Timbaland, Swizz Beatz and Elon Musk: Verzuz is relaunching on X, but some aren’t thrilled

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As a long-time movie buff and music enthusiast, I can’t help but be excited about the recent news of Timbaland and Swizz Beatz relaunching their Verzuz battle series on X, with the backing of Elon Musk. Having grown up in the era of timeless R&B and hip-hop, I have fond memories of tuning into the initial Verzuz battles during the pandemic, which brought a new energy to music streaming and entertained us all through challenging times.

Approximately two years have passed since the last Verzuz battle between R&B and hip-hop influencers Timbaland and Swizz Beatz, and they have now agreed on a distribution contract to restart the popular streaming event on platform X.

The founders of Verzuz, who retain control over the platform, revealed on Wednesday that they will broadcast upcoming Verzuz events for free on X, in collaboration with X’s owner Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. This announcement was made during the Cannes Lions conference in France, and the trio celebrated the news with pictures from a yacht and in honor of Juneteenth.

“Starting new experiences lies beyond your comfort zone – that’s where life truly begins! This was the message shared by Timbaland and Swizz Beatz on Instagram, where their collaborative streaming series premiered in 2020, amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”

The duo announced that Verzuz is once again under Black ownership and expressed excitement about creating new entertainment ventures on the X platform. They encouraged perseverance in pursuing dreams and wished everyone a happy Juneteenth.

As a seasoned music industry insider and observer, I’ve seen my fair share of partnership disputes. But the recent turn of events between Swizz Beatz, Timbaland, and Triller took me by surprise. You see, earlier this year, these legendary producers, who have given us some of the most iconic beats in hip-hop history, found themselves at odds with their new partner, Triller.

Swizz Beatz and Timbaland, the Grammy-winning music producers, have entered into a profitable partnership with X. They will continue to oversee and create content for Verzuz, while holding onto its ownership and artists’ equity. In return, X obtains exclusive distribution rights for the platform.

According to Varity, the company now has the opportunity to increase its viewership and global presence by reaching over 550 million active users monthly. With a user base of over 300 million being active each month, X enjoys a substantial audience.

I’m ecstatic to announce that we’ve discovered an ideal collaborator for Verzuz. I can hardly contain my excitement about bringing this innovative platform to X! It’s not just about having Verzuz on X, but also about contributing to X’s growth and becoming a significant player in the global entertainment industry.

Swizz Beatz expressed gratitude towards Musk and the X team for their faith in the Verzuz concept. We’re excitedly looking forward to collaborating with them.

Timbaland described X as the most inventive global stage. He and Swizz Beatz have long aimed to share Verzuz with the world, an objective they can now accomplish on a grander scale.

As a movie buff, I’d put it this way: On June 23, 2022, I had the pleasure of witnessing an epic R&B showdown between two talented gentlemen – Omarion and Mario – in the latest installment of Verzuz. This exciting series, which I’ve been following since its debut in March 2020, kicked off with a thrilling clash between music legends Timbaland and Swizz Beatz.

As a movie critic, I’ve been thoroughly entertained by the unique and engaging battles brought to us by Verzuz. From the late greats DMX against Snoop Dogg, to hip-hop heavyweights Ludacris and Nelly, this platform has expanded beyond rap genre boundaries. These good-natured face-offs have settled old feuds, reunited rivals, and given fans a front-row seat to the action.

Recently, Tesla’s tech firm, led by Musk, has been producing unique content for social media. In January, they announced collaborations with media personalities like Don Lemon (former CNN anchor), Tulsi Gabbard (former Congresswoman), and Jim Rome (ex-Fox Sports host and radio personality). However, in March, Musk abruptly ended “The Don Lemon Show” before its premiere following a contentious interview between the two.

X’s CEO Linda Yaccarino expressed her pride in X’s collaboration with innovative minds Swizz Beatz and Timbaland in a statement.

“Our platform leads the way in new ideas, and Verzuz embodies the core of groundbreaking content,” Yaccarino stated. “As we collaborate with the most captivating talents to deliver top-tier content to X, there’s no more suitable match than this series. Through our partnership, we will revolutionize audience interaction with entertainment, taking it one step further with each Verzuz event.”

As a film enthusiast, I was excited about the news dropped on Wednesday. But my excitement was quickly dampened when I saw the reaction from some fans on social media. They expressed their disappointment and skepticism on X and under the Instagram post’s comment section, labeling it as “lame sellout energy.”

“Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh WHO’S GONNA TELL THEM???” wrote Food Network personality Sunny Anderson.

“Fire your marketing team. Announcing partnering with Elon on Juneteenth?🙄” another user wrote.

“Well, we had some good times amidst the pandemic. I suppose it’s important to hold onto those recollections.” – Glenn Marshall Jr., WGN reporter.

“I don’t mean to brag when sharing our collaboration with Apartheid Baby on Juneteenth, and announcing it from the comfort of a boat just feels unnecessary.”

“In essence, Verzuz remains under Black ownership, yet for Black viewers to access it, we must convene on a platform where we’re subjected to racial discrimination. I’m dismayed to see the racially charged comments.”

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2024-07-18 22:07