The national renown of Virginia State University’s Trojan Explosion Marching Band has expanded beyond the realm of sporting events, White House visits and musical competitions, and is now dabbling in television drama.
VSU announced Nov. 5 the band performed music for the official trailer of Amazon Prime Video’s eight-episode drama, “The Greatest,” on the early life and career of boxing legend Muhammad Ali.
Under the baton of band director Taylor Whitehead and the VSU Department of Music, the Explosion recorded original songs written by Mic Ferrante, who scored the trailer. The university said Ferrante came to the Ettrick campus to work directly with the band and the staff
According to the university, Ferrante’s VSU connection is through Kieran Casey, a Richmond native and Los Angeles-based film composer and ethnomusicologist.
The music was recorded on campus by students from the music department under the guidance of department Chair Samuel Rowley and Dustin Painter, assistant professor of music production and technology.
“The opportunity placed VSU students at the center of a major entertainment production, showcasing the distinctive sound and musical excellence of historically Black colleges and universities,” VSU said in a statement accompanying the announcement.
Jaalen Best stars as Muhammad Ali in the new Prime Video drama series “The Greatest.”
It added, “For the Trojan Explosion, the collaboration represents another significant milestone in the band’s growing national presence.”
The drama, which dropped Wednesday and stars Jaalen Best as young Cassius Clay, starts with him winning gold at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, and follows his rise through the professional ranks and 1964 world championship victory over Sonny Liston.
It also chronicles his association with Malcolm X, his conversion to Islam and subsequent name change, and the aftermath of the conversion.
In this photo from Virginia State University, the Trojan Explosion Marching Band records music for the trailer of ‘The Greatest,’ a biographical drama about the early life of Muhammad Ali that debuted Nov. 4 on Amazon Prime Video.
Ali, who died in 2016 at the age of 74, fought from 1960 until his retirement in 1981 and held the world championship three times. Three years after retiring, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and lived with it for more than 30 years.
Executive producers of the drama include actor Michael B. Jordan and musician Jay-Z. It also was completed with the cooperation of Ali’s widow, Lonnie Ali, and the Ali estate.
“I am proud of the students of the Virginia State University Trojan Explosion,” Whitehead said in the statement. “Opportunities like this are a reflection of their hard work, talent, dedication, and commitment to excellence.”
Added the university in the statement, “Beyond the national exposure, the recording provided students with valuable professional experience, demonstrating how the musical talent developed at Virginia State University can translate into opportunities within the television, film, and entertainment industries.”
With more than 200 members, the Trojan Explosion’s current version is the largest both in VSU history and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the league in which VSU competes in sports.
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Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) has won numerous awards during his 40-year journalism career. A Petersburg native, Bill is a 1984 graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond with a degree in mass communications. He specializes in coverage of breaking news, crime, government, and local/state/national politics. He is an avid history buff and a lifelong Washington Commanders fan. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com with news tips and story suggestions.
This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: VSU’s Trojan Explosion brings its sound to Muhammad Ali drama
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