Swizz Beatz and Timbaland bring back the “Verzuz” series with a new big platform for viewers to watch musicians go head to head in a song vs. song battle.
The legendary producers announced on Wednesday that Verzuz has secured an exclusive independent distribution partnership with social media site X.
Swizz Beatz said he's looking forward to the new chapter for Verzuz, which became popular during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Not only are we excited to have Verzuz at X, but we're excited to help X build the largest entertainment company in the world,” he said in a statement before thanking several X executives, including owner Elon Musk, for believing in their vision. “We can't wait to get back to work.”
Both companies agreed to a “mutually beneficial alliance” where Swizz Beatz and Timbaland retain full ownership and creative control, while X receives exclusive distribution rights.
Timbaland said he is excited to expand his views through X, which has more than 300 million monthly active users. Viewers will be able to watch “Verzuz” for free.
“Our goal has always been to bring Verzuz to the world, which we can now do more than ever before,” he said.
“Verzuz” came to life in 2020 after a friendly competition between Swizz Beatz and Timbaland on social media that started to entertain fans who stayed at home during the pandemic. But their platform eventually evolved into a place where some of music's biggest stars competed against each other in the same way.
The series had evolved from an original event into a bridging of music's past and present. He started on Instagram Live having battles in person in front of an audience.
Some of the most epic battles include John Legend vs. Alicia Keys, Erykah Badu vs. Jill Scott, Gladys Knight vs. Patti LaBelle, Gucci Mane vs. Jeezy, Brandy vs. Monica, and Snoop Dogg vs. DMX. An April battle between Babyface and Teddy Riley ended abruptly due to sound problems but went through another night.
The series was acquired by Triller in 2021, but Swizz Beatz and Timbaland sued the social video platform company for breach of contract. The makers have settled on Thriller in 2022.
“Our platform is at the forefront of innovation and Verzuz defines the essence of an innovative content experience,” said X CEO Linda Yaccarino. “As we continue to work with the most exciting voices to bring high-quality content to X, there's no better fit than this series.”
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/verzuz-swizz-beatz-timbaland-new-partnership-x-1235713500/