Drumline

Drumline is a 2002 American coming-of-age teen comedy-drama film directed by Charles Stone III. The screenplay, which was inspired by the Southwest Dekalb High School Drumline, was written by Tina Gordon Chism and Shawn Schepps. The film follows a young drummer from New York, played by Nick Cannon, who enters the fictional Atlanta A&T University and bumps heads with the leader of his new school's drum section. Zoe Saldaña, Leonard Roberts and Orlando Jones also co-star. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with most of them praising the musical bands' overall performances. It was a success at the box office, earning over $56 million in the U.S., and almost $1.2 million in foreign markets. A direct sequel Drumline: A New Beat, premiered on VH1 on October 27, 2014. Cannon reprises his role as Devon, albeit as a supporting character rather than the protagonist. Plot The story revolves around Devon Miles, a young man who has just graduated from high school in New York City. Upon graduating, Devon heads to Atlanta, Georgia to attend Atlanta A&T University, a historically black college that takes enormous pride in its marching band. Devon was personally invited to attend on a full scholarship by Dr. Lee, head of the band, for his prodigious talents. En route to A&T, Devon meets and befriends fellow band mates Charles, Jayson, and Ernest. The A&T band separates itself from its competitors by requiring all members to read music, by focusing on various styles of music rather than what is currently popular on the radio, and by dedication to the teamwork emphasized "one band, one sound" concept. Preseason band camp is physically and mentally challenging, designed to push members past what they previously thought were their limits. At the end of preseason, the musicians audition for spots on the field, and Devon is the only freshman to make P1, the highest-level player. While going through this rigorous process, Devon also finds time to romance an upperclassman dancer, Laila.