Honda Battle Of The Bands 2025 Brings HBCU Spirit To West Coast

Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB) 2025 kicked off Black History Month last Saturday (Feb. 1) with a West Coast showcase of the creative and technical talent fortified by Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) marching bands. Taking place in California for the first time since its inaugural event in 2003, the event’s afternoon found HBCU alumni, hopeful students, and supporters at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., wearing their school pride on their chests.

For Honda, the annual event furthers its longstanding commitment to supporting initiatives that empower those from marginalized communities, specifically HBCUs for over 35 years. Not only does the program give students a chance to travel, take their first flights, or connect with their peers, but it also provides support through scholarships, programming, and initiatives that empower the dreams and potential of HBCU students. Through HBOB and the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge (HCASC), a quiz bowl tournament between HBCU students, the automotive company has awarded over $14 million in grants supporting HBCU education programs and facility improvements, impacting the lives of more than 300,000 students.

This year, Honda awarded each participating school a $50,000 grant to enhance its music education and career development programs as well as collaborating with the Black College Expo powered by the National College Resources Foundation to host a college and career fair at SoFi Stadium before the HBOB Invitational Showcase. In total, over 200 colleges and universities, including HBCUs, offered attendees on-the-spot interviews, acceptances, and scholarships totaling more than $10 million.

It’s this backing from Honda that brought almost 60,000 people to SoFi over the weekend for HBOB. Hosted by Nick Cannon, the moment recalls his role as Devon Miles in Drumline the 2002 film that portrayed the fictional yet genuine story of HBCU band culture. Actor Orlando Jones, who played the no-nonsense Dr. Lee in the classic film even made an appearance, introducing Nick Cannon with the assistance of members of the drumlines from the participating HBCUs.

“Our culture is so rich at so many different entry points and levels, and when I say our culture, [I can] pinpoint HBCU culture,” explained the 44-year-old in a press conference hours before the spirited showdown. “We bring our entire culture. When you go to a PWI or something, when it’s time for the marching band, you appreciate their precision, and their dedication and their discipline but when an HBCU marching band plays, you feel the spirit…You hear music that you grew up with. You see the spirituality. You hear the resistance. You feel the pain. You feel the emotion of what it takes to be the best of the best at your craft…You feel that every time those young people hit the field.”

Nick Cannon speaking on the importance of HBCU band culture at the 2025 Honda Battle Of The Bands press conference. He’s set to host the event this afternoon at the SoFi stadium in Inglewood, CA. #hbob pic.twitter.com/PUEtBNCgwp

— VIBE Magazine (@VibeMagazine) February 1, 2025

As ticketholders began to load into the stadium the six bands lined up in preparation for their moment. Awaiting the bands, DJ R-Tistic, a Florida A&M graduate based in Los Angeles kept the crowd lively with a blend of old and new-school Hip-Hop, R&B, Gospel, and Soul.  The audio-visual team searched the colorful audience, spotlighting attendees to feature on the big screen, including excited children doing dance routines, cheerful HBCU graduates repping their respective alma maters, and members of Divine 9 Greek fraternities and sororities representing with paraphernalia, chants, and strolls.

To kick things off, the Alabama A&M University Marching Maroon and White Band, the Alabama State University Mighty Marching Hornets, the Hampton University Marching FORCE, the North Carolina A&T University Blue and Gold Marching Machine, the Southern University Human Jukebox Marching Band, and the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff Marching Musical Machine of the Mid-South all came together to spell out “HBCU” on the field in a moment of unity. Together, members from each band performed the Black National Anthem “Lift Every Voice And Sing,” before playing a rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

From there, each student turned on their 5th quarter face on, prepared to deliver the performance of their lifetime.

Each band’s determination to prove itself as superior was on display during their time on the field. From the tight grit of the drumlines to the fluid rhythm embodied by each dance troupe, the performances were all standing-ovation-worthy. Highlights include UAPB making a splash in its HBOB debut with a medley of Cheryl Lynn and Luther Vandross’s “If This World Were Mine” going into SZA and Kendrick Lamar’s “Luther” which samples the aforementioned track. The school’s triumphant performance also included a lively arrangement of the 2025 Grammy Song Of The Year “Not Like Us.”

Additional standouts include ASU’s Mighty Marching Hornets Honeybeez’s intricate choreography and the Human Jukebox being introduced by Cedric The Entertainer, beginning their performance with a musical tribute to Stevie Wonder.

After each school left it all on the field, Nick Cannon returned to keep the party going as fans awaited GloRilla‘s closing set. With a ceremonial swag surf, the energy levels heightened before HBCU staple “Knuck If You Buck” by Crime Mob was unintentionally but comically cut off by a commercial for Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty, an official sponsor of the 2025 event. As host, Cannon jokingly apologized to the “white person” in charge of sound.

The afternoon ended with the GLORIOUS rapper at the 50-yard line, performing her fan-favorite tracks on an elevated platform. Joined by her own dancers and surrounded by elated members from each represented band, the Memphis rhymer shared a symbiotic energy with the audience, who made sure to scream “Yeah Glo!” in unison.

Although Los Angeles is not home to any HBCUs it is clear through HBOB that the institutions have reverence, admiration, advocation, and genuine love in The Golden State. Scroll down to see more moments from the 2025 Honda Battle Of The Bands.