Heavyweight hitmakers; musicians duke it out in 20-round Instagram battle series

BY JANIECE CAMPBELL

Summer: the season to bask in sunshine and wholesome fun. Also, the typical season for several annual outdoor festivals and activities. After a winter that felt way too long, many of us were preparing to ring in the first summer of the decade by indulging in an abundance of food events, seeing our favourite artists live and participating in complete unruly behaviour.

But this was the year that things changed for the worse. Due to this unpredictable pandemic, most organized festivals and concerts worldwide were forcibly postponed or cancelled indefinitely, raining on many of our parades.

We thought it was all over. Until there was Verzuz.

We may not get to sink our teeth into those savory, fall-off-the-bone food truck ribs or hear ambient live music but let us take it as a blessing. This time around, go ahead and grab some snacks from the pantry because you can hear all those club bangers in your bedroom for free 99.

A quarantine-friendly competitive series put together by American producers Timbaland and Swizz Beatz, Verzuz is a weekly virtual MC battle on Instagram Live. The premise is fairly simple: two prominent artists, songwriters or producers put their gloves up for a toe-to-toe 20-round setlist, leaving viewers to decide who has the better music catalog.

“What is the thing the world most needs every day? It’s music,” Timbaland said in an interview with CNN. “The sound of music always put a joy in my heart. I know music is the key to what’s going on in this darkness and I just felt this was the perfect time.”

 With a range of battles from old school entertainers such as Teddy Riley vs. Babyface and RZA vs. DJ Premier to newer sounds like French Montana vs. Tory Lanez and Boi-1da vs. Hit-Boy, viewers are exposed to a unique, interactive, never-before-seen online experience. The well-paired clashes help to soothe anxieties by immersing in nearly forgotten classics, even if it’s only for a couple of hours.

“Music has always been around to help and heal,” Swizz Beatz said, in the same interview. “Me and Tim came together and said, ‘You know what? Let’s start Verzuz on Live and give the people some entertainment, give them some hope and also educate them. Because Verzuz is an educational celebration.”

 Verzuz provides the opportunity to learn about the individual behind the song. It could just be my Generation Z ignorance but I, for one, had no clue who Johntá Austin was before his hit-for-hit against Ne-Yo. A songwriter who has penned for a widespan of artists from Janet Jackson to Justin Bieber, it would be dishonorable if he didn’t take the crown, dropping the knockout gem “We Belong Together” by Mariah Carey against Ne-Yo’s “Irreplaceable” by Beyoncé in the final round.

The series takes pride in “celebrating people behind the scenes,” like the writers and producers behind chart-toppers whose names are less recognized, Timbaland said.

With an average upwards of 250K viewers at a time, the show has reached far beyond viral success, often becoming the #1 trending topic while on air.

“We had three stadiums worth of people showing up to see two people and they probably didn’t know what those two people were responsible for,” Swizz Beatz added.

Most recently, energies were rejuvenated to the soulful sounds of Erykah Badu vs. Jill Scott. Making history as the first Verzuz between women, the spirit of competition exited the window and calming vibes filled the air instead. A combination that fit so seamlessly together, the only true winner of this battle was the audience.

Early 2000’s hip-hop fans can look forward to dusting off those oversized jerseys and Air Force Ones, because it’s been confirmed that the next two artists to step in the ring are Nelly and Ludacris.

Timbaland and Swizz Beatz have made it clear that this is just the beginning of Verzuz, even dropping hints that a Verzuz Ladies is in the works to support creative women in the industry. So, this weekend, refuse to let the quarantine blues get to you. Men, put on your best button-up and ladies, don’t be ashamed to pull out that freakum dress. Relish in the absence of overpriced cover fees and enjoy that concert to the fullest in the comfort of your own home.