Super-producers, Timbaland and Swizz Beatz created the phenomenon webcast series entitled VERZUZ during the COVID-19 pandemic. A time when everyone was forced to be confined within the walls in which they lived and forced to either work from home unless deemed 'essential.' In March of 2020, while the world suffered the fatal loss of NBA legend, Kobe Bryant and his daughter "Gigi" Bryant, producers, Tim & Swizz couldn't have come together at a more appropriate time to help give those their flowers while they can still smell them.
The idea of creating a live battle was conceived by the two producers in 2017, which led to a 'producer clash' battle during the Hot 97 Summer Jam concert in 2018. I mean let's be honest, the amount of hits between the VA-native (Virginia) and the New York child, would be endless! Swizz and Tim have had decades of hits among the 'who's-who' of your favorite artists' favorite artists. The hits kept overflowing between the two when the pair finally did match up face to face in battle, that a second match was needed to use even more songs that weren't used in the first face-off. The concept of the live show consists of two challengers in the entertainment industry who compete with at least 20 or more of their best hit records. Although no actual winners are chosen, egos and streams both rise of those artists who feel they are truly deemed victorious afterwards.
“The people won, the culture won, music won,”
Swizz Beatz stated in an ABC News Interview in reference to the music sales and online streams gradually increasing due to both newfound interest and curiosity.
He is absolutely right. It is a win for all that we as the public get to witness some of our favorite entertainers go head to head in battle with some of our favorite playlist makers, and certainly a win for the artists when fans new and old, stream those albums and singles.
In its initial inception, the Verzuz battles were performed remotely over Instagram live due to the strict quarantine of COIVD-19 to prevent the spreading of the coronavirus. Challengers used their own cell phones, tablets or other web devices to live-stream on Instagram virtually on Instagram Live. In the past, some technicalities forced a video stream to get booted off due to weak Wi-Fi connection, or a licensed copyrighted song that could only be played to a minimum of 90 seconds before being cut off stream. On occasion, most broadcasts had an allotted time of 1 hour per stream, due to Instagram's rules of live streaming, which cause the artist to restart another live session and continue where they left off. Viewers who are observing the challenges can watch the feed from their electronic devices, phones, tablets or computers with their Instagram accounts. It is simultaneously enjoyed as a watch party or listening party with other individuals, whether at home together or as a virtual population over the live stream. Viewers interact by commenting their opinions, judgements, reactions, and emotions all while attempting to keep score but ultimately getting lost in the rounds.
The Matchups
Many of the matchups are battles between two we would never fathom that our eyes would ever get to see, yet, we are fortunate to say because of this new platform for the culture, we can. Although unseen in person, witnessing the likes of legendary acts such as The Isley Brothers and The Elements, otherwise known as, Earth, Wind, & Fire go hit for hit is one concert I'd never thought I'd be able to say I attended -- and although, I still technically haven't, having that battle webcasted on my 60" in. television with the volume all the way up, you couldn't tell me otherwise. Many of the battles 'gave exactly what they were supposed to give' and did not disappoint, while there were some others that were quite underwhelming, and either deserved more reciprocation or were honestly, completely unneeded.
Here is a list of my personal Top 10 favorite battles of the 43 previous Verzuz battles.
10. Omarion vs. Mario
R&B crooners, Omarion and Mario's battle was memorable for a host of reasons.
The highly-anticipated Verzuz battle between R&B singers Omarion and Mario got underway Thursday, June 23, in Los Angeles, and it was a night filled with jokes, watermelon eating, B2K taunts, and a warm-up event that seemed to never end. Before the main talent took the stage, there was a battle featuring Ray J and Bobby V against Pleasure P and Sammie. It went on and on, and featured host DeRay Davis rapping, dancing, and trying to control the drama.
Finally! After two and a half hours, it was time for Omarion and Mario to battle it out.
Omarion brought out Jeremih, (for whatever reason) Tank, his brother, and Tommy The Clown – yes, Tommy The Clown. Mario brought out B2K impersonators and said “Imma let y’all fix this little sh-t y’all got going on.”
