Florida A&M University’s Marching “100” is so much more than just a band. It’s a tradition, a spectacle, and a cultural institution. For over 75 years, it has captivated stadiums, parades, and national stages with its precision and power. Now, this season, the ensemble is making history through the poised, assertive leadership of Oluwamodupe Oloyede. She is the first woman ever appointed head drum major of the band.
Known as “Dupe,” the Atlanta native carries a name that translates from Yoruba as “Lord, I thank you.” Gratitude runs deep in the way she moves, with discipline, humility, and fierce intentionality. While she’s not the first woman to wear the drum major uniform at FAMU (Cori Bostic earned that title in 2018), Oloyede is the first to stand at the helm. That distinction, she says, didn’t fully register until others saw it in her.
“It didn’t really hit until the story broke,” she said to 21Ninety. “Because for me, drum majoring is all about the responsibility, the work. I was ready to do the work. But when people started reaching out, saying they wanted to be drum majors in high school and they were scared, or that they were proud because they had been drum majors in college, that’s when I realized, this is bigger than me.”
That realization has become the undercurrent of her mission this season: show up, lead boldly, and leave the door wide open behind her.
The Weight and Power of Representation
Oloyede’s rise to the top was shaped by a deep commitment to preparation. FAMU’s 2025 season includes a demanding summer performance schedule. The Marching “100” are set to appear at the Pepsi National Battle of the Bands, the U.S. Open, and the Orange Blossom Classic. Dupe will be at the center of it all.
“I’m definitely building endurance by having a schedule,” she explained. “Our first duty as drum majors is to make sure band staff is taken care of and students understand the standard.”
Her leadership this season also comes with the added pressure of scale. The Marching “100” is now closer to 300 members, one of the largest ensembles in recent memory. For Oloyede, leading a group of that magnitude requires a delicate balance of confidence and humility.
“Confidence comes with me reminding myself that I was selected for a reason. I know I’m qualified to do the job,” she said. “But the humility comes from remembering; I’ve been down bad before, I’ve been tired, I’ve been confused, and there’s gonna be a situation where everybody’s gonna be in that.
It’s this empathy, not just her technique, that defines her command.
Leading with Women, Leading with Grace
Oloyede isn’t leading alone. This season, FAMU’s band leadership also includes Band President Grace McFoy and Assistant Director of Bands Jada Bostic. Both women are Oloyede’s close friends and longtime collaborators. The three met as students at Southwest DeKalb High School, and their bond now shapes the leadership culture at FAMU.
“I’ve had the honor of working with these women since high school. We’re in the same sororities,” Oloyede said. “Grace, she’s great with logistics, staying on task. She showed me how to use a calendar and if you falter on something, how to get back on it without making it someone else’s responsibility.”
Of Bostic, Oleyede says she taught her personal lessons about leadership.
“Jada taught me I can be myself,” she explained. “I can be assertive, and that doesn’t mean I’m being mean. It just means I’m being direct.”
Their synergy reflects a growing reality in the culture of marching bands and HBCUs. It shows that leadership is evolving. Women aren’t just participants in the movement. They are building the blueprint.
Oleyede’s leadership was not only a skill her peers noticed. The Marching “100” band director, Dr. Shelby Chipman explained that her excellence was visible years prior to this moment.
“Dupe is the full package: a talented theater major, well-versed in her instrument, playing for our top ensemble,” he explained. “She is a natural leader who has taken on significant leadership roles over the last couple of years in choreography and show planning.”
Oleyede was not only his pick, but everyone’s pick.
“I’m just honored to select her as this year’s first-ever female head drum major,” he said. “I know the band members also want her in front, and we look forward to this fall semester and watching her leadership.”
Style and Storytelling on the Field
Oloyede’s presence isn’t limited to emails and planning meetings. When she steps onto the field, it’s with the command of a trained performer. A dancer by background, she brings intentionality to every motion, not just for flair, but for direction.
“The dance background really comes with me having bodily control,” she said. “I’m using the baton as my instrument. When they see the baton, they’re looking for direction. That means I can’t just move willy-nilly. And when we bring it on, that’s the showtime aspect, that’s where I bring the dance in.”
This fusion of athleticism and artistry allows her to innovate within tradition; to respect the legacy of the Marching “100,” while adding her own cadence to the performance.
Legacy in Real Time
When asked what it would mean for a young girl to one day credit her for inspiring their own leadership journey, Oloyede paused, not out of uncertainty, but to consider the weight of what she’s building.
“That’s what it’s all about really,” she said. “My first performance seeing the Marching ‘100’ was at the Florida Classic. If that’s someone’s impression of me? That means we succeeded. So to a little girl who can, to all the women who couldn’t, so that we can. I really appreciate those women so that I could be that woman for you.”
When the season ends, and the last note rings across the field, Oloyede hopes her impact echoes beyond the sound.
“The legacy I want to leave behind is of excellence,” she said. “That we put the work in, that we moved efficiently, that we fostered an environment where people wanted to do the work. It’s fun when you’re good at it, but it’s also fun when it feels like family.”