Florida A&M's Head Drum Major Makes Historic Appearance At The Oscars

Los Angeles—When the lights came up on the 98th Academy Awards, viewers expecting Hollywood glamour were treated to a different kind of show-stopping moment: Florida A&M University’s newly appointed head drum major, Oluwamodupe “Dupe” Oloyede, commanding the stage as part of the “I Lied to You” Sinners ensemble at the Dolby Theatre.

The senior theater major’s Sunday-night cameo—her first ever at the Oscars—adds another milestone to a semester already bursting with them. Only days earlier, Oloyede and her line sisters were initiated as the newest members of the Beta Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, capping a whirlwind few weeks she calls “living up to my name.” In Yoruba, Oluwamodupe translates to “Lord, I thank you.”

Oloyede’s appearance at the Oscars arrives just as she prepares to take the podium as the first female head drum major in the 133-year history of FAMU’s renowned Marching “100.” Dr. Shelby Chipman, director of bands, announced her selection last week, signaling a new era for the ensemble that has performed at Super Bowls, presidential inaugurations, and the Olympics since 1892.

“Last year my goal was to be clean, precise, beyond par,” Oloyede told HBCU GameDay’s Vaughn Wilson. “Now the beautiful burden is integrity—I have to do it first for people to follow.”

A Southwest DeKalb High School product, Oloyede became only the second woman to serve as a drum major in the Marching “100” last season, following trailblazer Cori Bostic. Under her leadership, the band will open the 2025 football campaign at the Orange Blossom Classic in Miami on August 30, where she will blow the ceremonial first whistle.

Between sorority rituals, rehearsals, and red-carpet calls, Oloyede remains focused on the legacy she now carries. “We’re standing on the shoulders of giants,” she said. “Band of the year—how could you forget? You have to step up to the plate.”

With the 2025–2026 season on the horizon, the Marching “100” is poised to electrify audiences nationwide under the guidance of its history-making maestra.