Omarion tried to insult Mario for not being on the Millenium Tour, but Mario fired back,
"I didn't wanna be on that raggedy sh*t."
And in a bizarre stunt, Omarion suggestively ate a slice of watermelon on stage.
Fans inside The Novo appeared to be having a good time, but the people watching from home — who made Verzuz a top trending topic on Twitter — branded the battle a “hot mess.” And they overwhelming declared Mario the winner.
Without a doubt Mario took the dub in this battle. With O singing three of his biggest hits first coming out the gate, and giving underwhelming live vocals, it was a fight lost before it started. I had every intent of knowing Mario would win this battle, hands down. Regardless of if Mario has 20 actual chart-topping singles, the 9/10 he has, I'd gladly put up against most other artists' 20. Not to mention, Mario is an actual vocalist. Fully in control of his voice, his runs, falsettos and anything else, and made it look effortless against the former B2K member.
What we can take away from this battle is that Omarion confirmed what most should have already known, that he is the main or in most cases, the only vocalist on the B2K records, accompanied by backgrounds of Cell Block D Inmate, Robert Kelly, Tank, and Lil' Chris of the R&B group, Troop. This battle was nothing short of entertaining for the masses.
Check out the playlist below:
9. Erykah Badu vs. Jill Scott
The Erykah Badu and Jill Scott battle on Instagram Live took place May 9, 2020, following the battle of producers, Teddy Riley and Babyface. This was the first time that the Neo-Soul pair ever went head to head with their hits. As expected, the battle attracted tons of views, garnering more than 720K live viewers at its highest peak.
The two iconic artists played not only their hits but some of the songs they have penned. The stream was an instant hit among fans and a winner couldn't be determined. The session became more of a collaboration of vibes resonating of incense, hot tea and poetry, rather than a “battle” and had plenty of big names tuning in.
I was a kid in the candy store, watching two of my favorite artists going hit for hit and singing right along word for word with every measure. This was honestly one of the closest battles near to perfection for me.
Check out the playlist below:
8. Gucci Mane vs. Jeezy
The battle took place at Atlanta’s famed Magic City nightclub, where a lot of money has been tossed to both rappers’ lyrics. They sat in plush thrones on top of runway-like stages, Jeezy in a black ankle-length lambskin shearling over a matching basketball jersey, and Gucci in a more fashion-forward deep tan get up. Instead of the event starting off with the tension that many anticipated — the pair’s…impassioned dislike for one another is so deep and long-running that even the idea of them coming together for a Verzuz battle felt laughable until the two actually walked out — a cloud of purely bizarre vibes persisted, including a surprise introduction from Stacey Abrams.
The Atlanta face-off opened with a message from Stacey Abrams, which was immediately followed by a diss track.
Jeezy earned an easy win in Thursday’s clash with his fellow trap nemesis, Gucci Mane. But Gucci, an artist who has spent his career doing everything but play by the rules, took the only approach that made sense for him, breaking from the series’s convention by playing to the grit that his fans love and reminding his opponent that his mere continued existence is a victory. Tensions were at an all time high between the two due to their past 'discrepancies,' and viewers watched with so much anticipation on the edge of their seats from the in front of the mobile devices.
This was a personal favorite in light of the many singles played off the double-platinum Thug Motivation 101 and its successors from Jeezy, as well as the bangers and strip club and trap anthems from Gucci and his many, MANY mixtapes, the anticipation of what was to possibly come next also had me on the edge of my seat, and all and all, I enjoyed every minute of two our trapping entrepreneurs coming together for the state of the culture to put their differences aside, even if it was just for a few hours and the right amount of cash.
Check out the playlist below:
7. Nelly vs. Ludacris
Another dangerously anticipated Verzuz battle for me was on Saturday, (May 16) with none other than two leading rap voices of the early 2000s: Ludacris and Nelly.
The competition was stiff as fans struggled to decide who would come out on top between the St. Lunatic of the "Show Me State," or the Peace Disturber of the ATL. Needless to say, Luda came out on top.
