Drumline: A New Beat

Pomp and Circumstance" playing]

As you ladies go out and conquer the world,

remember the words of our dear Eleanor, you gained

strength, courage, confidence, by every

experience in which you really stop-

to look fear in the face, you must do the thing you

think you cannot do.

Congratulations class of 2014.

Hey.

Congratulations, baby.

Dani, I can't believe you wore those.

Oh Mom, after four years of the same uniform, these

shoes are my declaration of independence.

Tyree quit playin'!

Well, congratulations, baby cuz.

So what's the 911?

We can't be late for my party.

We all chipped in for the best.

What?

Woo!

Ahh!

Oh!

Look at you cheesin'.

Whatever man.

I cannot wait to play with the line in college.

Still can't believe your parents are cool with you

going to ANT.

I mean, don't they need you going somewhere like

Harvard, Brown or Spelman for dinner party

cool points?

What?

I mean, c'mon D you know they're all about public

image.

It's not true Ty.

A blank image in the house.

Happy graduation, baby.

Oh my god, this is so fly!

And you gonna look even flier when you driving

this right on Spelman's campus.

Is this car supposed to make me change my mind?

[indistinct mumbling in background]

There is no such thing as a drum line in the real

world, Danielle.

You have to start preparing for your future.

We'll handle everything.

I got a doctor colleague of mine, he's going to

let you shadow him at Emory.

You guys have no faith in me, no faith that I can

make a decision on my own, even if it's about my own

life.

As long as we are funding that life, we will help

you make those right decisions.

Then I'll except the partial scholarship they

offered me, and I'll get a job to cover my extra

expenses but, I am going to ANT.

You will not get a- No, no, she thinks she can do

it, do it.

I need to take control of my life without you guys

planning everything for me.

I'm stronger than you think.

Danielle-

It's official, this year's

On the Jamboree Classic Battle of the Bands

is gonna be hosting on ANT's campus.

Now the Panthers haven't won a classic in years,

but they're trying to turn it around with

a new director.

Atlanta native and ANT alum Sean Taylor.

Back in the day Sean and future superstar Devon

Miles were unstoppable.

Yes, he's the Panther's great black hope, welcome

home Sean, leggo.

Man, I can't believe you guys round up here in my

momma's old car, when we could've been stunting in

that new ride.

I have to prove that I can do this on my own, which

means no extras from my parents.

Hey Tyree, can you help us with our bags?

Oh, let me get with y'all in a minute, let me just

get my cousin settled real quick.

That drum solo you posted on YouTube, it was hot.

D, I told you.

Woo, I get much respect for being section leader.

This is our year to take back the championship.

Woo hoo, you know, if you get the orientation and

make the line, you gonna have to bat out too.

Okay, not only will I make the line, but I will be-

-the first female section leader.

I know, cuz. Just slow down, all right?

All right.

All right.

Dani Raymond, right?

Yeah.

I looked you up on Facebook, I'm your

new roomie, Tasha!

I know, I tried to look you up too.

I deleted that account, college is all about

reinvention, all you need to know is that I'm

country, I'm clean, and I don't plan to kill you in

your sleep.

C'mon, I like the new outfit.

Thank you, girl.

Ripped jean situation.

A lot has changed around here since we were on this

field together, Sean.

Well Nia, oh, I'm sorry, Dean Phillips, it's gonna

take some getting used to.

And you think Dr. Taylor won't?

Welcome home.

What it is, I have you to thank for that.

Me and the recession, a lot of black colleges need

money, and both of us know, a good band puts

butts in the seats, and butts in the seats puts

money back in the schools, so that's why I told the

board to do whatever it took to steal you from

GRD.

You know I was only the assistant band director

there.

Well, I guess you better bring it then.

I was hoping we could get past what happened between

me and you.

You mean what happened between you and me and

my brother?

We never talked about it.

That was a long time ago...it's a new day.

I hope so.

Welcome to band dorm orientation.

I'm Bulldog, drum major.

For the next three weeks, I'm your momma and your

daddy.

McKinley hall is co-ed, now that may sound like

you can go buck wild, but I don't play that.

Ladies, keep your music boxes closed.

Fellas, keep your instruments in their

cases, 'cause I don't play that.

He's preaching like my pops on Sunday morning.

Oh, ahh, Dani, Leon, sixes, Leon this is Dani,

my roomie.

Whats up?

So, did we miss something?

Bullet points, no hooking up.

But that's my major.

I know.

First party rule of the south, shake your ass like

you got rent to pay.

From where I stand, it is a beautiful thing.

Oh, I like a little junk in the trunk.

Oh, no JFK didn't.

Hey look around, all this fresh meat just waiting to

be tenderized.

Oh, yo, I'd rather feel shorty over there lookin'

like she need some home already.

Uhh, I got dibs.

No, no, no that ain't dibs, that's family,

that's my cousin Dani, she's off limits bro.

My bad.

Yeah, it will be.

Hey yo, isn't that?

Yup.

We got a celebrity here, ANT this year y'all, yo,

yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo!

My man J is officially in the building.

Damn, dude is fine.

That's my roomie, Jayven Lapierre, his daddy is-

Jimmy Lapierre.

The singer?

Yeah.

Everyone samples his music, I love him.

Music is in his blood, so you know, they put him

on the line.

Do not pass go with his fine ass.

Yeah, we don't all snap our fingers.

That's what's up.

Okay.

Dr. Sean Taylor.

Look at you.

You know you got the folks talking about you.

ANT's great black hope.

You got some big shoes to fill, man.

ANT hasn't won a classic since what?

Since Dr. Lee left to conduct the

Chicago Philharmonic?

That's six years ago.

Six years.

What you want, Kevin?

What I want?

I want to see my brother!

You know I shouldn't feel bad directing over

at Southern State, considering I did my

marching right here at ANT.

Yeah but, loyalty was never your thing, right?

Loyalty?

Were you feeling very loyal when you challenged

me for section leader?