The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) Marching Musical Machine of the Mid-South (M4) is vying for a spot in the 2025 Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB). This historic event could see M4 perform live at the 2025 Invitational Showcase as one of six HBCU marching bands. Securing a place would represent Arkansas and make HBOB history as Honda brings the tradition and culture of HBCUs to the West Coast for the first time. Your vote can help make this historic moment a reality. Online voting is open now through August 15, 2024, at hondabattleofthebands.com.
Participating in the voting process is simple. Visit the Honda Battle of the Bands Voting page at https://www.hondabattleofthebands.com, scroll to the bottom, and select ‘The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.’ Click submit, and you’ve done your part to support UAPB. UAPB encourages you to vote now, daily, and often because your votes can make a difference. Voting is open through August 15, 2024.
Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB), the nation’s premier showcase for Historically Black College and University (HBCU) marching bands, will bring its high energy and sound to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Saturday, February 1, 2025. UAPB Band Director John R. Graham, Jr. said, “We want to take our talents to the West Coast and represent Arkansas. We have a strong alumni chapter out there, and they would love to show us off. We would love to perform in the brand new state-of-the-art SoFi Stadium.” The last time M4 participated in the Honda Battle of the Bands was in 2014. The band put together a great show that showcased HBCU Unity in Atlanta, GA.
According to Honda’s press release, “Honda continues its commitment to powering the dreams and success of HBCU students by providing experiences and opportunities like Honda Battle of the Bands,” said Yvette Hunsicker, vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility and Inclusion & Diversity at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “Bringing Honda Battle of the Bands to California will provide a platform for these young musicians while expanding awareness of the rich legacy of HBCU schools.” And ahead of HBOB 2025, Honda reaffirmed its longstanding commitment to HBCU music education through a $500,000 grant to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. The grant is dedicated to awarding scholarships that will power the academic ambitions of HBCU student musicians across the country. To learn more about the scholarship program, visit https://www.tmcf.org/students-alumnus/scholarship/tmcf-honda-hbcu-scholarship/.
According to Honda News, for 35 years, Honda has supported HBCUs, acknowledging their critical role in providing higher education and opportunities for advancement within the Black community. This support includes scholarships, programs, and initiatives that celebrate the dreams and potential of HBCU students, shaping them into future Black leaders. Honda has impacted the lives of more than 300,000 students and awarded over $14 million in grants in support of HBCU education programs and facility improvements. To advance its leading investment in HBCUs, Honda is a member of the HBCU Partnership Challenge, a Congressional Bipartisan HBCU Caucus initiative that brings together government, industry, and HBCUs to create strategic, more sustainable HBCU partnerships. Honda also has partnered with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and UNCF to provide annual scholarship funding to support HBCU students pursuing an education in engineering, supply chain management, and manufacturing-related fields. Learn more at https://www.honda.com/community/diversity-reports.
SoFi Stadium, the home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, is located at Hollywood Park, a nearly 300-acre sports and entertainment destination being developed by Los Angeles Rams Owner/Chairman E. Stanley Kroenke in Inglewood, Calif. The 3.1 million-square-foot SoFi Stadium is the largest stadium in the NFL, as well as the first indoor-outdoor stadium. It seats approximately 70,000, expandable up to 100,000, with more than 260 luxury suites and more than 13,000 premium seats. SoFi Stadium was host to Super Bowl LVI in 2022, the College Football National Championship in 2023, WrestleMania in 2023, the annual Starco Brands LA Bowl Hosted By Gronk, and was ranked the No. 1 stadium in the world for top-grossing concert and live event ticket sales in 2023.
