What The Slang Terms "Ballin", "Parlay" And "Ball And Parlay" Mean (With Information About Tuskegee University's "Ball N Parlay" Song

kwone casper, Oct 27, 2014

Tuskegee University MCP jamming to Ball and Parlay before HC 2014 game.

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series on the Tuskegee University Song "Ball And Parlay".

This post presents definitions about the terms "ballin', "parlay", and "ball and parlay". This post also presents information about and lyrics of part of Big Pokey's 1999 song "Ball N Parlay" along with  information about and lyrics for Tuskegee University's version of that song.

In addition, this pancocojams post presents some comments about Tuskegee University's version of "Ball And Parlay"

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/08/tuskegee-universitys-marching-band.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post showcases several YouTube videos of Tuskegee University's marching band performing Big Pokey's track "Ball N Parlay" with Tuskegee students singing along.

The content of this post is presented for historical, linguistic, and cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the Big Pokey for the song "Ball'n Parlay" Thanks to Tuskeegee University for its version of this song and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube. 
-snip-
This post is part of an ongoing pancocojams series on specific Historically Black Colleges And Universities (HBCUs).

Click that tag below or google "specific Historically Black Colleges And Universities pancocojams" for additional posts in this series.
 
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GENERAL OVERVIEW
The Hip Hop track "Ball'n Parlay" was recorded in 1999 by Houston, Texas rapper Big Pokey. The title "Ballin' Parlay" is often given as "Ball & Parlay" or  "Ball and Parlay".

In Big Pokie's Hip Hop track "Ball'n Parlay the title "Ball'n Parlay" "ball'n" appears to usually be interpreted as three words "ball and parlay" instead of two words "ballin ("balling") parlay". 

Both the term "ballin'" and the meaning of the term "parlay" (in the context of that Hip Hop track) come from African American Vernacular English. 

SLANG DEFINITIONS OF "BALLIN'" AND "BALL"
From https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-meaning-of-the-slang-term-ballin "What is the meaning of the slang term "ballin"?"
1. Raynetta Manees, 2016
I am an award-winning author, a singer, an actress, and a former disc jockey.

" “Ballin" is a term often heard as slang, especially in the black community. It means to live with affluence, to have wealth. It is sometimes spelled and pronounced with a “g,” and sometimes not. It’s thought to have originated from the term “having a ball.”

 “He lives in Beverly Hills and drives a Porsche. He used to be poor but now he’s ballin’!” (or “balling”)

 The term is also sometimes used to describe playing basketball.

 “I was meeting my boyfriend at the park for a picnic, but when I got there I found him out on the court with his boys, balling.”

 The term can also refer to sex, but is seldom used that way in the black community.

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2. Dewin Mage, 2019
"Former Information Security Specialist (retired) at British Telecommunications (BT) (1977–2007)

Originally Answered: What does it mean when someone is “ballin?”

Question: What does it mean when someone is “ballin?”

 I’ve always understood the term to have two meanings.

 He’s ballin’ - “Partying”; “Livin’ it large”; “Having a good time”; “Behaving with few or no responsibilities”; or, indirectly, “Having sufficient funds (being rich enough) to live a purely fun lifestyle” (previously known as “being a playboy/trust fund socialite”)

He was ballin’ - Less common, “engaged in sexual intercourse” "

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3.Scott Krager, April 26, 2024
"B.A. from Seattle Pacific University (Graduated 2005)

"Ballin' is one of those terms that has seeped into our culture with a catchy vibe and a trail of misunderstandings in its wake. To put it simply, when someone says they're "ballin', they're not talking about dribbling down the basketball court-at least, not in the context most are using it today. This term has roots deeply planted in the world of luxury, success, and flaunting financial abundance.

Historically speaking, the term originates from the sports world where being "on the ball" meant you were doing exceptionally well. It took a sharp turn into the lanes of hip hop and urban culture, where its essence got infused with the imagery of living large. Think flashy cars, designer clothes, extravagant lifestyles, and , yes, literal balls of money"... 
-snip-
Pancocojams Editor's Note: "Having a ball" is a very common colloquial term in the United States for "having a good time".    

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SLANG DEFINITIONS OF "PARLAY"
From https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-actual-meaning-of-the-word-parlay-Can-you-give-an-example-of-it "What is the actual meaning of the word parlay. Can you give an example of it?

Natesan Jegadesan, 2022

Originally Answered: What does parlay mean?

Parlay means winning from a smaller amount to a greater amount in betting. In gambling .

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Marina Carroll, 2020

1 : to bet in a parlay. 2a : to exploit successfully He hoped to parlay his basketball skills into a college scholarship. b : to increase or otherwise transform into something of much greater value She parlayed $5,000 and years of hard work into a multimillion-dollar company. parlay.Definition of parlay (Entry 2 of 2)
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These are African American Vernacular English (or-more broadly-American English) slang meanings for the "parlay". 

Read the section immediately below for an explanation of the words "ball and parlay" in that Big Pokey's song and in Tuskegee University's adaptation of that song.   

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INFORMATION ABOUT BIG POKEY AND HIS HIP HOP TRACK "BALL'N PARLAY"

ONLINE SOURCE #1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardest_Pit_in_the_Litter
"Hardest Pit in the Litter is the debut studio album by American rapper Big Pokey, from Houston, Texas. It was released on May 18, 1999, via Chevis Entertainment. The album peaked at No. 72 on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

Track listing

[…]

"Ball'n-Parlay" (featuring Big Moe, 3-2 & Lil' Keke)

[…]

Released - May 18, 1999

Recorded- 1999

Studio   Uptown Recording Studio (Houston, TX)

Genre    Southern hip hop"

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SOURCE #2
"Ball N-Parlay" by Big Pokey ... is a song about the rapper's lavish lifestyle and how he spends his days. The verses reflect the mentality of those who come from an underprivileged background, but have found success and now enjoy the fruits of their labor.

The chorus suggests that regardless of the weather or the circumstances, they will always find a way to ball and parlay. .. The lyrics portray a luxurious lifestyle, with iced-out jewelry, trips to exotic locations, and fancy cars.

The artist's focus in the song is on constantly grinding and staying on their hustle to continue to succeed in the rap game. They boast about their skills and staying "true to the game" and demonstrate their commitment to their craft. The message of the song is to enjoy life, succeed, and live it to the fullest, no matter the weather or the circumstances.

