Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
yeah, i know the words were explained. Doesn't mean i have any idea what any of this means. What's a "rap-battle music platform?"
First, it's not just rap — acts like Earth, Wind + Fire, Teddy Riely, Erika Badu, Gladys Knight and Pattie LaBelle have participated.

Basically, it's two artists head to head, playing their music streaming live in front of an audience. Each round, they pick a song they want to play from their catalog (they could be the main or feature artist), and the "opponent" plays one to compete against it — with the idea being that those at home watching can choose which they like best of the two. It's just for fun and the match-ups are meant to pair similar style/era artists (Earth, Wind & Fire vs The Isley Brothers, Alicia Keys vs John Legend).

The idea behind it was that due to the pandemic shutting down performances and touring, the two that started it (Swizz Beats and Timbaland, two writer/producers with huge clout in the industry) started this to give artists a platform to continue to perform and continue to drive interest in artists affected by the lack of touring. The series popularity quickly drew in many viewers as a way to cope while on quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic, it became a vehicle for viewers to laugh, sing-a-long, dance, go back in time feeling nostalgic, watch other entertainers communicate and interact with one another through comments and replies while watching and also with each other on-screen during battle, and also it united everyone together during the crisis.

I watched more than a handful of them and they were fantastic... once technical hurdles were overcome.
 
Last edited:
First, it's not just rap — acts like Earth, Wind + Fire, Teddy Riely, Erika Badu, Gladys Knight and Pattie LaBelle have participated.

Basically, it's two artists head to head, playing their music streaming live in front of an audience. Each round, they pick a song they want to play from their catalog (they could be the main or feature artist), and the "opponent" plays one to compete against it — with the idea being that those at home watching can choose which they like best of the two. It's just for fun and the match-ups are meant to pair similar style/era artists (Earth, Wind & Fire vs The Isley Brothers, Alicia Keys vs John Legend).

The idea behind it was that due to the pandemic shutting down performances and touring, the two that started it (Swizz Beats and Timbaland, to writer/producers with huge clout in the industry) started this to give artists a platform to continue to perform and continue to drive interest in artists affected by the lack of touring. The series popularity quickly drew in many viewers as a way to cope while on quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic, it became a vehicle for viewers to laugh, sing-a-long, dance, go back in time feeling nostalgic, watch other entertainers communicate and interact with one another through comments and replies while watching and also with each other on-screen during battle, and also it united everyone together during the crisis.

I watched more than a handful of them and they were fantastic... once technical hurdles were overcome.
Thank you for a true synopsis. I've multiple half ass articles on this subject today and yours has been the most comprehensive take. Some of there writers and comments are coming off like angry nerds that rebel against pop culture to sound cool. I'm not a huge fan of country music, but I'm not going to expend energy to denigrate a genre of music that someone grew up with and hold dear. These blogs wrote more thoughtful pieces on the Pride band. Hip Hop generates billions of dollars every year. Culture Vultures like Apple tried to get a piece but didn't want to pay current market value, the end.
 
Personally I don't mind it being RNB and hip hop as I would enjoy it in its current format. However I understand that not everyone has the same taste in music therfore making it more diverse would make it more appealing to a wider audience.
It is a Hip Hop/RnB platform with artists that have decent to extensive catalogs (10years plus). I've always looked at Verzuz as an extension of the Drink Champs podcast, giving veteran urban artists their appreciation and admiration. I don't see anyone asking for Sam Smith vs Ed Sheehan, inclusion would just make it another Pop platform in a sea of Pop platforms and wouldn't be special anymore.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Websnapx2
To clarify for those that don’t know- they started the app, not the concept of a rap battle.
To clarify further this isn't a rap battle (rap battles have brackets and clear winners — this does not), but they did absolutely start Verzuz.
 
It is a Hip Hop/RnB platform with artists that have decent to extensive catalogs (10years plus). I've always looked at Verzuz as an extension of the Drink Champs podcast, giving veteran urban artists their appreciation and admiration. I don't see anyone asking for Sam Smith vs Ed Sheehan, inclusion would just make it another Pop platform in a sea of Pop platforms and wouldn't be special anymore.
To be honest people would lose their **** for a Sam Smith Ed Sheehan Verzuz lol.

I’m not disagreeing that it would be fine with me if it stayed hip hop and r&b, but honestly it’s whole attraction is getting two artists and their fan bases and watch them interact and having a good time in a different way that isn’t an interview format.

It’s easy to see every music listener in every genre would be interested in that and I would watch most of them even if I didn’t like the music genre. And if we’re being completely honest, it’s not like all of these Verzuz battles featured the best, there were some good ones and big names but by far not all of them were, and limiting the music genres only gives them so many options.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Shanghaichica
I actually assumed that Apple had purchased Verzuz a long time ago. I watched Fabolous vs. Jadakiss on Apple Music,
but I guess it was just temporary.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MecPro
I find this article gross tbh. It’s not a rap battle platform at all. It’s essentially a clash where 2 artists or groups pit 20 tracks against each other. What it actually works out as is a nostalgic journey through the artists careers. Some of these have been truly magical experiences.
What none have been is a rap battle though. I guess black people only rap don’t we. Ffs
 
I find this article gross tbh. It’s not a rap battle platform at all. It’s essentially a clash where 2 artists or groups pit 20 tracks against each other. What it actually works out as is a nostalgic journey through the artists careers. Some of these have been truly magical experiences.
What none have been is a rap battle though. I guess black people only rap don’t we. Ffs

See, that makes much more sense to me. Thanks for the explanation.
 
You were doing good until you mentioned Limp Bizkit.

Limp Bizkit? 🤣

They're like Nickelback
no, Limp Bizkit was way better than Nickleback..song such as ” my way “, “ rolling—Undertaker, wrestler’s entrance song “, “ nookie “, “ and “ break stuff “ are some of the best.
 
You know your old when you don't know what rap battle is 😂

Have you ever seen 8 mile, if not watch it. That will explain it for you
I do find “ 8 mile “ to be a cool movie even though I am not a really fan of Marshall Matters aka “ Eminem “ and so sad what happened to Britanny Murphy.
 
I think Apple has its own calculation for them, if they can't buy it, they will have another bigger one in the future, do you believe that?
Rapper gun battles would have been a bigger draw. A real missed opportunity for Apple.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.