WRIGLEY FIELD — The Chicago Cubs took swift action Monday against a disc jockey who played a song that revived discussion on a player's history of alleged domestic violence.
As Cubs pitcher Aroldis Chapman left the field toward the end of Sunday's game, speakers blasted the '90s song "Smack My B---- Up," by The Prodigy.
The Cubs immediately apologized for the "irresponsible music selection" and said it was unintentionally played. On Monday, the club said it fired the DJ responsible and would tighten control on its music selections.
Ariel Cheung reports on the Cubs' firing of the DJ.
The Cubs signed Chapman in late July, acquiring him in a trade with the New York Yankees. Chapman served a 30-game suspension starting in March for violating the Major League Baseball domestic violence policy.
RELATED: Aroldis Chapman's Signing By Cubs 'Disappointing' To Victim Advocates
Chapman was accused of firing eight gunshots in his garage and choking his girlfriend during an October 2015 argument near Miami. He was never arrested.
Chicagoans had mixed reactions to Chapman's arrival. One young fan, hoping to quell her unease at cheering for an alleged abuser, has helped raise more than $3,000 for the Domestic Violence Legal Clinic of Chicago. Others who joined her #pitchinforDV cause have been donating to the legal clinic and other services for victims each time Chapman records a save with the Cubs.
RELATED: When Chapman Gets A Save, This Woman Donates To Anti-Domestic Violence Group
Chapman's history makes Sunday's song selection all the more unfortunate, some said on Twitter. But others found it disturbing that the song would be played in any stadium.
Given the PR fallout from the Chapman acquisition, how was "Smack My Bitch Up" on ANY playlist on any Wrigley Field computer? Good God.
— Matt Lindner (@mattlindner) August 15, 2016
Chapman closes out the inning & at the inning break the Cubs play "Smack My Bitch Up." You gotta know better. C'mon.
— Sarah Spain (@SarahSpain) August 15, 2016
"Smack My Bitch Up" shouldn't be played at a sporting event, period. The fact that it was even available to play at Wrigley is disturbing.
— Stacey Gotsulias (@StaceGots) August 15, 2016
The song's sole lyrics — "Change my pitch up/Smack my b---- up" — and its music video depicting violence against women were enough to get it banned from the BBC and MTV when it was first released.
Fans who attended Sunday's game said the song played very briefly and was cut before the profanity would have been heard.
It isn't the first time a Chicago team has come under fire for a poor choice in song. In 2002, a DJ purposefully chose the Whitesnake's song "Here I Go Again" as a jab to Cleveland Indians' pitcher Chuck Finley.
A few weeks earlier, the pitcher's wife, actress Tawny Kitaen, was charged with spousal abuse and battery against Finley, who filed for divorce. The music video for "Here I Go Again" features Kitaen, and the DJ said he chose it to entertain White Sox fans.
He was subsequently fired.
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