If you’ve ever felt the power of a stadium-shaking drumline or watched drum majors spin and split with peak precision, then you already know the electrifying energy HBCU bands bring.
The documentary highlights the 10th anniversary of the PEPSI® National Battle of the Bands (NBOTB), one of the most dynamic displays of Black musical excellence in the country, brought to life in part through the vision and work of Reggie Scott.
As the Vice President of Operations and Production for NBOTB, Scott works alongside Derek Webber, founder of the NBOTB, and stewards a celebration of Black culture, talent, and tradition. With the recent re-airing of Celebrating Champions of Culture, he’s helping the world give HBCU bands the respect they deserve.
“There was a time when Black bands were dismissed as just ‘booty shakers,’ people didn’t see the musicianship, the discipline, the artistry,” Scott told BOSSIP. “But now, more and more bands are adopting the HBCU style because they realize how dynamic and impactful it is. It’s not just music, it’s dancers, it’s pageantry, it’s storytelling.”
Raised in Brooklyn, Scott’s college career didn’t start at an HBCU as he enrolled at Rochester Institute of Technology. But transferring to Howard University in the early ’80s changed his life. There, he found not only Black excellence in full display, but a new understanding of community and creative collaboration that still fuels his work today.
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“I wanted to be around more people who looked like me,” Scott recalled. “Howard gave me that—and more. That’s where I built the network that still supports me now.”
Though he wasn’t in Howard’s band, Scott’s early days in a neighborhood drum corps planted seeds that bloomed into a deep love for performance and production. After producing the Honda Battle of the Bands for over a decade, he brought that passion to NBOTB, now one of the biggest stages in the game for HBCU bands, drawing 65,000 fans to Houston’s NRG Stadium each year.
And it’s not just about size, it’s about care. Scott ensures every band receives first-class treatment: private spaces, full meals, hotel accommodations, and the reverence they’ve long deserved.
“Our mission has never changed, uplift students and get scholarships into their hands,” he told BOSSIP.
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That energy carries into Celebrating Champions of Culture, where Scott serves as executive producer. The film doesn’t just give shine to the electrifying performances. It also lifts up the band directors, educators, and students who pour blood, sweat, and syncopation into every performance. And in a world that too often erases the contributions of Black creatives, NBOTB’s Hall of Fame segment makes space to give them their flowers while they’re still here.
Moments like Beyoncé’s Homecoming and Southern University’s Super Bowl cameo are turning the tide on how HBCUs are perceived, and NBOTB and Celebrating Champions Of Culture are riding that wave with purpose.
“This documentary contributes to that momentum by putting these bands on a national stage,” Scott told BOSSIP. “People are seeing them in a new light, as innovators, not imitators. And now, these stories are sparking generational conversations, grandparents and students watching together, connecting through pride and shared legacy.”
And that impact continues on August 23 when the 2025 PEPSI® National Battle of the Bands returns to Houston. This year’s show will feature eight bands from across the HBCU spectrum, ranging from the more famed bands to the mid-size and underdog programs, too.
“We don’t just bring the biggest bands,” Scott noted. “We mix it up intentionally.”
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