This meaning interpretation was written by AI. Help improve it with your feedback."

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SOURCE #3
From https://hbcugameday.com/2023/06/18/big-pokey-rapper-behind-ball-n-parlay-passes-away/ by Tolly Carr Posted on June 18, 2023
"Houston rapper Milton Powell, better known as Big Pokey, passed away on Saturday night after collapsing during a performance at a bar in Beaumont, Texas. Powell recorded the song Ball N-Parlay on his debut album, “Hardest Pit in the Litter” which debuted in 1999. The song has since become the signature song of the Marching Crimson Pipers at Tuskegee University.

Powell would later put out two subsequent albums, D-Game 2000 and Da Sky’s Da Limit, over the course of the next three years. But his lore within the circles of HBCU bands and fans lies with the hit song Ball N-Parlay.

The marching band does not appear during football season without playing the song. Members of the crowd at Tuskegee sing the lyrics along with the band with a slight alteration to customize the song for the University. It is instantly recognizable when the music starts and the crowd reacts accordingly every time.

Powell was 45 years old at the time of his death, and was performing during a Juneteenth celebration in Texas.”…

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PARTIAL LYRICS FOR BIG POKEY'S "BALL' N PARLAY" TRACK

...Whether sunny or grey, we gon ball n' parlay

Pour a drank and smoke hay, we gon ball n' parlay

Whether sunny or grey, we gon ball n' parlay

Pour a drank and smoke hay, we gon ball n' parlay"...
-snip-

Click https://genius.com/Big-pokey-ball-n-parlay-lyrics for the complete lyrics for this Hip Hop track.

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LYRICS FOR TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY'S VERSION OF BIGPOKEY'S "BALL AND PARLAY" TRACK

"Whether Its Sunny or Grey
We Gonna Ball and Parlay
Keep It Crunk Everyday
That's The Tuskegee Way.
So Take Your Seat Cuz We Live Marching Hard 8 to 5
That's What We Do Everyday
As We Ball and Parlay."
-https://www.reddit.com/r/listentothis/comments/rlvj9b/tuskeegee_u_marching_band_ball_and_parlay/ "Tuskeegee marching band ball and parlay"
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Here's a comment from that reddit.com discussion thread:

twenty-eight2three,2021
"For anyone unfamiliar with marching band when the lyrics say hard 8 to 5 they arent referring to an amount of time but rather the standard step size for marching band. 8 even steps to travel 5 yards on the field. Not that it matters but i teach drill for a living so i figured id chime in lol"
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Here's information about the word "crunk" from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crunk
"Crunk is a subgenre of southern hip hop that emerged in the early 1990s and gained mainstream success during the early to mid 2000s.

[...]

Etymology

The term has been attributed mainly to African-American slang, in which it holds various meanings.[5] It most commonly refers to the verb phrase "to crank up". It is theorized that the use of the term came from a past-tense form of "crank", which was sometimes conjugated as "crunk" in the South, such that if a person, event, or party was hyped-up, i.e. energetic – "cranked" or "cranked up" – it was said to be "crunk".[5]"...

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This concludes Part I of this two part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

2017 YouTube Video Of Norfolk State University Marching Band (with special attention to NSU's drum line)

Kr Ro, Nov. 7, 2017

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Statistics (as of Feb 26, 2021 at 9:40 AM ET

Total # of views - 2,506,978
Total # of likes - 16K
Total # of dislikes -1.2K
Total # of comments - 1,208

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents a 2017 video of Norfolk State University's marching band. This video showcases that band's drum line.

Selected comments from this video's discussion thread are included in this post.

Meanings for certain African American Vernacular English terms that are found in some of these comments are included after those comments. 

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all members of Norfolk State University Marching Band. Thanks to the producer of this video and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this post on YouTube. 

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kenPCFUoTRY&t=197s&ab_channel=KrRo

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

1. ikarooz, 2017
"The dedication to tradition, musicianship, teamwork and hard work is evident. Your pristine uniforms and high step are impressive. Well done."

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2. HE360, 2017
"This goes to show what a drumline looks like when they MEAN BUSINESS!! And they're NOT playing around!! They came to play and fight! I love this!!"

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3. Tidewater 4 Hustlers, 2018
"💯💯💯💯💯💯"

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4. Uncle Monster, 2017
"Most folks don’t think about how physical these young men and women have to be. Stand in place and mark time high step style for a minute and then think about marching, performing and band uniforms are not the lightest of clothing. Hats off to y’all!

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5. Alexandra, 2018
"Everyone in the comments section knows what they’re talking about. I’m from England and have no idea what everything is called but I’ve just been binge watching these type of videos and I love the atmosphere and the teamwork in these videos"

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6. diva70smusic, 2019
"It is called black college bands. Other schools have them but none better than the black colleges. It is about history, love, honor, tradition, and heart. These students work very hard to be in a college band. They have to be the best of the best to earn a spot. The deeper the South you go the deeper the tradition and talent."

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7. David Kemp, 2019
"I have some of these saved too. It is HBCU"s. Mostly in the south but check out Howard U in Washington DC also."
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HBCU= Historical Black Colleges And Universities

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8. Aric Robinson, 2019
"you should to a HBCU football game to get the real experience"

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9. uberfu, 2019
"@diva70smusic It's not just black colleges - it's definitely a southern college thing."

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10. diva70smusic, 2019
"@uberfu I will agree that the Southern schools have more "favor" and traditions. However, black college bands have traditions seeped in military precision, showmanship borrowed from West African funeral processions, black minstrel and vaudevile shows. Although Notre Dame is credited with having the first college marching band, performing in 1887, Tuskegee University is credited with bringing the showmanship and style to the game. Since almost all HBCU's were formed in the South, those schools wanted to outdo each other. The "Battle of the Bands" originated at the black colleges. Other colleges followed suit. I am not taking anything away from the non black college bands, there are some great ones at there. However, it is important to note our college history and contributions that these black colleges made and make in the collegiate world. Nothing and I mean nothing compares to the pageantry, sharpness, strutting, drumline and drum majors of the best of these bands."

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11. ava sane, 2019
"@uberfu yes it is its more awesome cuz we perform with heart soul and rhythm"

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12. Kira 123, 2019
"@diva70smusic Thanks for actually getting right to it...these are black bands and it's the same on the black high school level in the South."

