It’s no secret. Swizz Beatz and Timbaland have been working hard to pair up some of hip-hop and R&B’s biggest stars for their Verzuz celebratory battles. To date, the duo has successfully hosted 24 of these events on Instagram Live and their streaming partner, Apple Music. Now, what you rarely hear about are the matches that could have been. In a live conversation following D’Angelo’s damn-near-solo set—that many R&B lovers didn’t know they needed—Swizz Beatz and Timbaland revealed how the soulful crooner was originally scheduled to take part in Verzuz alongside fellow “neo-soul” singer Maxwell.
“I’m not gonna lie. That sh*t took very long. Let’s give people the story,” starts Swizz. “What was supposed to happen was D’Angelo versus Maxwell on Valentine’s Day. That didn’t work out, but the fact that D’Angelo was still ready to go and still motivated, we had to celebrate him— matter who was on stage with him. We had to celebrate that king because, as you can see, those songs that he played tonight, man, that’s real music.”
He continues: “This is a celebrational stage and we couldn’t play around with him. We had to let him get his garden because he showed up and showed out. That man pulled up to Verzuz three hours early. D’Angelo was the earliest person in Verzuz history tonight so don’t get him showing up [at] the time he did mixed up with the pre-show which was by DJ Scratch.”
Message received, but could you imagine how many more ladies would’ve gotten their lives on that night of love? Can you imagine the attempted falsetto singing done by viewers on that special and rare night? It would’ve been nice to see D’Angelo and Maxwell on the same bill, that’s for sure.
Watch Swizz and Timbo talk about the match that could have been while clearing the air about D’Angelo’s start-time at around the 4-minute and 20-second mark of the video below.
NEWS
NBA YoungBoy has faced several hardships in recent years. Along with serving time behind bars, the rapper has also dealt with mental health challenges linked to the painful experiences in his life.
His music has often given listeners insight into that pain. During a recent appearance with Funny Marco on Open Thoughts, YoungBoy opened up even further about what he has been going through.
During the conversation, YoungBoy revealed that he no longer plans to live in the United States. He confirmed that he currently resides in South Korea. Although he did not share why he chose that country, his comments suggest he is ready to leave his life in America behind.
Funny Marco asked YoungBoy whether he might ever move back to the United States. The rapper responded with “never in life,” though he admitted that he could return for a visit someday.
Before relocating, YoungBoy lived on a ranch in Utah, where local residents had gradually started becoming more comfortable with him. His new home in South Korea now places him in a completely different cultural environment.
Adjusting to such a major change may not be easy, but YoungBoy has shown his strength and appears confident about where he wants to live. After experiencing so much pain in the United States, he seemingly feels more comfortable keeping his distance.
The move also comes as he deals with serious health concerns involving his heart. The condition remains an ongoing concern, and we hope the artist receives the support he needs as he continues facing this difficult medical situation.
