Courtesy of Southern University
Southern University, an HBCU in Baton Rouge, Lousiana, and its famed “Human Jukebox” band will headline the Super Bowl’s Pregame Show.
The band’s director, Kendric Taylor, announced the news during a performance on the Jennifer Hudson Show on Feb. 4. The “Human Jukebox” showcased its HBCU culture and pride on the talk show and announced its next special gig right after.
“The history of this band goes on for many years. This band has been on many platforms — the Super Bowl seven times, three presidential inauguration parades,” Taylor said. “This is something that nobody knows. We’re going to tell it here on air — we’re going to be at the Super Bowl — headlining. The Southern University Human Jukebox — the pregame.”
“Yall better work, oh my goodness,” exclaimed Hudson on the announcement.
The team has become a household name nationwide for its captivating shows. The band, comprised of 300 students, plays various classic and modern songs to delight fans in any stadium. Along with the Dancing Dolls, it has established itself as world-class performers. The “Human Jukebox” recently competed in the first-ever West Coast HBCU Battle of the Bands, featuring other schools such as Alabama A&M, Hampton, and North Carolina A&T University.
“And that’s what this (HBCU) culture has always done in times of hardship, is come together and unified,” said Nick Cannon, a long-time host of the event. “So the fact that we can be a beacon in that setting, in [Los Angeles], right now that probably matters the most, or needs it the most.”
As for Southern, its band also played at the 2025 Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, earlier this year. Now, it is preparing to take on the “Big Game” yet again. With this platform, the “Human Jukebox” will showcase their school pride and spread greater awareness of HBCU culture.