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13. diva70smusic, 2019
"@Kira 123 Thank you for the validation. I am very proud of these students and band directors. This is a tradition that was perfected in our culture. We all should be supportive and proud."

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14. Donald Ham, 2017
"The tonal colors being executed is amazing...The percussion section is absolutely locked...Much love to M.D.F.S. !!!"
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Another commenter wrote that the nick name of the Norfolk State University drum line is "Million dollar funk squad."  According to other comments such as #27 and #28 in this compilation, "Million dollar funk squad" appears to be the nickname for the entire marching band. 

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15. mos2, 2017
"Snare, tenor, bass are fine tuned...very nice...applaud you...DCI drums sound!"
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Here's information about "DCI" from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drum_Corps_International
"Drum Corps International is a governing body for junior drum and bugle corps based in Indianapolis, Indiana. DCI is responsible for developing and enforcing rules of competition, and for providing standardized adjudication, at sanctioned competitions throughout the United States and Canada."....

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16. JE Jones, 2017
"When they lift up their instruments at the end its like they are sayin "We done here"!"

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17. herbieberieherb, 2017
"dat be clean as the Board of Health."

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18. Vita, 2017
"OMG LUV THIS VIDEO!!!!!! I WISH I WAS THERE, N THEIR FACE EXPRESSION'S ARE READY FOR WAR!!!! 😠 GET IT!!!!!!🎶📣"

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19. Al Welch, 2017
"Snares and Tom Tom's Funk this thing on out and don't forget cymbals...Congrats NSU don't need 200 pieces to be great.. good as anybody. "

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20. klouds, 2017
"5: 14 those are sousaphones"
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Another commenter wrote about the tubas going through the tunnel.

"Tunnel" here refers to the space in between the two lines created by the drum line. There are a number of YouTube videos of  HBCU marching band "tunnel" performances.   

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21. Drew Anders, 2018
"Tons of practice hours on these guys and girls, the dedication is obvious. This is a program to emulate. Makes me want to go back 40 years to marching band and really commit! Thanks for sharing the video. We used to call it military bearing, whatever it is is gooood."

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22. NKLnDime, 2018
"I'm loving the ole skool boots with the pom poms the flags are wearing!"

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23. A Ceas, 2018
"You all are right. This drumline is the best black line I've heard yet. They are pretty much on the caliber of a professional DCI line. The snares are so crisp like one man is playing. And the tenors or basses start going up and down the line so fast. I was more than impressed. WOW!!! To see this band is on my bucket list."

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24. Drum 2, 2019
"A Ceas i agree that they are the best “black line,” but i’m gonna have to disagree that they are on the caliber of a DCI line. All DCI lines are much much cleaner, while playing complicated music and doing absolutely ridiculous stick tricks. So much more attention to detail is put into a DCI show, and while this line is straight-up funky, they are playing very repetitive and simple book paired with very simple visuals that many high school lines could pull off with no problem."

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25. burdrchitect 1, 2019
"@Drum 2 They actually had an alumni that marched with the Blue Devils for I think 2 or 3 years on quads. Marched when they won in 2009. So their line has alot of DCI influence.  My close marched in MDFS and tried out for a couple of corps."

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26. Drum 2, 2019
"burdrchitect 1 yeah, nothing against the individual players. I’m talking about the line its self. you know? like there could be a very simple drumline with someone like miles kenobbie, but the like would still be simple. But i do agree, this drumline is sick, and the funk is wild"

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27. burdrchitect 1, 2019
"@Drum 2 I'm pretty sure if they would be up there with them if given a book. But they just have there own style, that's why they are call the Millon Dollar Funk Squad. Take a look at all the other HBCU drumline like Southen U and JACKSON state. Now those are simple drum lines. Also check NSU  MDFS battle with NC A&T Cold Steel a  couple years ago.. nice book.
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NC A&T  = North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, North Carolina   "Cold Steel" is the nickname for their marching band.  

My guess is that "nice book" refers to the titles of tunes that the bands played. 

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28. Kim Alexander, 2019
"@Drum 2 I agree with you, MDF$ has the best drumline out of all of the HBCUs.  They have been playing like this for years.  I graduated from high school in 1984.  I remember  the NSU drumline putting on a show at Armstrong - Kennedy High School in Richmond, Virginia.  They even played beats with the drum sticks in their mouths.  The show was amazing.  Also check out MDF$ 2015 Warren County with the stick toss.  Another amazing show by MDF$.  Often imitated, but never duplicated.

Keep up the great work NSU Spartan Legion!!!"
-snip-
"Spartan Legion" is the actual name for NSU's marching band.

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29. jayshooter 16, 2018
"The snares were on point perfectly hitting the drum at the same time"

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30. brina Jean, 2018
"Wow!!! This has been THE BADEST drumline I have seen so far!!!!!!  Flawless y'all!!! You young people were were showing out !!!!!  😉"

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31. Taheerah Chestnut, 2018
"Nothing like an HBCU🙌💖💪🔥🔥🔥NSU KILLING IT💞🔥🔥🔥"

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32. Theo72 Bush, 2018
"Whole video was Fiya!"

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33. B B, 2018
"Soooo proud of my Spartans!! I marched on the 95-96 & 97-98 Silkette Squad!! And we were no JOKE! When we rolled into town, everyone took notice to the. Behold the Green and Gold!!"

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34. Pianoman42100, 2018
"White Chocolate is SICK on those Tenors (Quads!!!)"
-snip-
There are a number of complimentary comments in this discussion thread about the White drummer. The term "White chocolate" was used in a few of these comments. In those comments "white chocolate" is complimentary. One commenter mentioned that this drummer had graduated from a majority Black high school in Virginia (implying that he had become familiar with Black drumming performance techniques in that school.")

"Sick" = colloquial meaning "very good"  

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35. educapro, 2019
"I just have to come back here to listen and watch NSU drum corp kill it!  This is the coldest DC to date. Just love what I saw and heard rhythmically !!! THese boys are cold!!!!"
-snip-
"DC" = drum corp

In the context of this comment, I believe that the slang meaning for “cold” has basically the same complimentary meaning as the slang meaning for “hot” (i.e, "excellent").  However, "cold" probably also includes being highly disciplined, "tight", being "on point", and may also include showing no expression. 

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36. ptoyman, 2019
"Hell yeah, bring that funk at 1:58. Straight up groovin’.’"

