Nation’s oldest private HBCU’s four-year-old marching band lands major music video moment with international artist
Wilberforce University’s Hounds of Sound marching band is only four years old. Most HBCU bands spend decades building the kind of reputation that gets them national attention. Wilberforce just skipped the line courtesy of GloRilla and a music video that put their young program on the international stage.
For a band that didn’t exist until 2021, appearing in a major artist’s video is the kind of visibility programs dream about. For Wilberforce, the nation’s oldest private HBCU with 167 years of history but a brand-new band, it’s validation that what they’re building matters.
The Call That Changed Everything
The Director of Digital Media received the call from Resolve Media based on previous working relationships and past collaborations. When band leadership told students they’d been selected for GloRilla’s video, the reaction was… nothing.
“The students thought I was joking at first and didn’t react at all,” recalled the band director. “But once I showed them the actual roster for the video, it hit them—then they absolutely lost it.”
That’s the thing about young programs: opportunities this big feel impossible until they’re actually happening. Then suddenly, you’re on a bus headed to film with an international artist, and Buc-ee’s becomes the first stop on the journey to viral visibility.
Behind the Scenes: Buc-ee’s, Beats, and GloRilla Being Real
The behind-the-scenes moments revealed what happens when HBCU students get their first taste of industry opportunity—and their first Buc-ee’s experience.
“We made a stop at Buc-ee’s, and since it was the students’ first time ever, they spent money like they were at Lennox Mall,” the director shared with a laugh that suggested equal parts amusement and parental concern.
But the real magic happened on set. A few drummers got tapped to help GloRilla with parts of her performance for the video. Small moments—talking with her, realizing she was genuinely down-to-earth, discovering that major artists are actual people—became the kind of memories that shape how students see their own potential.
The dancers lined up with GloRilla for several scenes and quickly learned she could dance right alongside the best of them. No backing away from the choreography. No letting the band carry the energy. She was in it.
And then came the conducting lesson. The band director showed GloRilla the basics of band conducting, then told her something perfect: “Make it your own because at the end of the day, it’s GloRilla. It’s her show!”
That’s the energy. Respect the craft, but own your moment.
What This Means for a Young Program
“This moment puts our band on the national stage in a way that will be remembered for years,” the director explained. “While many established artists feature bands in their videos, it’s an incredible honor for a younger program like ours to be highlighted. Appearing with an international artist like GloRilla allows people across the world to see and recognize what we’re building.”
The impact goes beyond bragging rights. For a program only four years old competing with bands that have been established for 30+ years, this kind of visibility is recruitment gold. Future students scrolling social media will see Wilberforce’s band in GloRilla’s video and think: maybe that could be me.
“Hopefully, this opens the door for stronger recruitment in the future,” the director said. “We’re a young but steadily growing program, and opportunities like this help spotlight the work we put in. I’d love for the world to see our dedication showcased at major events just like the programs that have been established for 30+ years.”
The Legacy Behind the New Band
Wilberforce University doesn’t need to prove its importance—it’s been doing that since 1856 as the oldest private HBCU in the nation. Founded before the Civil War, taken over by the AME Church in 1863 while slavery was still legal in much of the country, and situated in a region that was a major Underground Railroad stop, Wilberforce’s history is American history.
The university produced some of the earliest Black college presidents and educators, earning the nickname “Athens of the West” for its intellectual influence. Its alumni roster reads like a who’s who of Black excellence: Bayard Rustin (chief architect of the 1963 March on Washington), Katherine Johnson (NASA mathematician featured in “Hidden Figures”), Nannie Helen Burroughs (educator and Black women’s empowerment leader), and dozens more pastors, civic leaders, and innovators shaping communities worldwide.
But until 2021, Wilberforce didn’t have a marching band. Faculty members helped reimagine the music department, and for the first time in 167 years, the Hounds of Sound were born.
Now, four years later, they’re in a GloRilla video. That’s not just growth—that’s acceleration.
Why HBCU Marching Bands Matter
“Marching bands at HBCUs are known for their energetic choreography and wide-ranging repertoires, often serving as the public face and ambassadors of the university,” noted Dr. Goodwine.
That public face just got exponentially more visible. When GloRilla’s video circulates globally, millions will see Wilberforce’s band—students who chose a four-year-old program and bet on potential rather than prestige.
Those students spent money at Buc-ee’s like they were at Lennox Mall, helped choreograph performance elements with a major artist, learned that GloRilla is genuinely cool, and walked away with a story they’ll tell for decades: the time their young band got the call, showed up, and proved that new doesn’t mean less than.
Four years old. National stage. International artist. That’s not luck—that’s what happens when talent meets opportunity and a 167-year-old institution decides it’s never too late to start something new.
The Hounds of Sound just announced their arrival. And the world is watching.
Learn more about Wilberforce University and the Hounds of Sound marching band at wilberforce.edu.