Subscribe
Follow Us
The hit Apple TV+ show ‘Severance’ paid homage to HBCU culture in the Season 2 finale last week. One of the show’s stars, Tramell Tillman, is a graduate of Jackson State University.
The show’s director and executive producer approached Tillman about the marching band sequence during the season. Being a two-time HBCU attendee, Tillman says this as a way to connect to his past. Before he graduated from Jackson State, he attended Xavier University of Louisiana, studying pre-med. Tillman talked about his experience with marching bands at Jackson State in an interview with TV Guide.
“And the second [marching band performance] is a big nod to HBCU bands. I graduated from an HBCU, Jackson State University, and their band is the Sonic Boom of the South, the best marching band in the entire world. When I was a student at Jackson State University, I would marvel at the Boom, especially the agility and the endurance of the majorettes and the drum majors and the band as a whole. So this was my opportunity to live the fantasy of being a drum major at Jackson State University.”
In the episode, Mark S. completes an important Cold Harbor file. Tillman’s character, Seth Milchick, introduces the Choreography and Merriment department and serves as a drum major as everyone celebrates Mark’s achievement. Jackson State released a statement in a post on Instagram regarding the episode and beloved alum Tillman.
Jackson State’s Instagram post:
In the “Severance” Season 2 finale, JSU™ alumnus Tramell Tillman, ’08, one of the stars of the hit Apple TV+ series, leads a fictional marching band in one of the show’s most unforgettable scenes.
Article Continues Below
“I graduated from Jackson State University, and their band is the Sonic Boom of the South, the best marching band in the entire world,” Tillman told TV Guide.
“This is an opportunity to highlight my culture, to highlight the significance of HBCUs—the marching bands, the showmanship, the pageantry, the discipline, the excellence, the Black joy.”
From the mace to the uniforms, it’s a clear tribute to “Da Boom” and another reminder why JSU is THEE Standard™.
#JacksonStateUniversity#JacksonState #HBCU #Severance#LuvDaBoom #THEEiLove
Tillman graduated from Jackson State in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in mass communications. Years later he earned an MFA in acting from the University of Tennessee. Before pursuing acting full-time, he worked in the nonprofit sector for over 10 years. Tillman starred in several movies, TV shows, and theater productions before landing his breakout role on ‘Severance’ in 2022.
