If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It: Fans React To The News That VERZUZ Might No Longer Be Free To Watch
Do you remember where you were when you saw your first VERZUZ battle?
Like every other person who has tuned in to the webcast series created by legendary producers, Timbaland and Swizz Beatz, you were more than likely at home in your living room, dying of boredom when you tapped in. VERZUZ was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic on March 24, 2020. The first clash took place virtually between the series’ two creators on Instagram Live. The goal of the series was to give artists their flowers in a friendly competition, where two artists highlight their discographies in a 20 song hit battle.
The two titans clashing spawned a plethora of amazing battles. Some fan favorite battles include: Babyface v. Teddy Riley, Erykah Badu v. Jill Scott, DMX v. Snoop Dogg, Jeezy v. Gucci Mane, Keyshia Cole v. Ashanti, Bow Wow v. Soulja Boy and The Lox v. Dipset, amongst many others.
Besides basically getting a concert from some of their favorite artists in the confines of their own homes, the main draw for fans to VERZUZ was that it was free and accessible to everyone. Even with Apple Music and Triller becoming platforms that people could watch on if they preferred, fans still felt included in the cultural phenomenon. But could that feeling of inclusivity become a thing of the past? A lot of fans are afraid so.
When the official VERZUZ Instagram page posted a reminder to fans about its Valentine’s Day Special battle today between Anthony Hamilton and Musiq Soulchild, fans could not help but notice that there was something off. It was revealed that this battle would not be broadcast on Instagram. Instead, fans were instructed to sign up for the #TrillerVerzPass if they wanted to tune in. As one would imagine, fans were not at all happy about the development. Here are some of there reactions:
Seeing the responses after the announcement, Swizz Beatz chimed in which caused further confusion.
Hopefully “it’s fixed” means fans will be able to watch the battle the way they’re accustomed to, on Instagram Live. Anthony Hamilton v. Musiq Soulchild goes down tonight at 9:15PM ET.
