This game was part of the 2020 GHSA Boys State Basketball Tournament - AA. “Can you tell the guys outside to be quiet? Race is not the whole story, they said though the viralization of Heideman’s existence made that his narrative. Music is his passion, and before he went viral in October, a white boy leading an all-black band, Heideman carried out his job as head drum major the same way he does now: with discipline, fervor, an intense desire to learn at all costs and a dedication to uphold the legacy of JD drum majors who came before. When the four got to school on Monday they were met with praises and the most popular lines of the video’s commentary, ‘Slideee, to the Sky!’ and ‘Where that boy John at?’ Williams said. Son of a Gun ?… JD Marching Vols Trumpet/Head Drum Major.” The video that springboarded Heideman’s success was this one which featured footage of Heideman marching with commentary from @PubbyLongWay. Heideman said when he hit 100,000 followers, “I cannot believe I’ve actually done it. “I didn’t know what to expect,” Heideman said, “didn’t know anything about the SWAC or HBCU show style-bands.”. One of those questions was posed by fellow drum major Jackson and trombonist at the time: “Is he going to be able to keep up? Others suggested there was something heinous about a group of black children following the lead of a white boy and expressed that Heideman took the attention away from the three other drum majors: Ya’ll (sic) the reason we can’t get ahead as people!!! The news of Heideman’s appointment spread across the band’s Facebook page and left many in shock, including Williams. Longway stumbled across the initial video of Heideman performing, while browsing on Facebook. Posted Sat, Feb 15 2020. Justin Heideman is viral sensation Vanilla Funk the drum major from Jefferson Davis High School in Montgomery, Alabama. The third year, he was the section . Award Winning RogersBros Shoot Your Shot w/ Justin Heideman! This isn’t a game for Heideman. Years But, To See How This White Kid Is All!! Jefferson Davis High School located in Montgomery, Alabama - AL. In Government! NOTE: If students decide to return to the school site or work remotely, he/she must remain in the selected option (on-site or remote) for a nine week period.Special consideration may be granted for emergency/critical situations. “They don’t know the full story behind that, you can’t just go off what you see,” Jackson said. Demographically, JD is roughly 91% black and 6% white, according to the Alabama Department of Education report card. Like, oh I finally people catch the hard work that we do.” He went on, “I’m just somebody that just happens to be a different race that does what other people have been done. “Justin’s approach last year when he first made it was more so taking leadership,” Jones said, “because we all knew this was going to be a totally different squad, like a different group of drum majors, the band is going to try to run over him. Future Dreaming ? Howard takes those auditioning through a one- to two-month process of punctilious training before auditions start. However, Jackson and others soon found the character ultimately unearthed was of an individual who wants to be the best, learn as much as he can, and yearns to lead. We look at the quality of the person.". But the ones closest to Heideman say it’s beyond that. Will people accept him as a drum major and respect him?”. "I'm just another person that happens to be a different race doing what other people have done," Heideman said. He earned the fame. Either I didn’t make it or I’m head drum major,” Heideman said. “Next thing you know I left the room, and I heard some band stuff playing, and I like band music, because I was in band myself. Heideman spent hours in his room studying styles and marching sequences. Jeff Davis High School Drum Majors talk about their camaraderie with Head Drum Major Justin Heideman. Howard wasn’t having that. Heideman described how one video went viral when speaking to ABC 3340. . “It’s funny to put them on display like that,” Howard said. “They say it’s ‘white mediocrity,’” Heideman said. Facebook/Justin Heideman However, Longway didn’t account for the seeds of hate that would sprout in response. So, I said, ‘Let me go back and listen to that.’ I ran back to my room and I saw Justin. This process starts with about 15 individuals. He knows a thing or two about the band. “He’s been working so long to earn his spot, and he honestly did.”. “When I saw it, of course it was pretty funny,” Howard said. He’s just on your back and he gonna ride ya.’ And I saw Justin was getting the lash of a white boy being in that position, while black people been doing it for so long and he’s getting recognition off of it like it’s just something brand new.". Heideman’s humble attitude is reflected on his Facebook page where he lists this as his favorite quote, “Successful people aren’t successful because they don’t fail, they’re successful because they learn from their failures.”, St. Patrick's Day Parade~2019~NYC~Jefferson Davis HS Marching Band~NYCParadelifeFor more parade coverage, please visit NYCParadelife.com2019-03-17T15:40:34.000Z. It was Saturday, the day after JD’s band conducted its annual homecoming parade around the school, when social media personality @PubbyLongway released a video commentary of Heideman leading the JD band. Done In Hollywood!!! www.montgomeryadvertiser.com. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WEHT/CNN) – A young man in Alabama is gaining national attention because of his skills and moves as a high school drum major. Facebook: Rogersbros IG: @Officialrogersbros CashApp: $Officialrogersbros MERCH : https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=rogersbros2019-10-21T05:53:10.000Z. Played By The Left!!! “I wanted to dance like a drum major,” he said, “so, I marched like a drum major,” and he used his imagination to fill in the rest. He doesn’t take offense to some of the resistance he’s seen and doesn’t see race as being the factor. Thank you all for this amazing 100,000 followers I never thought I’d see the day. Box Score Tournament Bracket. That's apropos since according Heideman and Howard, Heideman is receiving interest from HBCUs and predominantly white institutions (PWI): Jackson State, Auburn, Alabama State, Texas Southern, Kentucky State and Troy. & It's Been Going On Ever Since Blacks Have Been BS! Race is not the whole story, they said though the viralization of Justin Heideman’s existence made that his narrative. It was muscle memory for Heideman and, “he knocked it out of the water,” Howard said. He’s talking about us!’” Heideman said, without realizing how popular @PubbyLongway was. Jeff Davis High School Drum majors 💯. Montgomery Advertiser. Award Winning RogersBros Shoot Your Shot w/ Justin Heideman! The Jeff Davis varsity basketball team lost Saturday's away playoff game against Laney (Augusta, GA) by a score of 64-44. To Black People!!! It never has been. After the first year of high school he . His hesitancy quickly turned into love, and Heideman made the decision to give all that he had to band, “back-breaking work,” he described it. I don’t want him (Heideman) to turn into a joke.”. Jeff Davis Marching Band Drum Majors, from left, Jaylon Jones, Dominic Williams, Xavier Jackson and Justin Heideman pose at the school in Montgomery, Ala., on Wednesday December 4, 2019. !, Many! While some feel the black band experience is “for the culture” and protected by the culture, those close to Heideman insists he is not here to steal it. He said he was impressed and that Heideman deserved the attention. It's The Left!!! Jeff Davis High School is the 272nd largest public high school in Georgia and the 6,849th largest nationally. Some have not taken a look beyond the viral nature of the video, or the idea of Justin as just another white person trying to be cool. Latest News. He walked outside into his backyard dressed for the occasion, shirt tucked into pants, the only thing missing was a whistle. Rather, he was viewed as an invader, someone that encroached on a piece of black culture that they weren’t willing to surrender as so many other things. (Photo: Kirsten Fiscus/Advertiser). Is A Very!! I've Been Gone Many! ..It's A Slap!!! For starters, Heideman has been the head drum major at JD that past two years, and America is late to the party. I was like, ‘He’s actually really famous on social media; this might go viral!’”. "Yea, it's viral because nobody expected somebody like me to actually care about what people a part of this culture do.". It was the summer of 2016, before his first band camp with JD. “Growing up I always had an imagination,” Heideman said. "His mother and I both went to public school here in Montgomery," Eric Heideman, Justin's father said. He’s an ally not an invader. It's Been!!! It blew up beyond expectations, and today the video sits at 4.4 million views. By the end of the weekend, the video had amassed hundreds of thousands of views on Instagram and Twitter, each. “But I don’t want my band to turn into a joke. https://t.co/KThbyg5uvI. He visualized it and made it a reality for himself in advance. Rather, he has worked hard to be a part of