Less than 24 hours after Florida A&M President James H. Ammons resigned Wednesday, a FAMU student posted a satirical song online about Ammons’ abrupt decision to leave, sending students to social media sites with mixed reactions.
James Genwright, better known as “Charlie Sky,” released the song “President Ammons” at midnight on Wednesday by Twitter and posted a video to YouTube.
“The song basically incorporates how I feel a person with such power probably feels without saying so,” Genwright said.
Genwright had no intentions of releasing the song, which he wrote four months ago, but once Ammons released his letter of resignation, Genwright received a lot of text messages and tweets asking him to make a video for the song.
Ammons’ resignation announcement was the “perfect timing,” Genwright said.
Ammons resigned via letter to the university’s Board of Trustees about midday Wednesday, sparking a frenzy among students, faculty and alumni. His resignation is effective Oct. 11, 2012. The Board of Trustees organized an emergency call-in meeting for Monday to discuss the state of the university and Ammons’ rule as he “transitions out” to take a post as a tenured faculty member in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics STEM divisions at FAMU.
“All the other schools I can’t see you, hottest president at a HBCU.” Genwright said in his lyrics.
Students, many still surprised by Ammon’s resignation, have been tweeting to the video and the song on Thursday — many in favor, with others against.
Chimere Wright, whose twitter name is @iAmFancyCouture, tweeted, “This is a must-watch video.”
Although there are students who support Genwright’s new video, others argued it wasn’t the right time.
“In times like this we as students past and present need to help uplift our great institution and this does not help,” tweeted Lambert Parker II, 25, who goes by @lambo_P on Twitter.
The reviews on Twitter have not all been positive but for the most part students interviewed on campus Thursday say they love the song.
“It’s extremely humorous,” said Tuki Pitt, 20, a junior. “Ammons may feel a bit offended due to the strong language.”
The song has a few obscenities, but some of the students feel that Genwright is showing his creativity no matter how much “foul language.”
“It’s creative,” said Latalia Seidner, 22, a senior. “People at FAMU take things way too seriously.”