Experienced by Kimatni D. Rawlins
What an electrifying few hours I experienced in Los Angeles as prestigious HBCU marching bands enveloped the glowing green turf of Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium with performances that captivated us all. Sponsored by American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB) is a cultural phenomenon in the HBCU community and a must-see showcase if you revere the art form.
In its 19th year, HBOB was hosted by entertainer Nick Cannon and featured a high-energy performance by GRAMMY-nominated artist GloRilla. The tens of thousands of students, alums, fans, and VIPs in attendance, like Cedric the Entertainer, went wild when she took the stage. Riding high in 2025, the Memphis-born rapper is also an ambassador of Fenty Beauty by Rihanna and is enjoying her golden era. In line with the weekend theme, GloRilla is incorporating a marching band rhythm in one of her upcoming songs. Additional 2025 HBOB entertainment came from DJ R-Tistic and rapper King Moore who performed before the battle began. His mission is to share knowledge and youthful life experiences to help educate, motivate, and inspire others.
A technological wonder and the first indoor-outdoor stadium, SoFi played host to six impressive marching bands from the following schools:
- Alabama A&M University, Marching Maroon & White Band
- Alabama State University, Mighty Marching Hornets
- Hampton University, The Marching Force
- North Carolina A&T State University, The Blue and Gold Marching Machine
- Southern University, Human Jukebox
- University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Marching Musical Machine of the Mid-South
No winners were declared, as that was not HBOB’s intention. Yet, each school showed off their magical talents from the booming depth and rhythm of the Bass drums to the expressive and versatile pitch of the Trombone to the flexibility and coordination of the dancers. It was all quite remarkable and imaginative. To kick off the procession, the schools collaborated in formation to spell “HBCU” in a detailed graphic display. During its performance, the Human Jukebox formed the words “I love Cali” to honor the inaugural West Coast Honda Battle of the Bands.
“For the first time ever, this year’s Honda Battle of the Bands brought the incredible talent, passion, and culture of HBCUs to the West Coast,” said Jasmine Cockfield, Honda Battle of the Bands project lead at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “Honda is proud to celebrate these exceptional students and institutions, and we look forward to further driving the legacy of HBCUs through our ongoing support of the HBCU community.”
Honda has advocated for Historically Black Colleges and Universities for 35 years through initiatives such as the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge and, of course, Honda Battle of the Bands, which have positively impacted more than 300,000 HBCU students. Over $14 million in grants has been directed toward HBCU educational programs and facility improvements. Likewise, since Honda became the presenting partner of the HBCU platform in 2003, HBOB has ascended to become the marching band homecoming event of the year. Historically, some of the most remarkable HBOB performances and HBCU battle moments have occurred at this extraordinary event.
Honda donated a $50,000 grant to each school for their devoted participation in augmenting their career development and music programs. The Japanese automaker also awarded a $500,000 grant to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund before the start of HBOB 2025. Additionally, the full schedule of events incorporated the Black College Expo and career fair that featured 200 colleges and universities including HBCUs, consisting of on-the-spot interviews, acceptances, and $10 million in scholarships. This is what you call dedication to HBCU communities!
While on-site in southern California, I visited the Honda headquarters and paid homage to its history and legacy in the newly installed American Honda Collection Hall, which featured classic cars and bikes from the Accord and Civic to the CBR. The first Honda automobile made in America, the Honda Accord, came in 1982 at the Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio. Today, the brand continues to achieve engineering greatness from its all-electric Prologue with a range of 296 miles on a full charge to the 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid, which took home the 2025 North American Car of the Year honors. Media in attendance drove both to evaluate the efficiency and advancements of each model.
I love all things HBCU. In addition to the twelve unique HBCU internship partnerships I have created with the automotive industry, my daughters attend Coppin State and Bowie State Universities. When you parallel the tenets of this specific lifestyle with the creativity and talents of marching band students, an emotionally uplifting vibe is manifested. Thus, corporations like Honda should always be praised for their dedication to diverse programming that provides resources toward academic achievement and friendly competition through music. Bravo!