it and lives to honor it. This game was part of the 2020 Georgia High School Football Playoff Brackets: GHSA - AA tournament. He’s been able to gain this respect through being a teacher, his peers said. Jeff Davis High School lead drum major Justin Heideman leads the band during a performance at the annual Magic City Classic parade in downtown Birmingham on October 26. Jones said they all knew it was going to be him because of how strong he performed, but Heideman’s reaction, though he was excited and in disbelief, was that of a fulfilled expectation. There is a calm intensity that covers him as if he is still in front of his band — as if he’s still in control. Thus, Heideman told Howard if quitting was “too far of a step,” then let's shake up the formation. He said he was thoroughly impressed because had never seen a white drum major lead an all-black band. Starting to feel like I’m bound to go for it ??? NOT!!! ? This is his life now, but he hasn’t changed a bit, despite the few who misunderstand who he is and what it took for him to be in the position he is in now. I don’t care if I’m in the front, in the back, 5 miles behind ... mediocrity is not the word. Heideman originally joined the band as a trumpet player before becoming one of the band’s four majors. No one really did. A post shared by Justin “Vanilla Funk” Heideman (@v4n1lla_funk) on Apr 23, 2019 at 9:33am PDT. !...The "White Bitin!??" Side Whites!! Jeff Davis High School is a public high school located in Hazlehurst, Georgia, United States. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Jeff Davis High School is ranked 274th within Georgia. “I remember the first thing I said on the first day of school,” Heideman said laughing. The Right!!! Practices last hours and extend to the weekends, weeding out the unqualified. He led the trumpet section, Howard said, and emerged as one of the best trumpet players in the band. The AP® participation rate at Jeff Davis High School is 19%. Montgomery’s Jefferson Davis High School marching band will perform on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” Tuesday night. Heideman attended the first practice but didn’t return at the request of his parents who wanted him to spend the first semester of school focusing on his grades. A HORN! But when the 17-year-old senior takes his place as the head drum major for the marching band, he becomes something unique – a white student leading a … 2016-2017 ACIP; Administration; News. Comments poured in on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and other online forums incriminating Heideman of not being worthy to lead the band. Pushing This Crap!!! “He would come in here every day saying, ‘Mr. That was enough for Longway to record one of his famous voice-overs, and the internet took care of the rest. There were some members in the band that did not respect Heideman, Williams said, and he struggled with it at first, but ultimately, “He found ways to overcome that.”, “It took a lot to gain respect,” Heideman said. Those commenting saw their words as a protection of the culture —  a culture that African Americans fight to preserve daily. The school streams sporting events like softball, football, cheerleading, basketball, soccer and baseball. “Saying, ‘What is he doing as a white head drum major leading a black band?’ To me, (his race) really doesn’t faze me, but as to see people talk about him, it’s stupid. (LIVE Reactions), White Boy Leads His Band Into A New Age Of Funk. References [ edit ] Heideman describes himself on his Instagram bio as the “Trumpet Screaming ? “When you get to looking on the internet, everybody is slandering him,” Williams said. Montgomery Advertiser, “I was just chilling, and I had videos just running,” Longway said. Meet Justin Heideman -- The white drum major … So, then I worked harder and harder, and I told myself, ‘I want to be drum major.’”. Justin Heideman, lead drum major who went viral recently, leads his Jeff Davis band down Dexter Avenue to the shouts of many adoring fans. I’m white, kinda weak, and I have lunch money.’ ”, Dozens of marching bands, dance teams and representatives from Alabama State University and Alabama A&M participated in the annual Magic City Classic parade in downtown Birmingham. “Put Xavier in the front, Dom can take his spot, Jalen can take (Dom’s) spot, and I’ll sit in the back, since everybody wants to talk about how I don’t deserve to be in the front.”, The public backlash from a select group of people was an “eye-opener” for Heideman, Howard said. “When I saw that, I was like, ‘Wow,’” Williams said. A young man is gaining national attention because of his skills and moves as a high school drum major at Jefferson Davis High School in Montgomery. Justin Heideman, a drum major who went viral recently, leads his Jeff Davis band down Dexter to the shouts of many adoring fans. It was not bad, I was just thinking of ‘How is it going to be now that we have a white head drum major,’ and how that was actually going to change things?”, Williams' question represented what a majority of people were thinking: “Will he be able to do his role and play his part? “Then I went to Justin and said ‘Justin, did you see this video? On Wednesday, Jefferson Davis High School's … Of those 80 points, the year Heideman auditioned, he scored a 78 out of 80. Everything was trial and error, he said. We're an independent nonprofit that provides parents with in-depth school quality information. Everybody that’s not here with us on a daily basis stands out to them automatically. It is a product of Classreport, Inc. and may not be affiliated with Jeff Davis High School or its alumni association. Justin Heideman is viral sensation Vanilla Funk the drum major from Jefferson Davis High School in Montgomery, Alabama. He earned all of that,” Williams said. Heideman said that video was taken during the homecoming parade, two days before a game. “But when I was watching the video I was like ‘Man, how are you all going to catch this video?’ This was probably the worst video that I wanted put out there of my group.”. Entering the audition Heideman competed for the four spots against four other people, including Jones and Jackson. Even with the praise and positive social engagement, hate, ignorance, and prejudice countered with a punch of its own. I’m just someone of a different race who does what other people been doing.”, Y’all: “Proving it’s not about how you look, but what you can do.”, Whiteboy John really laid it out and y’all still got it wrong. (LIVE Reactions)Support the stream: https://streamlabs.com/rogersbros910 Multistreaming with https://restream.io/ Thanks for the support! Heideman pursues those things unrelentingly, and he meticulously studies his craft. All rights reserved, Let friends in your social network know what you are reading about. “Justin came to be a part of this, not to overtake it,” Williams said. Rich Black Legacy!!.. I wasn’t quick to judge, I gave him a shot,” Jackson said. “From the time he stepped foot in the door, he was excited about playing his (trumpet). It’s about the band and functionality thereof. ‘OK, I’ll listen.”. His senior year, he became the drum major, the highest student . “(He) marched through the entire year headed toward that drum major goal that he had already set,” Howard said. Though Heideman said he prefers the HBCU show-style, he remains undeclared and says that it's his dream to introduce the two styles to one another. According to statistics, Jefferson Davis High School’s student body is 94 percent African-American, two percent White, two percent Hispanic and 1 percent Asian. However, “I don’t even think it fazed him really,” Longway said. Posted yesterday © 2020 “Then he would show me a drum major routine that he tried to put together. In an interview with the Rogers Brothers, Heideman says that he counts rapper Nelly among his followers. He blazed his own path in the confines of his home and laid the groundwork for the day he’d get his shot. “OK ,OK, good job. "To this family, color is not an issue. He said leading this band, “is just like leading any other band.”, “High school students are going to be high school students,” Heideman said. Do ANY!! “It’s bigger than that.”. The videos that he sought were performances of HBCU bands and the styles of their drum majors that he was so familiar with, being the lead drum major at Jeff Davis High School… “Everybody has their own little personality, and the ones that aren’t really disciplined are going to stay undisciplined until you show them that you deserve respect. “I even got some slander off of that, because it’s a lot of people that are real pro-black now, and they were like ‘Yea, you’re just helping another white dude get on. So his thing was, ‘maybe if I come in with strong leadership, strong discipline, then they’ll follow me,’ but that was not the case at all. Jeff Davis High School lead drum major Justin Heideman leads the band during a performance at the annual Magic City Classic parade in downtown Birmingham on October 26. So, Heideman was always going to stand out, but his parents didn't think this was an issue. He prepared for what he knew would come. (Hazelhurst) Community