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Verzuz has brought out some of the biggest names in the music world – from Babyface and Teddy Riley to Rick Ross and 2 Chainz. But are artists really paid for their participation in these battles? Learn more about Verzuz here.
What is Verzuz?
From award-winning producers Swizz Beatz and Timbaland, Verzuz is a digital series in which two artists with similar musical styles team up for a friendly showdown. But although it’s marketed as a contest, it’s more of a celebration of their music catalogs, an outlet to showcase returning tracks, and a way to bring people together.
Timbaland and Swizz Beatz told Variety they came up with the idea for the competition series a few years ago before testing it at SummerJam in 2018.
They took him to Instagram in April, when the coronavirus (COVID-19) started sweeping the world and forced everyone in with little or nothing to do. The producers themselves fought the first battle for Verzuz after Timbaland challenged Swizz Beatz on Instagram.
“I loaded up my threshing machine and called it out, too,” Swizz Beatz said, reflecting on when Timbaland called him. “We went to live by playing our best. The audience went wild in real time, talking to us, responding to the songs. Two hours after Tim called me, Verzuz practically started.
Verzuz matches that have taken place so far
So far, there have been more than a dozen matches. These battles took place between Alicia Keys and John Legend; Snoop Dogg and DMX; Babyface and Teddy Riley; Erykah Badu and Jill Scott; T-Pain and Lil Jon; and Nelly and Ludacris, among others.
The next match will be between former R&B rivals Brandy and Monica – a highly anticipated lineup that fans have been asking for since Verzuz’s early days. It was announced on August 22 and is slated for release August 24 at 8 p.m. ET on Instagram and Apple Music.
In addition to the showdown between the “Boy Is Mine” collaborators, fans also called for battles between duos like 50 Cent and Ja Rule, Mariah Carey and Mary J. Blige, and Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes. But no information about these potential queues has been announced at the time of this writing.
Does Verzuz pay?
At first glance, it doesn’t seem like artists are paid just for their participation in Verzuz. But the platform still has a huge advantage in exposing them to hundreds of thousands of fans who tune in to watch the battles online.
Many artists who have entered the contests have reported dramatic increases in flow after participating, up to 300%, which can translate into income. Plus, some of them – like Erykah Badu – also hosted events afterwards for a small fee, redirecting tons of their fans and other potentials to their own platforms.
So while they can see an immediate paycheck, Verzuz can certainly generate income and much more.
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