There was no doubt in my mind that Luda was taking the crown with this one. I didn't feel it would be a flawless victory, because I knew Nelly's list of hits would allow him to put up a nice fight but Luda is still that top-tier emcee and hit-maker that's slept on now due to his commitment to be in front of our cinema screens. There was a time when if you saw a song on a tracklist, and any of them read "(feat. Ludacris)," you knew it was going to be a hit. It's almost a shame that Luda's name is quite brought as often anymore in when speaking of best feature artists. Along with his undeniable list of songs he's made even better with his lyrics, he holds numerous records that were hits and could be heard bumping on any radio, car or strip club.
Little faith was held for Nelly due to the fact that when looking through his discography, I wasn't able to see 20 songs that were all hits, and it certainly showed in his song choices as well in battle.
In the end, both contenders put up a great bout but in the words of one ATLien, "It's like this, the South HAD something to say."
Check out the playlist below:
6. Ne-Yo vs. Johntá Austin
A battle of proportions of two of R&B's nicest pens, Neyo and Johntá Austin came and gave the people what they wanted. The two critically acclaimed songwriters went head-to-head, with each one trying to outdo the other with a classic track they’d written. Austin, who has penned hits for Mary J. Blige, Aaliyah, Mariah Carey and more put up a hell of a battle against Neyo whose songwriting credits range from Beyonce to Rihanna.
This was an exceptional battle because that's exactly what it was, A BATTLE! Hit for hit of unforgettable gems that once graced our radios. Fans knew both singers were holding back for the last few rounds of some of their biggest hits, and that set a standard of how Verzuz contenders after them followed suit.
I'd have to take Johntá on this one who came out on top as the winner. This was one battle that was possibly the closest to a draw. In the words of Swizz Beatz, "The culture won. The people won. The music won."
Check out the playlist below:
5. The Isley Brothers vs. Earth, Wind & Fire
A special Steve Harvey–hosted Easter special between the two iconic groups, The Isley Brothers and Earth, Wind & Fire faced off against each other for VERZUZ. With entire generations’ worth of hits between them, a pair of ageless soul-funk outfits shared the stage in a battle and mutual celebration of their respective catalogues of classics.
Listening through their dozens of gems alongside one another was almost like a tour through funk, soul, pop and rock history, with countless trends both reflected and forecasted by the hits played. This was no battle, but possibly one of the best concerts I've never gone to. I'm a genuine "Old Soul," so hearing these timeless hits each resonated with me as I would think back to family gatherings, playing spades and dominoes, waiting on some fried cuisine to touch my soul.
Earth, Wind & Fire showed why they’re still one of popular music’s greatest institutions, and will be a major live draw until the day they (or we) turn to dust. But even on the verge of his 80th birthday, Ronald Isley just has that inextinguishable star power that makes him transfixing whenever he’s on the screen — and the voice that’d make him an icon even if he wasn’t one of the most stylish dudes to ever put on a suit and shades. He hasn’t been a pop fixture for over 60 years now by accident, you know.
Check out the playlist below:
4. 8Ball & MJG vs. UGK
Unity in the name of Hip-Hop was the overarching theme of the Verzuz battle between legendary rap duos UGK and 8Ball & MJG on Thursday evening (May 26), with each side embracing the other in an unabashed show of southern pride.
I am actually very biased as a huge Southern rap fan. Still, it was a bit tougher this time around with 8Ball & MJG hailing from Memphis and UGK being one of the most successful acts out of Port Arthur, TX (although they are often seen as synonymous with Houston). The two are both duos, so it makes sense that they’d go head-to-head. Despite Pimp C’s tragic passing in 2007, UGK’s legacy still shines bright with remaining member Bun B standing tall on the Verzuz stage. UGK definitely has the advantage because they enjoyed more mainstream success. Their 2007 hit “International Players Anthem (I Choose You)” featuring Outkast is still a floor-filler 15 years later, and their feature on Three 6 Mafia’s “Sippin’ on Some Syrup” is a staple in both of their catalogs.
Thought to be the underdogs in this matchup by a segment of fans, 8Ball & MJG quickly dispelled any notions of a rout taking place, as the Orange Mound-bred duo pulled out all of the stops. Also, despite flying solo for the majority of the night, Bun B proved to be a one-man army, commanding the crowd with a mix of solo cuts and he and Pimp C’s greatest hits. Bun B flaunted the stage presence and showmanship that’s kept him in demand as a live performer for more than three decades of his career.