information, administration, school pages, calendar, menu, alumni information, and student handbook. #jsu #jacksonstateuniversity #jacksonstate #j5 #drummajor #marchingband #band #sonicboomofthesouth #sonicboom #hbcu #hbcubands #explore #dance #explorepage #music #drums #art #artist #trumpet #trombone … Justin Heideman is Vanilla Funk the drum major from Jefferson Davis High School in Montgomery, Alabama. Justin Heideman pictured on his Facebook page in 2018. was able to perform as a trumpet player in the marching band. .) Heideman’s fellow drum majors, Xavier “Cruise Control” Jackson, Dominic “D-Willy” Williams, and Jaylon “Freak Nasty” Jones, said they had the same reaction. There were a lot of variables to consider for Howard: His band wasn’t completely dressed; it was a minor parade JD does every year for homecoming where they march from the school to the elementary school across the street and back; Heideman had a ponytail at the top of his head, put in by his girlfriend, Jenilyn Davis, as a joke, “that no one would notice," according to Jackson; and the focus of the video was placed solely on Heideman. “They just think he just gets out there and just dances,” Williams said. By the summer of 2016 that's what Heideman set his sights on. Jackson further explained: “We (the black band) keep marching on. Jeff Davis High School Drum Major Justin Heideman at the school in Montgomery, Ala., on Wednesday December 4, 2019. Heideman says, “It went berserk. It’s dusk and just outside the windows of Room 107 at Jeff Davis High School, the final remnants of the band are leaving practice the same way they came: blaring and filling the now chilled crisp of the December air with the powerful and royal tones of brass. 9 talking about this. “I said to my friend, ‘This is probably the worst situation.’ He was like ‘what do you mean?’ I said to him, ‘I’m small. and opportunity made him work diligently on his craft. Principal's Corner; School Staff; We Are JD Video; ACIP. !& Hollywood!!.. READ NEXT: Teenage Porn Star Controversy Rocks California High School, Justin Heideman aka Vanilla Funk: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright © 2020 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. The number of participants dwindles with each week, and by audition time there are usually about four or five, “because everybody can’t really hang,” Howard said. He mixed styles together, tried moves that didn’t necessarily go with one another. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WBMA/CNN/Gray News) – In the halls of Jefferson Davis High School, Justin Heideman is just like any other student. He wanted to be the best player. White Boy Leads His Band Into A New Age Of FunkI Am A Bootyman Untill I Reach 100k subs Follow My Social Medias Below Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwaynemidnight/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dwaynemidnight Snapchat: @dwayne_midnight2019-10-08T05:02:09.000Z, In an interview regarding his viral success, the school’s band director Brandon Howard told ABC 3340, “You really can’t help but see color. He felt his fellow drum majors behind him, and his backyard transformed into welcoming greens of a football field with a roaring sea of people cheering. What’s not understood by some onlookers is Heideman’s journey and the work he put in to achieve this status, as alluded to by Longway. In February 2019, Heideman and his band were invited to perform at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City. When Justin … November 12, 2019, 10:12 AM. Howard, let me show you what I learned,’” Howard said. The drum majors, dancers, and musicians created such an exceptional performance that we are sure it could give anyone school spirit! He didn’t necessarily fit in, and he was fully aware of that so he was hesitant about many things his freshman year, which included joining the band. & Last!!.. Then he noticed the drum majors, and he wanted to be the best leader.”, Justin Heideman, a drum major who went viral recently, leads his Jeff Davis band down Dexter to the shouts of many adoring fans. In The Face!! ...The College That's The Originator!! Furthermore, the process of becoming a drum major is a rigorous task. 84-52 (W) - Jeff Davis vs. Woodville-Tompkins RESULT Win Played on 2/8/2020 5:00 PM Heideman is known by his bandmates as “Vanilla Funk.” At the time of writing, Heideman has over 100,000 followers on Instagram. “I don’t care if you call me white. Jeff Davis High School - Public High School located in Hazlehurst, GA with grades 9-12. “I just feel like he’s in our shoes a little