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37. Woolly65, 2019
"The only other HBCU drumline that will MAYBE give them a run is BCU. In my opinion, NCAT has the funkiest cadences. PVAMU is nice also."
-snip-
BCU = Bethune–Cookman University located in Daytona Beach, Florida

NCAT = North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University located in Greensboro, North Carolina.

PVAMU  = Prairie View A&M University, located in Prairie View, Texas

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38. Ramen Noodles, 2019
"When the bass cadence kicks in at 8:11 😍"

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39. Faunta, 2019
"EVERY BODY that came down that line was STEPPING!  The big, the tall, the short, the skinny!  Tuba's marching tall carrying their 'heavy' instruments up in the air!  DRUM LINE!  Drummers Bangin!  Wish they could have shown the bass drummer as s/he was holding it ALL together!  Playing instruments, marching, all in precision!!!  GREAT JOB!  SO PROUD OF YOU!"

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40. Greg R, 2019
"Black marching bands are SO extra! I like it! Fun to watch"
-snip-
"Extra" here means doing more than what is usually expected; being more dramatic than people or groups generally are, being "over the top". In the context of this comment (and comments elsewhere about African Americans) "being extra" is usually complimentary. 

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41. MrsConnie 2You, 2019
"Y'all betta STEP!!🥰🥰🥰🥰...That drumline tho🔥🔥🔥🔥"
-snip-
Y'all betta Step" is an exclamation of support and appreciation. "Step" here refers to African American marching band's high stepping styles.  "That drumline tho (though)" calls particular complimentary attention to the drumline  

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42. Debbie Bloodworth, 2019
"NOW that is how you are suppose march in a parade, Got to love the Drumline, Get down now Y'ALL🤗"

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43. nostalgia dude, 2019
"Drumline kicks ass. DCI take note - This is what the fans want."

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44. Lamecia Butler, 2019
"Absolutely love it😍 The drumline is a powerful weapon in any band!!! Them drums will make you get up and dance even when you're having a challenging day💯💯💯 #Somethingaboutthedrums"

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45. Anigye SihmoNah, 2019
"BEHOLD.....THE GREEEN....ANNNND.....GOLD!!!! my entire family of 7 and my parents graduated from NSU and I have danced to the beat of thier drum since childhood watching my family in the band over the years and I take great pride.👍🏿✊🏾👍🏿✊🏾✊🏾🎶"

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46. Stacy Edwards, 2019
"I live about 7 mins away from NSU...i open my bedroom window when the band performs if i dont attend the game. It's like having a radio on there sound is so crisp and clear...God Bless them babies and there healthy lungs! BEHOLD THE 💚&💛!!!!"
-snip-
A number of commenters wrote "Behold the green and gold". This appears to be a standard Norfolk State University saying. 

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47. Angilia Clark, 2019
"I feel u, I grew up less than a mile 4rm Grambling State campus and I can even recall being in  class one day and they were onda field practicing. This was b4 Robinson Stadium, so school was right next 2da field. We're tryna concentrate and  suddenly the drummers start with Housequake by Prince!!! Now imagine being in high school, black, and expected 2 ignore and concentrate. It was sooo loud and funky that our teacher said "ok guys, put ur pencils down and relax 4 a minute, ha ha ha!" We all laughed and starting jamming in our seats 😂 That was sooo cool!!!"

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48. Kim Bailey, 2019
"That's what's up. Give100 percent at all times. Bring back memories for me. You guys gave me the chills. Keep up the good work, & let your GPA speak for you as well.
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"GPA" = term used in the USA universities/colleges as an abbreviation for "grade point average".

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49. Jonathan T, 2019
"I guess you have never seen a DCI drum line then?  This line is very choppy at best. Ultimately however these kids are having fun and really that’s all that counts."

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50. Jonathan T, 2019
"Lightning Style Kirin this is a real drum line"

https://youtu.be/_WvoSjJizGI

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51. Always Learning, 2019
"@Jonathan T Fr tho wow..... I guess call me a sucker for more African based rhythmic syncopations  personally"

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52. Truth Hurts, 2019
"Stickmanship is sick 😨😨😨😧😧😧😧😖😖😖👍👍👍👍👍thanks for sharing this video awesome showmanship ."

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53. Dr. Karen Hinton- Polite, 2019
"Straight up African yall! The drums, the movement of our bodies, calling the ancestors! African!!!!!"

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54. Craig miller, 2019
"You all are sicker than sick brothers... give me chills!!! God bless every one of you for sharing your talent you guys are awesome🙏 I have always loved this snare and you guys did a killer job. I have to admit the quads are my favorite and you guys kill that you guys are so talented. Dont know how y'all do it. TOTALLY IMPRESSED..."

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55. HalfLifeAMD, 2019
"How many hours a day do these people practice!"

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56. Gods._Musician, 2020
"We are in practice 6-7hrs a day"

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57. ROGER WOODS, 2019
"Only and I mean ONLY, in America. Bravo 👏"

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58. Wayne Morris, 2019
"aye aye...main...look...i couldn't be no drum major today....dem cats be doing calistenics, i got exhausted watchin these cats main...
-snip-
“Main” is another way of spelling the interjection “man”."
Cats= colloquial term for "men" (males)

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59. t.t Robinson, 2019
"whats the name of the cadence from the 4:30 mark"

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60. Abenzz, 2020
"Calypso Groove"

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61. arthur robinson, 2019
"What's the name of the cadence on 4:38"

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62. Abenzz, 2020
…"That cadence is called "CMP".

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63. SeoulVante, 2019
"I watched this in person and it was definitely the best tunnel I have ever seen. I didn't catch a single person standing still on the sidelines watching."

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64. Shirley Vinson, 2019
"SMOKING!!!!!!! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤"

*️*
65. Thankful Ready, 2019
"After we beat they behind they marched out of AGGIE WORLD lol"
-snip-
In the context of this comment, "Aggie World" refers to North Carolina Argriculture & Technology University.

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66. lucilla williams. 2019
"They BAD to the bone Dynamic"
-snip-
They're throughly bad (very good); all the way from their skin down to their bones.

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67. Morning Star, 2020
"They all play with the exact same technique, stick heights, velocity, everything. This is what all drumlines should be like."

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68. Tize, 2020
"People. This form of marching band is the HBCU style aka the "swinging-high stepping" bands. This is unqiuely a black american marching band culture."

