Devon Miles (Nick Cannon) is a young hip-hop drummer from Harlem, N.Y., who receives a scholarship to attend an Atlanta university known for its marching band. When he earns a starting spot on the drum line, the senior whose spot he took begins snooping around. He discovers that the freshman may be a fraud and reports him to the school's respected band director (Orlando Jones), who is then faced with benching one of his most talented musicians right before the big regional competition.