bit, like in a black person’s world,” Longway said. I was like ‘What!? Follow him on Twitter @AndreToran. Iron sharpens iron. Online Registration is Now Open; Schoology Link; WiFi Vouchers; BUS Routes; Title I Presentation; Spotlights. Up Front!!????.. Justin's nickname is "Vanilla Funk"–lovingly given to … So, he led with a heavy hand, the trio of Williams, Jackson and Jones said. ... It’s dusk and just outside the windows of Room 107 at Jeff Davis High School, the final remnants of … 10/20 ! A slice of the African American community saw Heideman’s lead as a crime. Gets Sometimes NO!! Jeff Davis High School is a public high school of the Jeff Davis County School District located in Hazlehurst, GA. Jeff Davis Marching Band Drum Majors, from left, Jalen Jones, Dominic Williams, Xavier Jackson and Justin Heideman pose at the school in Montgomery, Ala., on Wednesday December 4, 2019. Of The Moves Or, Steps Right! A link has been sent to your friend's email address. Jeff Davis High School Drum Majors talk about their camaraderie with Head Drum Major Justin Heideman. I have nothing against him personally but stop praising white mediocrity. He’d watch videos of HBCU drum majors from around the country, emulating what he saw. “I saw the video, and I busted out laughing, that’s all I could do,” Jackson said. Dozens of marching bands, dance teams and representatives from Alabama State University and Alabama A&M participated in the annual Magic City Classic parade in downtown Birmingham. “I just couldn’t seem to wrap my head around him.”. He CAN'T!!! When I came back I had 10,000.” Heideman added, “Without this band, I wouldn’t be the viral sensation. I'm Sorry!!!.. The Jeff Davis varsity football team won Saturday's neutral playoff game against Washington County (Sandersville, GA) by a score of 28-25. Does your High School Class have a full-featured Alumni Website? Jeff Davis High School Head Drum Major Justin Heideman talks about being Drum Major.. Jeff Davis High School Head Drum Major Justin Heideman talks about being Drum Major.. 10/20 ! Justin Heideman, lead drum major who went viral recently, leads his Jeff Davis band down Dexter Avenue to the shouts of many adoring fans. You can call me white all day, you can call me a cracker, but as soon as you call me ‘mediocre,’ don’t come after my craft, because I have worked tirelessly to perfect this craft.”, PART 2!! The school is part of the Jeff Davis County School District , which serves Jeff Davis County . Marching on: Justin ‘came to make us better’, Enjoy a limted number of articles over the next 30 days, To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the. Justin is a 17-year-old high school senior. He hangs up, slouches back, tilts his head toward the tiled ceiling and takes a breath before moving his fingers through his hair against the grain. Jeff Davis High School drum major Justin Heideman finds himself in a unique position. Will he be able to do this how we do this? There was an unspoken sense that Heideman had to prove himself, despite his accomplishment. Everything was kind of shaky, but you could tell he was really driven to get it done.”. We couldn't do it without yall help. Start One Now! you guys are all amazing.” Heideman then goes on to namecheck his other band members who helped to make it possible. If there is trouble or conflict he knows how to handle it now. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement® coursework and exams. “He might be one of the most passionate kids I’ve had here at Jeff Davis,” Howard said. That man justin not playin wit yall man! pic.twitter.com/vdcvW5AO3U. Put This Kid Back!!! (Photo: Kirsten Fiscus/Advertiser). “I imagined that I was the head drum major alongside whoever was there, and I marched in, and the band started playing and I started throwing some random stand that wasn’t even an actual drum major stand. “No, we pick them because they are meticulous in the way they do things.”. “I thought it was actually good, and then I cut off and said, ‘Yeaaa, I’m a drum major.”. In high school, I’ve never seen a white drum major do anything like that.". He was concerned about the image of the band and protecting his kids from the horrors of the comment section online — an intuition that became a reality. Response to drum major's viral video misses real story of white boy, black band, Published 6:00 a.m. CT Dec. 11, 2019 | Updated 11:54 a.m. CT March 20, 2020. Or anything like polo, you know you’re the first black to do something? Do not share or praise this fellow ALL THE WHILE IGNORING THE BLACK DRUM MAJORS DOING JUST AS GOOD IF NOT BETTER!