Cedric the Entertainer and Anthony Anderson‘s latest stop was Jackson, Mississippi. The comedians went to Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium to watch Jackson State University take on Southern University in the 2024 Boombox Classic. JSU earned a 33-15 victory over the Jaguars.
It’s GameDay! @anthonyanderson and @CedEntertainer have arrrived! #TheeILive #GoTigers #JSUvsSU pic.twitter.com/9BNi1VUfzw
— Jackson State U. (@JacksonStateU) September 14, 2024
“AC Barbeque has extended our branding to HBCUs,” Cedric the Entertainer told DefenderNetwork in Houston. “Jackson State was the first one we opened this spring. It was the school that was very interested in what we were doing very early on. Of course, when we started the conversation, Coach Prime was there. It was going to be a great thing, but now, we are growing. We have more relationships and we are planning to attack some more HBCUs.”
Anderson and Cedric’s idea of launching a barbeque lifestyle brand came with a TV show from the duo, the 2023 “Kings of BBQ” on the A&E Network. The show documents their journey creating the perfect sauce.
“It was really a story chronicling the start of a business with two friends,” Anderson told DefenderNetwork. “Building generational wealth, and telling the story of barbeque, where it comes from and what it means to our community.”
In May 2023, Anderson and Cedric were spotted handing out free barbeque to Springdale, Arkansas, residents to help promote the brand.
“We learned that we had a really good idea, but we had to put in the work to do it,” Cedric told DefenderNetwork. “It’s one thing to have celebrity, but it’s also another thing to know that you really want to get something quality into the world. We’ve taken our time to learn, grow, make mistakes, fall, grow and do it again, so that’s why we’re here right now.”
The boots-to-ground business partners want their efforts to show through the product genuinely.
“It’s not just about us slapping our faces on a product,” Anderson said. “We develop all of this. Everything that you see is the brainchild of Ced and myself. So that’s what makes it even more special.”
Back at JSU, Anderson and Cedric hit the field for a brief cameo next to the drum majors of the Sonic Boom of the South marching band.
🏈🎙️📺 Comedians Cedric The Entertainer and Anthony Anderson stopped by Jackson State today and helped introduce and hype up the Sonic Boom of the South!
They have the drum major moves!@sonicboomots @gojsutigersfb @GoJSUTigers pic.twitter.com/9habMpDXjq
— David Edelstein 🌐 (@davidzedelstein) September 15, 2024
There’s also a video of Anderson, a Howard University graduate, rehearsing with the band earlier in the week.
Welcome to band life @anthonyanderson. #LuvDaBoom pic.twitter.com/RBmd6PW1gp
— Sonic Boom of the South (@SonicBoomOTS) September 15, 2024
After the game, the two were seen on the field recording a video recapping the trip and the game’s festivities.
🎥 @CedEntertainer and @anthonyanderson wanted to see what all #thee fuss was about… pic.twitter.com/KHINDE3qtP
— Tiger Talk TV (@TigerTalk_TV) September 15, 2024
The matchup was also discussed on ESPN’s premier “College GameDay” series, which featured commentary from Nick Saban.
Shoutout to ESPN @CollegeGameDay for covering HBCU Football and the Jackson State vs. Southern rivalry 🔥 pic.twitter.com/4XgIJVZr3q
— America's Favorite HBCU (@JBrooks02) September 14, 2024
The JSU partnership with the AC Barbeque brand is under a collaboration with SodexoMagic, a joint venture between Magic Johnson Enterprises and Sodexo, Inc.
“We cannot wait to touch down at Jackson State, engage with the students, and celebrate the spirit of JSU,” Cedric said ahead of the trip, according to a press release. “Our food is rooted in culture and fueled by community, and we couldn’t be more proud that AC Barbeque is served at Jackson State. What goes better than barbecue, tailgating, and football?”
The brand is an on-campus dining hall option for JSU students.
“AC Barbeque is a part of our campus dining offerings, thus making it a part of the JSU brand,” Kamesha Hill, director of Auxiliary Enterprises at JSU, said before the game. “It makes sense that they come immerse themselves in all that we offer as a premiere HBCU. We look forward to showing them why we fondly refer to Jackson State University as ‘Thee I Love.’”
