HBCU Marching Band Featured In Historic Super Bowl Halftime Show

The most watched program in history was the 2024 Super Bowl according to Paramount Press Express. This years Super Bowl had an average of 123.4 million viewers across all platform and more than 200 million viewers watched all or part of the Super Bowl.

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According to Bleacher Report, Usher set the record for most viewed Super Bowl Halftime show with 129.3 viewers.

During Usher's historic Super Bowl Halftime show, he featured a full production including a marching band that played and performed through the entire show with him.

That marching band was the Sonic Boom of The South, also known as the Jackson State University Marching Band.

"It was definitely an electrifying experience. It was real intense especially when I looked up and saw all of those people," said Marcus Baugh during an interview. Baugh is one of the Sousaphone players with the Jackson State Marching band.

Being selected to perform at this halftime show during Black History Month is a huge accomplishment and it no doubt brings a lot of great attention to the HBCU marching band culture.

"This performance definitely put a whole different light on the HBCU culture especially the marching band as well," said Baugh.

Associate Vice President for University Communications at Jackson State University Alonda Thomas spoke about the honor of performing with Usher at the Super Bowl.

"We are so proud of these amazing student athletes who spent the past 10 days learning a dynamic Usher-level routine, complete with various changes and adjustments at a moment’s notice," Thomas posted on social media.

"The final result was truly spectacular!"

When asked what it would take for the next generation to be part of an HBCU marching band of Jackson State's caliber, Baugh replied,

"Come with a level head, good work ethic. It really takes a lot on you having to balance a lot like school work, class, practice, sectionals."

You can listen to the full interview with Marcus Baugh below.