verzuz
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A Line-by-Line (ish) Defense of Jagged Edge's 'Let's Get Married'
Ever since the first Verzuz “battle” popped off, the social medias have been aflutter with discussions of which artists would make for a good head-to-head battle. Suggestions, both good and terrible, seem to be what social media was built to amplify. Well, after the last “battle” between Ludacris, Nelly and Nelly’s WiFi connection, Swizz Beatz…
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Nelly's Choppy Wifi Made for an Underwhelming Verzuz Battle Between Him and Ludacris
If you were one of the people who tuned into the Verzuz battle between Ludacris and Nelly on Instagram Live last night ready to shake ya tail feather to bops from the 2000s, you were likely disappointed because of Nelly’s shitty wifi. For some reason the stream from the St. Louis rapper, whose Country Grammar…
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The Root Jams Weekly (5/15/2020): 'A Long Walk'
This week’s playlist is both in honor of Jilly from Philly and E. Badu’s Verzuz battle from last weekend, but also because in our current climate, a long walk is what many of us rely on for a bit of peace. “A Long Walk” (5/15/2020) J’Na Jefferson India.Arie “Can I Walk With You” Frank Ocean…
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If Snoop Dogg Gets His Way, the Next Verzuz Battle We'll See Will Involve Him vs. Jay-Z
With all of us trapped in the house, Swizz Beatz and Timbaland’s Instagram series, Verzuz, has become a full-fledged, whole-ass pop culture phenomenon with millions of viewers and billions of impressions to its credit. Yet for all of the love that it’s rained down on some of our favorite hip-hop and R&B artists, it has…
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Yo, 2000 Was a Really Good Year for Soul Music
If you are reading this, there’s probably a better than 50 percent chance—and probably closer to 75 or 80 percent, really—that you were one of the, apparently, 8 trillion (Swizz’s math might be a little hyperbolic) people who tuned into the Jill Scott versus Erykah Badu Verzuz on Instagram Live on Saturday evening. Topping out…
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An Exclusive Interview With ‘Tyrone’ of Erykah Badu Infamy
Following the highly successful Verzuz event featuring Erykah Badu and Jill Scott, a particularly interesting recurring convo arose about Erykah’s impromptu hit song, “Tyrone.” Namely, the fact that the song’s popularity also resulted in a particular negative association with the titular character. Now, the long-maligned Tyrone is finally setting the record straight, in his own…
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It's Goin' Down, Down, Baby: Nelly and Ludacris Are Next Up for Verzuz Battle
This weekend, Jill Scott and Erykah Badu’s sisterly celebration of each other’s catalogs for the beloved Verzuz series soothed our spirits and souls. Fans of the Instagram Live event and shakin’ their asses are in for a treat, as the next battle will switch gears entirely, promising to bring the heat. The official announcement of…
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Erykah Badu and Jill Scott Brought the Healing Vibes We Needed in Their Verzuz Battle
Incense was burning, Crown Royal was ready for the sipping, and even our forever first lady Michelle Obama was tuning in for the Verzuz battle between Neo Soul queens Erykah Badu and Jill Scott last night on Instagram Live. During the “battle”—which felt more like a celebration of blackness and sisterhood than anything—the two artists…
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French Montana Concedes Drake Could 'Probably' Beat Him in Head-to-Head Hits Battle; Water Declares It Is 'Likely' Wet
If there’s any self-care mantra I can offer to anyone right now, it’s to believe in yourself the way French Montana believes in himself. The “Unforgettable” rapper, in an interview with DJ E Rock on 92.3’s The Bassment (h/t Complex), maintained, once again, that his catalog could stand next to most of hip hop’s greats—with…
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Monica Is Open to a Brandy 'Verzuz' Match-Up…But There Are Conditions
With the first-ever female Verzuz battle between Erykah Badu and Jill Scott happening this weekend, a few other talented women’s names are being tossed around for potential battles in the future. Fans are clamoring for a possible matchup of R&B superstars and longtime rivals, Brandy and Monica. Last week, Brandy’s brother Ray J told Wendy…