Florida A&M University’s Marching 100 is drawing attention across social media after its rendition of Erykah Badu’s “On and On” caught the attention of the Grammy-winning artist. Badu praised the band’s performance after Essence magazine shared a video of the rendition on Instagram.
“Amazing – the whole thing,” Badu commented on the video which Essence shared from the Marching 100 trombone section’s TikTok account.
The performance took place during the fifth quarter against Jackson State University’s Sonic Boom of the South, marking 28 years since the Marching 100 last visited Mississippi to face Jackson State. The rendition has accumulated more than 100,000 views across social media platforms.
Essence highlighted the band’s interpretation of the 1997 hit, writing, “The Fifth Quarter is back, and this time, Florida A&M University’s legendary Marching 100 trombone section is giving us a little Baduizm!”
The magazine continued, “Putting their own soulful spin on Erykah Badu’s classic ‘On and On’, the Rattlers are the kind of soul you can feel all the way from the stands.”
For Terrell Townsend, a student arranger for the Marching 100, the attention marks a significant moment for an arrangement he began developing three years ago.
“I’ve had this arrangement in the works for three years,” Townsend said. “ I first started working on it in the spring or summer of 2023 when I first started arranging.”
Rather than settling on his initial version, he spent the following years revising the piece, adjusting the key, and improving the harmonies for the trombones and tubas. His goal was to preserve the original song’s neo-soul sound while adapting it for a marching band.
“I wanted to keep the essence of the song or the integrity of the song in place as much as possible,” Townsend said.
To accomplish that, Townsend incorporated a grooving bass line and allowed the trumpets and trombones to carry much of the melody, using chords from other sections to maintain the song’s original feel. Townsend anticipated that the arrangement would be a crowd favorite when the band performed in Jackson. However, receiving recognition from Badu herself made the movement even more meaningful.
“I knew it was going to be a fan favorite, and me personally, I thought it was going to be the song of the night,” Townsend said. “But for Erykah Badu herself to say that she loved it, and she loved hearing the band play it, that’s all it’s about.”
For Giovanni Rodriguez, a third-year band member, performing the arrangement was an experience he anticipated throughout the week leading up to the Jackson State game.
“I think I listened to this song at least every day throughout the week leading up to the Jackson State game,” Rodriguez said. “It was something I can never forget.”
He said the crowd’s reaction stood out as much as the performance itself.
“To have a crowd like Jackson State turn to us and bob their head, sing along, groove, it just proves that music is unification of all, no matter where we come from,” Rodriguez said.
Ian Rentz, the Marching 100’s trombone section leader, said the band’s version was so notable because of the fine details they emphasized. He described music as something everyone can enjoy.
“One thing that we try to emphasize with the singing style, is to make it as song-like as possible, that anybody can enjoy,” Rentz said. “The best thing about music is that no matter your race, creed or religion, we can all enjoy it,” Rentz said.
This viral performance highlights the creativity of student arrangers and the ability of HBCU marching bands to connect audiences through familiar music while maintaining their own distinctive sound. As the video continues to circulate online, the Marching 100’s rendition of “On and On” has introduced the band’s soulful interpretation to audiences well beyond the stadium in Jackson.