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69. Uncle Monster, 2020
"Most folks don’t think about how physical these young men and women have to be. Stand in place and mark time high step style for a minute and then think about marching, performing and band uniforms are not the lightest of clothing. Hats off to y’all!"

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70. Brandon Bridges, 2020
"that groove they layed down for the drum majors is FIRE tho!"

**
71. Art Gamechanger, 2020
"Them  majoretts are HIIIIIGH steppn' !! Wow! Best I've ever seen!"

****
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Visitor comments are welcome.

Historically Black Colleges & Universities Marching Bands Virtual Performances At 2021 Biden-Harris Presidential Inauguration (video & comments)

MEETMEONTHE50, January 19, 2021

[,,.]

Visit: https://bideninaugural.org

for Full Coverage of the 2021 Inauguration 1/20/21 Band Order: Louisiana Leadership Institute (LLI) (Instagram: @llimarchingband ) Grambling State Univ. World Famed Marching Band Florida A&M Univ. Marching 100 South Carolina State Univ. Marching 101 Tennessee State Univ. Aristocrat of Bands Southern University Human Jukebox Jackson State Univ. Sonic Boom of the South

****
Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases virtual performances of several historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) marching bands and one high school marching band. These performances were part of the Biden-Harris inauguration program. Because of Covid-19, most of that inauguration program was virtual.

Selected comments from the discussion thread for this YouTube video are also included in this post. 

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those marching bands who participated in this virtual performance. Congratulations to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
-snip-
*According to several commenters in this video's discussion threads, the marching bands were given 3 or 4 days notice requesting their participation in this virtual inaugural mash up video. 

****
SELECTED COMMENTS
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNTNfwZhYlc&ab_channel=MEETMEONTHE50 

All of these comments are from January 20, 2021.

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

As is the case for many of the selected comments compilations on pancocojams, I'm interested in documenting what the commenters said but also how they said it, particularly commenter's use of  African American Vernacular English (AAVE). However, the AAVE words and phrases are given without highlighting them and are given without any definitions. 

1. Jeanya Owens
"To my 💚🧡💚🧡💚🧡 🐍and all of the schools that Participated in this historic moment. Job well done! ♥"

*️*
2. Laurie LBR
"Love y'all and special s/o to those babies at the beginning because they did that but we all know JSU KILLED THAT!"

**
3. O T
"High school band SOLID💥"

**
Reply
4. itsvenise S
"They really were. I thought they were alumni. Wow high schoolers you can tell they practice their instruments very well."

**
Reply
5. Just A Thought
"High school dancers from McKinley High and Leadership is alumni/ current students all star"

**
6. UPT123
"LLI did a great job, especially considering that band is majority high school students. And of course I enjoyed Southern and FAMU. Great day for all HBCU's in totality."

**
7. THGWYCTB
"SOUTHERN AND Lousiana Leadership Institute - SO POLISHED! All of the bands were good and I am proud to be an HBCU graduate bu SOUTHERN IS SO CLASSY AND LLI is also. 6th-12th graders. Amazing!"

**
8. TheMelloMan
"Glad to see the Boom brought some energy to the scene. Everybody sound good"

**
9. Jaylin Jones
"Mane this virtual stuff just take too much away.. non the less still happy to see these bands. Missed them all through 2020"

**
10. jbu2009
"Saved the best for last. JSU ..the BOOM"

**
11. Saundra Washington
"TSU the aristocrat of marching band"

**
12. frankieswarthy
"Louisiana stand up LLI and The Human Jukebox"

**
Reply
13. YesMa’am KieriJae
"Right Louisiana bands AINT playing! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️"

**
14. Nathaniel Hall
"sonic boom gave me that extra pep to match an inauguration celebration and su put it down per usual. UH.. grambling? we need a serious discussion. matter of fact media team... wat happened? lol👀😬 distorted audio?"

**
Reply
15. Drequynn Rod
"A!ot of bands were not live so umm gsu still sounded great how someone out do someone gsu sounded great but like most bands along with scsu and others were pre recorded"

**
Reply
16. Nathaniel Hall
"@Drequynn Rod gsu probably wasnt prepared for this all-around event on short notice. u can really tell vs everybody else. its not just actually performing, but its the media production and song selections required. that's why I didn't like how the new Biden and Harris team waited to the 11th hour to add all these hbcu bands. Dr. little wit jsu said they got like a 3-4 day notice and THEY STILL DID AMAZING WIT THEY PREPARATION. but I just knew someone out the group was gonna get caught lacking"

**
Reply
17. Drequynn Rod
"They're not the only band  who did that but yeah gsu gets called out some stuff were old from others too. Even some audio wasn't live come on."

**
Reply
18. itsvenise S
"@Drequynn Rod yep in the voice of roger bros all those bands were studio up."

**
Reply
19. Drequynn Rod
"Right but they love calling out gsu  yet some of those bands wasn't live

Playing it was a mash up folks can't simply give props to all we worse than the other ppl who dog hbcus"

**
20. Shomona Voss
"#LLI 🥵🔥🔥🔥 did y’all catch the uniform change hair flip tho"

**
diligent
21. "Famu yall betta dance like you from the MOTHERLAND ♥️♥️♥️....#firstbandtodoadanceroutineathalftime"

**
22. Kimberly Danielle Yaya Payton
"I'm loving the interpreter. Sis wants to dance"

**
23. Thunda 2K19
"Wow Grambling nothing in that was towards the inauguration 😂😂"

**
Reply
24. Nathaniel Hall
"lost for words. I guess the short notice of the inauguration invite bit them in the butt more than the other bands cuz man... 😬👀"

**
Reply
25. Drequynn Rod
"So gram wasn't the only band pre recorded and jam tonight was the perfect song in celebration which was gsu band playing. Y'all act as its bad. They were not the only band who didn't do a live performance btw not gsu  first time doing this"

**
Reply
26. LilMane318
"@Drequynn Rod yah I understand everybody didnt have a live performance but still they could have gave us more than a slide show with some damn back ground music to it smh im Grambling all the way but they let me down with that kindergarten stuff"

**
Reply
27. Nathaniel Hall
"@LilMane318 not the pre-recording. basically all bands did it to give high quality sound which is perfect, but if u gonna use old halftime shows.. ya media team better use better audio quality"

**
Reply
28. LilMane318
"@Nathaniel Hall i agree but the slide show is what got me everybody else did some type of small performance and they just gave us some pictures smh I love Grambling but damn cuzz come on mane"

**
Reply
29. Nathaniel Hall
"@LilMane318 😂lol"

**
30. Darlene McNealy
"Bands shouldn’t need dancing girls. 🤷🏽‍♀️"

**
Reply
31. Marque Griggs
"Well don’t watch"

**
Reply
32. KelNoKeenanDoe
"It’s tradition"

**
33. Malik Moore
"Tbh famu had the best 1"

**
Reply
34. Marion Simmons
"ima have to disagree Su, Lli, & Jsu had the best"

**
Reply
35. Darryl Bannister
"S.O.S  with FAMU you should be tired Of this"

**
Reply
36. Chris Lucas
"@Darryl Bannister that’s like telling JSU to give up get ready. It’s a traditional song that’s never going away."