This was a victory for the South. All the way from Memphis, Tennessee to the backwoods of Port Arthur, Texas. In the words of Bun B,
“You cannot f**k with us, but you can f**k with us. I came to rep this sh*t like my brother would. F**k what them other ni**as talking bout, get some South in your mouth.”
Check out the playlist below:
3. Swizz Beatz Beatz vs. Timbaland
Verzuz co-founders Swizz Beatz and Timbaland connected for the first rematch of their battle series on Sunday (May 30). The heavyweight bout also served as the first installment of Verzuz Live, with the action going down in-person at Miami’s renowned club LIV.
Both producers came together once more to dedicate this show to losses we've taken in the music industry, that of our fallen angel, DMX, and our "Babygirl," dear, sweet Aaliyah. After two hours of heating up the nightclub’s center stage, Timbo and Swizz came together to celebrate the platform they built together from the ground up in just a year.
Both heavy-hitters came with their strongest forces, and held nothing back. Swizz and Tim, both have worked with the biggest names in Hip-Hop and R&B, creating signatures of their own. From hits that ranged from DMX, Missy Elliott, Aaliyah, Jay-Z, Beyoncé and so many more, this was a hell of a show, that only made it all the more better that it was the first live show format that the Verzuz shows are in now.
Swing for swing, blow for blow, Swizz came out swinging with everything he had and Tim was right there with him, but in the end, I'd have to say Timbo came out on top for this one.
Check out the playlists below:
2. DMX vs. Snoop Dogg
When the Verzuz matchup between Snoop Dogg and DMX was first announced, we knew we were in for something special. Beyond the catchy 'Battle of the Dogs' title, the battle presented an opportunity for two living legends from opposite coasts to get together, swap stories, and play hit after hit after hit. Both have an extensive discography, record-breaking tracks and award-winning legacy.
To see these two legends co-exist in a room, swapping hit for hit, made my year! I imagined to uncles just grooving and having a good time, 'shooting the sh*ts' as we say in the country.
I knew when TIDAL put this playlist together, that the sounds of Doggystyle and It's Dark and Hell Is Hot, would resonate through the sounds of my speakers once again. Viewed by over two million people on Instagram, plus countless more on Apple Music, everyone who tuned in was treated to two hours of decades-spanning hits (plus a few freestyles) from two icons.
At the end of the battle, Snoop Dogg said, “This is what Verzuz was always supposed to be,” and he was right. It really doesn’t get better than this. Snoop has a deeper catalog than anyone who has participated in Verzuz so far, and he also happens to be one of the most purely entertaining humans alive. Throw in DMX, an absolute legend in his own right, and you have a truly historic moment.
Check out the playlist below:
D'Angelo & Friends
Last, but certainly not least, coming in at the top spot, is none other than The Vanguard, Mr. D'Angelo, himself.
Those that were waiting to see D’Angelo versus a worthy opponent on Verzuz got a little something different for the latest “match” as D pretty much battled himself and had some homies drop in to support. The event—D’Angelo & Friends— was held at the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York on Saturday night (Feb. 27).
Sitting behind a piano ringing out hits from his albums, Brown Sugar, Voodo and The Vanguard, the soul in the music and the joy blooming in the room was contagious.
What was special about the night was how D was really surprised by the “Friends” that showed up for him. He seemingly found out who was on the bill with him at the same time as the live viewers. His moment with the songstress H.E.R. was so genuine as they turned their cordial fandom for one another into the coolest tune performance of “Nothing Even Matters.” H.E.R. exclaimed, “I’m singing with D’Angelo right now! What is life?!”
Knowing that D’Angelo isn’t much for the fanfare and bright lights of stardom, to see him perform for the Verzuz crowd sans a worthy opponent was a rare treat that we didn’t know we needed. Normally everyone wants to see some musical bloodshed with a head-to-head battle, but it was good to see soul music just be soul music and that be the focus rather than the “Who won…” convo was a nice break in the Verzuz series.
Check out the playlist below:
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