Legendary hip-hop icon Doug E. Fresh is set to serve as the Grand Marshall during this year's Howard University Homecoming Parade. He will also join the Howard University “Showtime” Marching Band during the halftime show at the football game against Tennessee State University.

This year Howard is celebrating its 100th Homecoming anniversary. The Howard vs. Lincoln University game back in 1924 set the tone for what HBCU homecoming celebrations today. Homecoming is a crucial part of the HBCU experience; it’s a time for students and alumni to gather and bond over the pride they share for their university. The Howard Homecoming 100 theme is “Yard of Fame,” showcasing Howard alumni who are trailblazers in their fields as well as future alumni who will follow in their footsteps.

The Howard Homecoming parade will run through Georgia Avenue and the surrounding Shaw neighborhood. The parade will include the Howard University marching band, local area school bands, floats, cheerleading and dance teams, and more. The parade will take place on October 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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Doug E. Fresh is a hip-hop pioneer known as the “Human Beat Box.” His brother introduced him to rapping through tapes of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five and DJ Hollywood. The Barbados native originally got started as a solo artist but in the early 1980s formed the group, the Lover Boy Crew, with DJs Chill Will and Barry B, later adding rapper Slick Rick.

The group would go on to record two of hip-hop’s earliest classics, “The Show” and “La Di Da Di.” In 2019, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the American Beatbox Championships for his work in the music industry. He released his first full-length album since 1995 in 2021, titled “This One’s for Chuck Brown: Dough E. Fresh Salutes The Godfather of Go-Go.” Most recently, he made a cameo appearance in the 2023 film World’s Best.

The Howard University homecoming game against Tennessee State University is Saturday, October 19 at 3:30 p.m. at Greene Stadium.