The controversy stems from Boosie’s intention to use funds raised at the annual Boosie Bash to establish a scholarship in memory of Caleb Wilson, a young man who tragically died in a hazing incident. However, Merl claims that Wilson’s family was not informed about the use of their son’s name and image for promoting the festival, leading to accusations of misrepresentation and profit exploitation. “That was the extent of the conversation they had with him,” Merl noted, emphasizing the lack of consent from Wilson’s family regarding the event.