**
Reply
37. Nathaniel Hall
"@Marion Simmons Su and Lli was great, but JSU just gave me a pep to my step. u can tell the directors really worked fast and smart to come up wit creative selections and productions to match the inauguration theme. wat went unnoticed was the marching down the strip on campus. it just matched the presidential messaging of moving forward and progress"

**
Reply
38. Dripward
"Tbh ion even care who had the best, I’m just glad to see all of the hbcu bands"

**
Reply
39. itsvenise S
"@Malik Moore totally agree they kept their sound and style. Also, LI represented the SWAC  very well they were most true to the SWAC sound even though they are high schoolers."
-snip-
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwestern_Athletic_Conference
"The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is a collegiate athletic conference headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, which is made up of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the Southern United States."

**
40. Jeremi Anderson
"Proud TSU Aristocrat Fall 95. I see you drum majors with the Black Lives Matter gear!"

**
41. L M
"All great, JSU was definitely the best, but LLI as a whole was better than all the other hbcus.. thats the tea 😶"

**
42. christopher gilliam
"Jsu as always showed up and above all showed out"

**
43. WillieG813
"FAMU ALL DAY EVERY DAY"

**
44. Darren Robinson II
"My Southern Human Jukebox. Nobody does it better. The proof is in the pudding; just another day in the office for us. No need to do anything more than we have already been doing. No singing and dancing for us here. Lol just a little HBCU humor. Everybody knows we’re the best. But I love the display of the HBCU bands... since there was no football season 😭😭😭😭"

****
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Visitor comments are welccome.

What The Musical Terms "Jam" & "Jamming" Mean (With Examples From The Dazz Band's "Let It Whip" Videos' Discussion Threads)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post presents information about the slang meanings of the words "jam" and "jamming" in the context of music.

This post also presents two YouTube videos that feature The Dazz Band's 1982 hit Funk record "Let It Whip", along with selected examples of the use of "jam" and "jamming" from the discussion threads of those videos.

The Addendum to this post showcases a 2006 commercial that features Grambling State University's marching band and dance line performing The Dazz Band's "Let It Whip".

My interpretations of the phrase "let it whip" (in the context of that song) are also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for etymological, cultural, entertainment purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to The Dazz Band for their musical legacy and thanks to all others who are featured in these videos. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post. And thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

****
THEORIES ABOUT THE ETYMOLOGY OF THE MUSICAL TERMS "JAM", "JAM SESSION", AND "JAMMING"
Excerpts #1 & #2 (with selected comments) are given for informational purposes. I've numbered these excerpts for referencing purposes only and without any conclusions about which theory is correct.
1. From http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=jam http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=jam
"Jam
...Jazz meaning "short, free improvised passage performed by the whole band" dates from 1929, and yielded jam session (1933); but this is perhaps from jam (n.1) in sense of "something sweet, something excellent."

****
2. From http://www.word-detective.com/2011/09/jam/
..."no one knows for sure why an improvisational performance or informal session by a musical group is called a “jam session.” This usage, which dates back to the 1920s jazz scene, may be using the “pile on” or “pressure” sense of “jam” to describe the effect of many musicians playing together without a score. Or it may be invoking the use of “jam” in the “jelly” sense to mean “something sweet; a very nice treat,” a usage that dates back to the 19th century (“Without Real Jam — cash and kisses — this world is a bitterish pill,” Punch, 1885). I tend to think this “sweet treat” sense of “jam” is more likely to have been the source of “jam” in the musical world, given that we are taking about the slang of musicians, to whom a “jam” represents a welcome opportunity for self-expression."
-snip-
Comments from this article:
a. Dafydd, September 21, 2015
"For a musician, a “jam session” is a voluntary improvised treat, in contrast to a “bread and butter session”, i.e. paid work."

**
Frank, October 27, 2015
The term “Jam Session”, referring to musicians congregating to play improvised music, came from the late night sessions in the 1920’s, when black and white musicians would get together, after their regular paying gigs. Bing Crosby, a member of “The Rhythm Boys”, who performed with Paul Whiteman, would join Bix Biederbeck, and others, at these sessions. They got a kick out of Bing, who had a problem clapping on the 2 and the 4, and would end up “jamming”* the beat. A seminal moment in jazz, when whites and blacks weren’t allowed to play together in public, these became known as jam sessions.

This is the origin of the phrase, documented in Mezz Mezzrow’s “Really The Blues”.
-snip-
I think that the implication is that “jamming” in that sentence means “messing up" or "blocking" something from entering, or leaving, or occurring (in that case: blocking the rhythmical expression/flow of the composition)

This isn't the definition of "jamming" that is used in musical contexts in African American (originated) Vernacular English.

****
DEFINITIONS OF "JAM" AND "JAMMING"
Jam (n) - a song, record, tune (meaning the complete song and not just the music)

[my] jam (n)- my favorite song/record or one of my favorite songs/records

the jam (n) - the most popular song/record (at that time); the best song/record (at that time or at any time)

jam (v) - musicians playing music (i.e. having a jam session)

Jamming; jam to ___ (v) - enjoy the music; dance to the music, and/or otherwise move to the music (i.e. roller skate to the music etc.)

Jamming (v) - a complimentary term that means "performing the music very well"

Jamming (v) - playing the music; playing the music loudly; blasting a record

****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS & SELECTED COMMENTS
The comments from these videos' discussion threads are presented in chronological order, with the oldest comments given first, except for replies. Numbers have been assigned to these comments for referencing purposes only. However, these comments may not be in consecutive order.

