They play regularly at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and have played in the Zulu Parade, San Antonio Zulu Association Festival, the City of New Orleans New Year's Celebration and Mo' Fest, the Tom Joyner Morning Show, and the Master P music video "Hootie Hoo".

[6] In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Hot 8 Brass Band was propelled to wider prominence by an appearance in Spike Lee's 2006 documentary When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts.

Because of the appearance according to National Public Radio, "A new legion of fans caught onto the band's mix of traditional marching music, hip hop, and R&B.

[11] In May 2013 "Tombstone" was released, the sister album to "The Life and Times...," a recording mostly dedicated to former band members, living and dead.

[5] In 2004, trombone player Joseph "Shotgun Joe" Williams was shot dead by police in controversial circumstances.