By Gerald Huggins
HBCUs have a long and illustrious history of athletic and band achievements. When attending an HBCU sporting event, attendees should expect to see a tailgate, the Royal Courts, the NPHC (National Pan-Hellenic Council), alumni of all ages, athletes, and without a doubt, they will experience a black college band performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Each HBCU marching band has its own flavor, style, and prestige making them special in their own right. However, they all share one special song:Cameo\u2019s \u201cTalkin Out the Side of Yo Neck.\u201d Since its adoption, everyone in the HBCU community agrees this is a timeless marching band anthem, but like most great traditions, many bands like to claim they were the first to perform it. Until now, no one could truly lay claim to the elusive title of originator. On December 22, 2019, I found out in the basement during a family function in Prince George’s County, Maryland. <\/p>\n\n\n
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I was asked to attend a family gathering by my friend Kathryne Burton. The get together was at her friend, Aerika Anderson\u2019s home. This would be my first time visiting and I knew her dad was my frat brother so I decided to go. Once I found out he was from Pi Gamma chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated, it was instant love at that point. The night was winding down and the remaining people congregated to the basement at the bar downstairs. As we were having great conversation and good laughs, I overheard something that I found to be groundbreaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Anthony \u201cTony\u201d Anderson, a native of Richmond, VA, a graduate of Norfolk State University and Spring 1985 initiate of the Pi Gamma chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated, mentioned the song \u201cTalkin Out the Side of Yo Neck.\u201d Anderson was one of the well-respected leaders of NSU\u2019s Spartan Legion in 1984. Anderson continued the conversation and in a split second, he tapped his chest twice and emphatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m the one who started playing Neck<\/em> first,” he beamed proudly. “We played that back in 1984!\u201d Like us, many people are not too sure of the origin behind Neck<\/em> and who played it first. I thought a SWAC school was the first to do it. My friend, Chelsea Chambers thought it was Southern University who started it in the late 90s. So it was only right to hear the whole story behind the HBCU marching band anthem. Denise Anderson, who was an original \u201cHot Ice\u201d dance line member back in 1984 co-signed and confirmed that Tony was the person to bring the idea to the rest of the band. She even called her dance line sister, Stephanie Wright-Jenkins, for further confirmation. Denise and Wright-Jenkins were apart of the Hot Ice\u2019s Original Six, which started back in 1983.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tony Anderson, who was a trombone player during the 1984 season and later became drum major in 1985, continued to go in-depth with the story of how he came up with the idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI was riding back to Hampton with my brothers, we were passing the Williamsburg exit on I-64 and the song came on and I knew I wanted to use this song. The title and the blaring horns are what called my attention to the song being that Hampton U always talked trash as rival bands did. This was a week before we played Hampton. I had to write down the lyrics, the notes and buy the tape but I knew this was it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Everyone outside of family and friends, who had obviously heard the story before, were shocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n