Written by: Oliver Heffron

Tennessee State University’s Aristocrat of Bands, makes history on Grammy night as the first collegiate band to win the award by taking home two Best Roots Gospel Album for their innovative debut The Urban Hymnal, as well as “Best Spoken Word Album” for their feature on J. Ivy’s The Poet Who Sat By The Door. 

In 2022, The HBCU’s innovative marching band brought the best of their sound to their recording studio and struck gold with the help of Sir the Baptist, who emphasized the importance of investing in these vital black institutions during his acceptance speech: 

“These kids work so hard, and to be honest with you guys, HBCUS are so grossly underfunded to where I had to put my last dime in order to get us across the line…We’re here with our pockets empty, but our hands aren’t!”