Grammy Award®-winning Hip Hop Artist 2 Chainz to Headline 2023 Honda Battle of the Bands Halftime Show

• 2 Chainz joins celebrity talent lineup including Rickey Smiley and Loni Love
• Honda continues its tradition of supporting HBCUs, awarding $50,000 to each of the final six participating HBCUs for music education and career development programs
• Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB) at Alabama State University on Feb. 18; tickets on sale at www.hondabattleofthebands.com

TORRANCE, Calif., Jan. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Multi-platinum, Grammy Award®-winning hip hop artist 2 Chainz will perform at the 2023 Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB), February 18, 2023 at Alabama State University (ASU), the first time the nation's premier showcase for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) marching bands and dance teams has been held on an HBCU campus. As one of ASU's most famous alumni, 2 Chainz will take the stage during the halftime show, celebrating Black culture and musical excellence.

"As an HBCU and Alabama State alum, I am always looking for ways to support the HBCU community and pay it forward and performing at this year's Honda Battle of the Bands is an incredible way to accomplish it," said 2 Chainz. "HBOB brings together my commitment to supporting HBCU culture and my love for music and I'm not only excited to perform but looking forward to seeing the talented student musicians shine."

2 Chainz will join fellow ASU alumnus and legendary comedian Rickey Smiley who will host the HBOB live event. Emmy and two-time NAACP Image Award-winning host, comedian, actress, author and Prairie View A&M University alumna Loni Love will bring her talents to host the HBOB livestream. 

For the 18^th year of the HBOB Invitational Showcase, six HBCU marching bands have been chosen to show their talents and dedication by bringing high-energy performances to fans from all over the nation. The 2023 lineup includes:  Alabama State University, Langston University, Morgan State University, Savannah State University, Texas Southern University, and Virginia State University.

Each of these six bands will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the HBOB Invitational Showcase in Montgomery, Alabama. Building on Honda's longstanding support for HBCUs, each of the six participating universities also will receive a $50,000 grant from Honda.

"Honda Battle of the Bands has always been more than just entertainment, but an opportunity to share the unique and critical role the nation's HBCUs play in higher education and society," said Yvette Hunsicker, vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility and Inclusion & Diversity at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "As Honda celebrates our more than 30-year relationship with HBCUs, we are excited to support the music education and career development programs for their students by providing a $50,000 grant to each participating school in this year's HBOB Invitational Showcase."

Honda also is supporting nonprofit organizations within the host city of Montgomery through $100,000 in local grants and $20,000 to two nonprofit organizations that partnered with Honda on a new mural installed on the ASU campus. 

Tickets for the HBOB Invitational Showcase are on sale at www.hondabattleofthebands.com. Fans can join the conversation using #HBOB and follow along as the final six bands' journey commences to the Invitational Showcase on official HBOB social media channels: 

• Facebook – Facebook.com/HondaBattleoftheBands 
• Instagram – @the_honda / Instagram.com/the_honda 
• Twitter – @The_Honda / Twitter.com/The_Honda 

For over 30 years, Honda has supported the success and dreams of Historically Black College and University (HBCU) students through initiatives including the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge and Honda Battle of the Bands. These programs provide unforgettable experiences and opportunities for HBCU students, including meeting and networking with peers from other HBCU schools. Honda has impacted the lives of more than 200,000 students and awarded over $14 million in grants in support of HBCU education programs and facilities improvements.

To advance its leading investment in HBCUs, Honda is a member of the HBCU Partnership Challenge, a Congressional Bipartisan HBCU Caucus initiative that brings together government, industry and HBCUs to create strategic, more sustainable HBCU partnerships. Honda also has partnered with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund to provide annual scholarship funding to support HBCU students pursuing an education in engineering, supply chain management and manufacturing-related fields.

For more than 60 years in the U.S., Honda has been committed to making positive contributions to the communities where its customers and associates live and work. Honda's mission is to create products and services that improve lives while conducting business in a sustainable manner and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. Advancing its corporate social responsibility, Honda and the Honda USA Foundation support this direction through giving focused on education, the environment, mobility, traffic safety and community.

Learn more at http://csr.honda.com/.

SOURCE Honda