-04-12-04 2047EDT