ICYMI: Urban One went LIVE with Battle of the Beats on Saturday, October 24th. One of the things we’re missing most this year, is the energy of the tailgate and the amazing Homecoming band battles and performances. We can’t wait to get back to being there IRL but on October 24th, OneYard.co brought us the next best thing. The Battle of the Beats was an exhibition of talent from on and off the field, born from pride, commitment and culture.
Hosted by platinum R&B standout, Sammie, the event featured performances from some of the best in the land. With demos and conversation from alums from the top programs and trivia and behind the scenes insight into what it takes to perform, the event celebrated all things HBCU band culture. Ensembles P.O.P. Unplugged and ATL Drumline Academy showed the skills they honed by training under Florida A&M’s POP PRiCE and Morris Brown’s James Riles III, and we had an impromptu show between two of the biggest rivals in the game!
The panelists, esteemed writer and cultural engineer Bonsu Thompson, dance instructor and former Southern University Fabulous Dancing Doll captain, Danielle Stamper and actor, drummer and former member of FAMU’s marching 100, POP PRiCE talked through the musicianship, skills and swag of the performances. The crew also took a deeper dive into some of the tougher moves cultivated by HBCU bands over the years, as demonstrated by Bethune-Cookman alum and Xclusive Percussion’s CEO, Dasmyn Grigsby.
Don’t miss one minute of the culture, dedication and black excellence that came across your One Yard screen.
