The beat of the drums. The triumphant sound of horns. The cheers, songs, and chants of a hungry crowd. HBCU Homecoming just isn’t Homecoming without music; after all, it’s a pivotal part of the time-honored traditions of embracing HBCU pride. Join E&J Brandy as we ask three HBCU alumni musicians what Homecoming means to them—and how you can feel the spirit even at home.

Performing artist, songwriter, producer and DJ Promise loved her HBCU experience so much that she’s still on campus. Promise, who graduated in 2020, is currently the Production Specialist and Administrative Assistant for the Norfolk State University Concert Choir. She majored in Music Media with an emphasis in Voice, and was a member of the Choir during her own time at NSU.

She’s been singing and playing the piano since childhood, encouraged by her similarly musically inclined mother and sisters. And music has taken her far; she created her first songs at the age of 10, performed with Pepsi at NSU Homecoming in 2019, and released her album, A Journey Through Life, in 2020.

Promise feels like her NSU experience helped foster her musical talent—and keep her enmeshed in her culture.

“I chose to attend an HBCU because I wanted to keep the cultural connection with my heritage and feel comfortable around people with similar backgrounds as I was a first-generation college student in my family,” she said. “I believe music is a pivotal part of HBCU culture because it is what also brings people together to celebrate our culture and legacy. Music moves people in ways that physical things can't.”

For Promise, HBCU Homecoming is emblematic of this celebration of heritage. While she loves tailgating the most, it’s the meaning behind the gathering that makes this time of year so special.

“I feel that the Homecoming experience is important because it's the one time of the year where we as a whole can really celebrate Black excellence and come together as a Black community on campus,” she said. “It brings people together from all over to celebrate our culture, accomplishments, life, and happiness.”

Having performed at Homecoming as a musician—and attended many a game as a fan—Promise has a unique perspective on why music is so interwoven into Homecoming traditions.

“Music has a vibration that keeps your spirit alive in a time where everybody is looking for fun and excitement,” she said. “There are songs and chants that we can all sing together in unity.”

Now that she’s NSU faculty, Promise is committed to helping the next generation of HBCU students nurture their passion for music and celebrate their culture in the same way she did. After all, she says, that’s what Norfolk State University gave her.

“I am a performer. I am an artist. I love to sing and write music. I love making music as a whole,” she said. “My HBCU experience helped me grow as a woman and made me see life completely differently than when I started.”

Jay*Clipp is a professional DJ who runs The Keep Spinning DJ Academy, which teaches inclusive DJing classes to autistic children and young adults through his Spin The Spectrum nonprofit. Straughter was a DJ throughout his years at Jackson State University, spinning with his crew Third Eye Entertainment, and describes himself as a modern renaissance man.

Straughter found his way to JSU after visiting campus for the HBCU’s annual High School Day his senior year. He describes the energy on campus as incredible—and the decision was made.

“Attending an HBCU further solidified my sense of pride in myself and my culture,” he said. “I thought about all the sacrifices my ancestors made for me to even be able to attend college at all and being around people, my people, just made sense.”

The Homecoming experience is a pivotal part of that togetherness, Straughter says; and music is a key part of the equation.

“Both students and graduates are actively involved in Homecoming events,” he said. “We in turn support the businesses in our cities and communities while we're there, bolstering the economy. And music plays a MAJOR part in HBCU culture, starting with the marching band. The band has a bigger reputation than the football team in some cases! Music will be heard and played from start to finish at every HBCU Homecoming. It really sets the tone for the weekend. You hear so many songs that remind you of your years ‘on the yard.’”

Those years leave a lasting impact, one that stays with HBCU graduates once they leave campus and enter the world as an alumni. While on campus, Straughter says his favorite part was the sense of family he had with his friends—how they looked out for each other, grew together, and celebrated together.

“So many of these bonds are just as strong, or even stronger, to this day,” Straughter said. “Reconnecting with friends, faculty, and staff [at Homecoming] is great. It’s truly something to look forward to every year.”

Tia Watlington says she was an HBCU student during the Golden Era of Hip Hop: the release of albums from artists like Notorious B.I.G., NAS, OutKast, Lil' Kim, Wu-Tang Clan and more.

“Many of these artists and the like often frequented our sloping hills and verdant greens to visit and soak up some of the greatness and glory that exudes from my HBCU,” Watlington said. “Others were performers for the Homecoming shows. I was present taking it all in and falling in love all over again with music and Hip Hop.”

That love of music has now translated into a thriving career as Vice President of Jamla Records, Partner in Game Theory Management and Founder/CEO of Watlington Consulting DBA Talk2Tia.

Watlington, who describes herself as an “educated, magical Black girl in an endless love affair with music and service,” is a proud alum—and says attending an HBCU was a no-brainer.

“There’s nothing like an HBCU,” Watlington said. “I chose NCCU because of its great history, love for its student body, its continued strive for academic excellence, the school pride and because it is and was then the greatest HBCU on the planet.”

And Homecoming, she says, is a chance to show that greatness off to the world.

“HBCU Homecoming Season is the greatest time of year,” she said. “It provides an opportunity to come home and commune with family and friends. You get an opportunity to celebrate your school as well as each other. It's a family reunion and cookout. There is always plenty of food and spirits, laughter, music and love. It's not only a school event but an event for the entire community. It provides a time for the alum and students to show the next generation of students that we still love and have pride for our university.”

And music? A huge part of what makes it special.

“Music is a pivotal part of HBCU culture because it is a universal language that unites across all lines,” she said. “It is part of everything that is an HBCU. From the school song, to the fight song, to what song is blasting in the halls of Chidley or Baynes dormitories. It is a part of the pure fabric of who we are as a people and a Historically Black College/University. Gym jams, 10:40 Break, Pre-Dawn Parties, Parties in the Sweat Box, Homecoming concerts, a DJ in the Café to a DJ in the Bowl. Music unites everyone and is HBCU culture.”

As an NCCU alum, Watlington feels that she received not just a world-class education, but life lessons and experience that gave her mental toughness—and a sense of community worth coming home for.

“I would not trade my time at NCCU for anything,” she said. “My favorite part of Homecoming as a graduate is reuniting with old classmates and friends. The football game and tailgating is unmatched and the Eagle Pride is next level.”

Are you an HBCU alum? Have you ever been to an HBCU Homecoming celebration? Let us know in the comments below!