NJ Judge Being Investigated Over Rapping Along To 'Inappropriate’ Songs By Nas And Busta Rhymes On TikTok
A New Jersey judge is in hot water over numerous videos he posted on TikTok of him rapping along to music from Nas, Busta Rhymes and others.
According to the New York Times, Judge Gary N. Wilcox is under investigation via New Jersey’s Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct, which reveals that Wilcox used the pseudonym Sal Tororella to share nearly 40 videos between April 2021 and March 2023. At least 11 of the videos were considered "inappropriate and brought disrepute to the Judiciary," according to the agency.
Among the songs he lip-synced and sung along to include Nas’ “Get Down,” Busta’s “Touch It” and Rihanna’s “Jump.”
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Wilcox, in the complaint, is accused of displaying “poor judgment” by posting the videos. He also "demonstrated disrespect for the judiciary and an inability to conform to the high standards of conduct expected of judges,” the complaint states. He’s slated to face a hearing, which could result in disciplinary action.
“I don’t think that at the end of the day anybody is going to believe there was any desire to do any harm here,” Robert Hille, his lawyer, argued according to the Times. "Hindsight is 20-20.”
The account has since been removed from the social media platform.
One of the videos reportedly featured Wilcox walking through his courthouse, while another showed him in his judicial robes. In one video, he’s accused of standing up in the chambers and lip-syncing, "All my life, I've been waiting for somebody to whoop my ass. I mean business! You think you can run up on me and whip my monkey ass?"
The American Civil Liberties Union has since come to Wilcox’s defense, stating, “Judge Wilcox is entitled to due process. As he goes through that process, there will be lots of significant issues raised about free speech and free expression and what actually does impugn the stature of the judiciary.”