GloRilla Joins Battle Of The Bands Black Women Of Honda

Source: Courtesy of Honda / Courtesy of Honda

Never underestimate the power of a Black woman! 

Honda’s Brittany Kendricks and Jasmine Cockfield are the physical embodiment of the company’s “power of dreams” tagline, and this year they helped to lead the charge to pull off the very first Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB) on the West Coast.

As an HBCU alum, Jasmine Cockfield, Honda Battle of the Bands and Honda Campus All-Star Challenge Project Leader understands the significance of the South as the “home” of most HBCUs, but wanted to use this moment to speak to the many products of illustrious schools like her, Jackson State University, and the spaces they occupy across the country and world.

“Creating this space where HBCU alumni and the next generation of HBCU students can enjoy and thrive is something I do not take lightly or for granted,” Cockfield told MadameNoire. “Honda’s commitment to the power of dreams helped in creating this space.”

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HBOB has had a long history of taking place in the South. The city of Atlanta was home to the invitational showcase responsible for bringing the very best HBCU bands together from its inception in 2003, until 2020. 

After the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic placed a brief hiatus on the event for a few years, Honda decided to bring the showcase to a new city, Montgomery, Alabama, where Alabama A&M State University, whose Marching Maroon and White Band participated at the this year’s showcase in Los Angeles, served as the host.

“We must give credit where credit is due. We’re grateful for Atlanta being the location for Honda Battle of the Bands for many, many years,” said Cockfield. “However, as with everything, we had a chance to grow and evolve the program. There is a want, a need, and a desire for HBCU culture on the West Coast. We were excited to host tens of thousands of attendees at our Los Angeles debut and showcase the music and culture of HBCUs.”

“By bringing Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB) to Los Angeles, we created an opportunity for students to experience HBCU culture firsthand,” added Brittany Kendricks, American Honda Motor Co. Drive the Legacy Initiative Leader.

“Students heard the music they love and identified with the musicians, majorettes, dancers, and the band directors on the field. HBOB is a preview of what they can look forward to when they step onto an HBCU campus. You can see the influence of HBCU culture in the marching styles of Los Angeles—area high school bands and dance troupes like the Divas of Compton. The next generation has embraced the art form and tradition of HBCU marching bands, and they are ready to add to the rich tapestry of the culture.”

Source: Courtesy of Honda / Courtesy of Honda

Hosted by Nick Cannon, this year’s event was a bit of a reunion for Drumline lovers when he and Dr. Lee aka Orlando Jones kicked off HBOB with a warm hug on the field before introducing participating marching bands, which included Alabama A&M University’s Marching Maroon and White Band, Alabama State University’s Mighty Marching Hornets, Hampton University’s The Marching Force, North Carolina A&T University’s Blue and Gold Marching Machine, Southern University’s Human Jukebox Marching Band, and the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff’s Marching Musical Machine of the Mid-South, who participated in the showcase for the first time.

To close out the event, Grammy-nominated rapper GloRilla hit the stage and went through some of her hottest hits like “TGIF,” “Yeah Glo!,” “Tomorrow,” and many more while a sea of excited HBCU students eagerly looked on.

In a world where the current state of diversity, equity, and inclusion practices that help to push the needle forward for so many underserved communities that make up America, Honda’s commitment to HBCUs continues to stand firm through programs like HBOB and the Honda Drive the Legacy Initiative, which supports the institutions through scholarships, immersion experiences, and other programs. 

Moreover, the company’s goal is to aid in the future of HBCU students by aiming to attract top talent to Honda careers.

Source: Courtesy of Honda / Courtesy of Honda

“This spring semester, we are looking forward to our campus engagement events with the National Urban League’s Business Executive Exchange Program,” said Kendricks. “We are currently gearing up for our 36th annual Honda Campus All-Star Challenge that will take place in April. We’ll also kick off the 2025 fall semester with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Immersion program.”

As far as where HBOB will take its talents next? Both Cockfield and Kendricks say the company can’t reveal all of the secrets up their sleeve, but you can believe, the intentionality behind the event will always be present.

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