Example #1: Dazz Band - Let It Whip "HQ"



Rock Classic Published on Apr 22, 2016

Classic 1982
-snip-
Excerpt of This song's lyrics from http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/d/dazz_band/let_it_whip.html
..."We both are here
To have good fun
So let it whip

So let it whip
(Let's whip it, baby)
Try (let's whip it right)
Let it whip (let's whip it, baby)
(Whip it all night)"...
-snip-
In the context of this record, I think that the phrase "Let it whip" means "to go all out", "to do something with all your energy & enthusiasm"; "to dance (move) really well".

"It" in the phrase "Let it whip" could also mean a person's (particularly a female's) butt. A person who is "whipping" her or his butt is rhythmically but quickly moving it from side to side.

In the context of this record, "Let it whip" might also mean "to go all the way", i.e. "to have sex".
-snip-
Selected comments from the discussion thread of a video of that performance which was posted on YouTube in 2007 by Drake P: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SE7-tWEEejU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SE7-tWEEejU

2008
1. annjaaay
"that was the jam!! i threw a house party back in the day and that was the most played song!"

**
2. ladypodtron
"You cannot deny that this is a true jam."

**
3. terry1919
"I was Florida A&M when they played this on the PA and the girls from the band was JAMMIN to this.... :-)"
-snip-
Florida A&M (university), A historically Black university in the USA

PA = public announcement system (loud speaker)

**
4. yolanda8604
"this is my jam...although im 21"

memories...

**
5. Dj Tennessee
"THIS was the THE friday nite jam in HS back in 82.
Ahh-whooo-HOOO! Let it Whip!

The Soul Train Line I saw to this song recently was ...beyond...80s Ladies , carrying on...
Thanx for posting this.
-snip
HS= high school
-snip-
"Soul Train" was a very popular dance series in the 1970s and 1980s. The Soul Train line was a feature of that series where the dancers form two lines with a space in the middle for individuals or couples to dance from the beginning of that line to the end.

****
2011
6. Nona Yabizness
"this song is the jam they wont ever make music like this again

**
7. njdivad
"Class of 1982 - Ball High (Galveston, Tx)...wow, we used to jam to this!!!"

**
8. mattdaddyful
"This reminds me of when I was a little kid...And me and my friend would get dressed up and get on our bikes with a radio JAMMING this..We thought we were so COOL...Well im 35 now and just hearing this brings back SUCH AWSOME,INNOCENT,and MAGICAL feelings...GOOSEBUMPS"

****
2013
9. Jack Black
"Back when many people were bumping these jams from there cars. Times change man, we will never here music like this on the radios again.... so sad."
-snip-
"bumping" = playing; there = their; here = hear

**
2016
10. David Rice
"Just plain smoothe, shakin' -what-your-momma-gave-you old-school jam here"

****
Example #2: Soul Train Line Let It Whip Dazz Band.mpg



steve3ri Uploaded, on Oct 16, 2011

Basketball guy is a show.
-snip-
Selected comments from the discussion thread of a video of that performance
2015
1, MIMI88998899
"All I can say is back in the day we had the very best music ever created. This of course was one of my jams. The girls dancing down the line here are OK. But I wish my girl Rosie Perez was going down the line. She danced a little like me. No time to be cute just get your dance on!"

**
Leslie
2. "Back in the day you didn't waste no time when the jam came on you got down admittedly! LOL
-snip-
The blogger probably meant "immediately" instead of "admittedly".

****
2016
1. MissAaliyah J
"if I was there I would be jammin all night"

****
ADDENDUM- A COMMERCIAL THAT FEATURED THE DAZZ BAND'S LET IT WHIP" SOUNDTRACK
GSU-Tampax



MrSwacGuy99Uploaded on May 1, 2008

Tampax was there
-snip-
The Dazz's Band's "Let It Whip" is the soundtrack of this 2006 [?] Tampax commercial featuring Grambling State University's marching band and majorette dance line.

The commercial's (unspoken) message was that women could go all out in their performance regardless if it was "that time of the month" or not.

****
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Visitor comments are welcome.

Videos Of HBCU Marching Bands Stadium Entrances

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides seven videos of stadium entrances of marching bands & their auxiliaries from United States historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU). Some information about the history of historically Black university marching bands is provided as an addendum to this post.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

****
FEATURED VIDEOS
These videos are presented in chronological order based on their posting dates on YouTube with the oldest post presented first.

Example #1: Bethune-Cookman Entrance 2 / John Merritt Classic 2013



Wally Taylor, Published on Sep 2, 2013
-snip-
Bethune-Cookman University is in Daytona Beach, Florida

****
Example #2: PV Marching into Mumford Stadium after 25 years (2013)



ZymbalistiK, Published on Sep 19, 2013

The Storm back in Baton Rouge since 1988.
-snip-
"PV" = Prairie View A&M University (Texas)

"A&M" is an abbreviation for the no longer applicable designation of "agricultural & mechanical" courses which were the only type of courses that were offered in that college.

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Example #3: The Ocean of Soul - Entrance - 2013



DrumMaster Studios, Published on Sep 23, 2013

Texas Southern University Entrance

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Example #4: Alcorn Marching Into Mumford Stadium @ SU Homecoming 2013



Marvin Price, Published on Oct 26, 2013
-snip-
Alcorn = Alcorn State University, Lorman, Mississippi. SU = Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

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Example #5: Alabama A&M University x Marching In - Magic City Classic (2013) - Marching Maroon & White



tjames20 Published on Oct 27, 2013

The Showband of the South marches in the 72nd Annual Magic City Classic October 26, 2013. Under the direction of Carlton J. Wright. #AAMU #MMW

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Example #6: Alabama State & SU Stadium Entrance 2013


TBoneNupe1911 Published on Nov 11, 2013

Alabama State & Southern University Stadium Entrance 2013

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Example #7: Jackson State Marching into SWAC Championship



HBCUBANDS.COM, Published on Dec 9, 2013

Jackson State Marching into the 2013 SWAC Championship
-snip-
Jackson State University is located in Jackson, Mississippi. "The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is a collegiate athletic conference headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, which is made up of [10] historically black universities in the Southern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; in football, it participates in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), still frequently referred to by its former designation of Division I-AA." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwestern_Athletic_Conference

****
ADDENDUM: HISTORY OF HISTORICALLY BLACK UNIVERSITY MARCHING BANDS
From http://www.folkstreams.net/context,249http://www.folkstreams.net/context,249

A Brief History of African American Marching Bands

"According to Jacqui Malone, “by the last decade of the nineteenth century there were approximately ten thousand bands in the United States, many of them marching bands” (1996: 137). This time period—between 1880 and 1910—is considered by many to be the “golden age of the brass band in America” (Schafer 1977: 2).

Due to the general popularity of brass bands, the widespread availability of black military-trained musicians, and an overabundance of cheap military wind instruments in the post-Civil War period, the marching band tradition also flourished in African American communities. Many African American benevolent societies and organizations formed bands to help raise money for their own causes....

In her interviews with members of Florida A&M’s first marching band, Jacqui Malone discovered that many black college bands during the early 1900s were adopting the performance style of the popular black minstrel bands (1990: 63). Nathan B. Young, Jr., one of the original members of Florida A&M’s first, sixteen-piece marching band (1910 to 1915), elaborated on this relationship for Malone...

The minstrel bands were supermusicians and the amateurs would follow behind them and watch them. And they began to learn and imitate what the minstrel bands did. . . . In the last three years we were beginning to use syncopation. But in the early days we played straight band music from the books put out by the Germans. Of course the black musicians put on curls and did things, especially with the trombone. So the moment they started to play, they put in personal touches. You could tell whether it was a black band or a white band in the early days. . . . The minstrel shows came in and they influenced us. The black school bands were playing more like minstrel bands as the time went on. (Young 1988; in Malone 1990: 64)

The commingling of band traditions helped raise the bar on musicianship. “Many minstrel men joined army bands and the army bands in turn gave the minstrels better musicians,” says W.C. Handy. “Everything was on the upgrade musically speaking” (Handy 1947: 65).

Predominately black educational institutions continued to see slow but steady growth in their music programs over the next half century. These programs included concert, symphonic and marching bands; choirs; and jazz ensembles. The highly syncopated, foot-stomping, body-moving rhythms that had defined the music of black military bands, provincial and municipal brass bands, minstrel bands, and concert bands over the past century were slowly morphing into a new band tradition on the campuses of Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the South. By the 1960s, the collective style of black college marching bands had firmly taken root as a distinctive performance tradition that was unlike their predominately white college band counterparts."

****
Thanks to all the band members & band auxiliary members who are featured in these videos. Thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.

Thank you for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Two Comedy Routines About Black And White Marching Bands

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases two comedy routines about the differences between the marching band styles of historically Black American universities and predominately White American universities.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

****
FEATURED VIDEOS
(These videos are posted in chronological order by the date of their posting on YouTube, with the oldest date presented first.)*

Example #1: Black and White Marching Bands! (rodofgodcomedy.com)



RodOfGodComedyUploaded on Jun 19, 2008

Rod's comical illustration of the differences he observed playing in Black and White Marching Bands! (From Rod's Live DVD "Laughter Is Legal")

****
Example #2: Ricky Smiley: Black vs. White Marching Bands



Tiara Washington, Published on Jun 4, 2012

Ricky Smiley: Open Casket Sharp performance. Copyright belongs to Ricky Smiley and BET. I uploaded because the other versions of this video aren't really clear.

THIS IS NOT MINE!! AND I DON'T CLAIM IT!!

****
RELATED VIDEO
Click this page of my zumalayah blog http://zumalayah.blogspot.com/2013/03/bethune-cookman-univ-south-carolina.html for a post about Bethune Cookman Univ. & South Carolina State Univ. @ 2012 Honda Battle of the Bands

****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to RodOfGodComedy & Ricky Smiley for their wit and humor. My thanks also to the producers of these video & their publishers on YouTube.

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Visitor comments are welcome.

African American Battle Of The Bands

Edited by Azizi Powell

These videos of marching bands from a small number of historically Black colleges & universities are presented for their historical, folkloric, and aesthetic value.

A complete listing of historically Black colleges & universitites is found at http://www.petersons.com/college-search/historically-black-colleges.aspx

Here's an excerpt from that page:

There are 105 historically black universities and colleges, and the majority were created in the United States after the Civil War. They were defined by the Higher Education Act of 1965 as any college or university established prior to 1964 whose main mission was (and is) to educate black Americans, and were accredited--or made strides toward being accredited--by nationally-recognized agencies.

The history of these historical black colleges and universities offer stories of courage, dedication, and commitment to the ideal of intellectual pursuit for all Americans.

-snip-
My thanks to the video uploaders, and all those groups that are showcased in this post.

These videos are not placed in any ranking order.

****
Video #1: Black History Month on ESPN: Marching Bands from Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M Compete In Battle of The Bands



Uploaded by ESPN on Feb 11, 2011

"Marching Bands from Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M compete in the Battle of the Bands using a mix of modern tunes, fight songs and traditional standards. The 300-plus sized band that learns over 20 songs with dance routines, military style formation and chants is mentally and physically demanding with practices that rival the football team's preparation for game day. The long hours and hard work are only a small part of the payoff that is the hometown pride and year-long bragging rights to the school with the most powerful sound and creative show.

Black History Month on ESPN Season 1 Ep. 23

-snip-
Both of these historically Black universities are located in Florida.

****
Video #2: SU Marching Into Stadium vs JSU 2010



Uploaded by TBoneNupe1911 on Oct 18, 2010

Editor:
SU = Southern University (New Orleans, Louisiana); "JSU" is "Jackson State University" located in Jackson, Mississippi.

-snip-
Notice at 8:15 that some members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. do a (probably impromptu) stroll (slow walking dance routine) to the music.

The “Nupe” (pronounced Newp) in the video uploader’s name indicates that he is a member of that Black Greek lettered fraternity.

****
Video #3: NCCU vs. A&T 5th Quarter 9.25.2010 - Part 1



Uploaded by SpeechlessQue on Sep 26, 2010

North Carolina Central University versus North Carolina A&T State University, battling it out in the 5th Quarter after the Aggie-Eagle Classic. Video by Harvey Thompson. Editing by me.

-snip-
Editor: A&T = "Agricultural and Technical".
Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utjRvAwqxMU&feature=related for Part 2 of that video.

The "Que" in the video uploader's name indicates that he is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

****
Drumline #4: Southern Heritage Classic Big Ballin' Battle 2011



Uploaded by PacMan12995 on Sep 11, 2011

TSU and JSU go at it with Big Ballin'
-snip-
TSU = Tennessee State University; "JSU" is "Jackson State University" located in Jackson, Mississippi.

****
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Viewer comments are welcome.